Comment from P B

As I write this at 3:27 PM on 8/27/2022, I hear the drone of a helicopter overhead in Wading River, NY and am also able to confirm its location on the website https://www.radarbox.com/@40.94991,-73.23514,z12 The aircraft is identified as a “Blocked” helicopter with no information regarding its flight plan or aircraft serial number. Originating in NJ, the flight pattern followed the North Shore of Long Island over the Long Island Sound until the helicopter turned at Wading River, crossed Long Island in a south-easterly direction, reached Smith Point and then traveled east along the South Shore of Long Island to its final destination, arriving at 3:40 PM at East Hampton Airport. This helicopter did not fly around Orient Point to its destination in East Hampton per the all-water North Shore Helicopter Route. This is a daily occurrence that can be both heard and seen on the radarbox.com website along with the vibration that is felt when helicopters are flying lower than the required minimum altitude of 2,500 feet. In 2008 The North Shore Helicopter Route was developed by the FAA with the East End Helicopter Group voluntarily agreeing to an all water route one mile off the North Shore of Long Island from Lloyd Harbor, NY to Orient Point, NY flying at a minimum altitude of 2500 feet. It was codified by the FAA as the final rule in subpart H of part 93 of title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) in 2012. Ah….sorry for the interruption but the drone of another helicopter can be both heard and felt: Registration N****, Serial No. ******. It departed from Bridgeport, CT at 3:10 PM on 8/27/2022, crossed Long Island Sound and began its crossing over land at Sound Beach, NY at an altitude of 1,925 feet (lower than minimum altitude of 2,500 feet); crossed over Wading River, NY at 1,925 feet and continued in a south-easterly direction. It then reached the Shinnecock Tidal Wetlands, turned east and traveled along the South Shore of Long Island arriving at its final destination, East Hampton Airport. An example of another helicopter that did not fly the all-water North Shore Helicopter Route around Orient Point to East Hampton…which is actually the norm. As was just evidenced, the “voluntary” agreement that was codified is not being followed. The pilots that do follow the all water North Shore Helicopter Route are few and far between...and I am grateful to them. In the notice of extension (issued July 2022, footnote 10) “The FAA notes that operators voluntarily agreed to fly the all-water route around Orient Point, and it appears that many operators, while continuing to comply with the regulation, have ceased flying the all-water route.” The fact that the FAA is acknowledging that the pilots are no longer “voluntarily” flying the all-water route around Orient Point indicates the need for a renewed agreement with the East End Helicopter Group, enforcement of the codified federal regulation and a commitment to the residents of the North Shore who are deserving of the right to a noise and air pollution free existence while the East Hampton Airport closure or non closure unfolds. It seems convenient for the FAA to extend the operation of the North Shore Helicopter Route by claiming the extension will avoid disruption of the current operating environment...However, there doesn’t seem to be any consideration regarding the disruption to the lives of the residents of the North Shore. The FAA rule has been extended three times without change. How many more years will the FAA continue to force extensions on the residents of Long Island claiming that it needs time to determine appropriate future actions for helicopter traffic? This four-year extension is an excessive amount of time to impose on the residents of the North Shore when no opportunity to voice concerns has been afforded to them. It’s time to include the public in the equation.