Comment from Robert Bittner

It is my recommendation based on environmental and decibel concerns that the NY North Shore Helicopter Route proposed extension be terminated instead of extending it and that Helicopter flights be banned from using this route. The NSHR as previously proposed is not mandatory nor is it monitored daily to determine abuse by pilots or their company. Additionally no fines have been issued by the FAA to those pilots and their company for excessive deviation from the NSHR (a route established to counter excessive decibel levels over the North Fork communities) during the entire existence of the route. The deviations all based on "transitioning" to and from an airport are excessive in nature and only done for fuel and flight time savings at the consequential annoyance of those living on the North Fork and who derive no benefit from these flights. "Transitioning" is a poor excuse for deviation, and written into the route by the FAA. This is an obvious language avoidance which favors the helicopter industry and discriminates against ground based population areas. Since it's inception the NSHR has not accomplished what it was put in place to do, that of lowering and eliminating the noise level over the communities along the North Shore of Long Island. To extend a so called "mandatory" route which contains a reason for deviation that includes "transitioning to and from" isn't worth the paper it's written upon. The FAA is doing nothing more by extending this route than in such continued fashion than placating the helicopter industry.