This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Politics & Government

Community, Officials Weigh in at Helicopter Noise Forum

Residents complain of more disruption, but officials say air traffic hasn't increased

Behram Shroff said Thursday he wasn't sure who has been flying helicopters over the area recently -- but he did know "we have a problem."

Shroff, a McLean resident and Hamlet Citizens Association member, said there are at least eight to 10 flights each day in his part of Mclean, during all hours of the morning and evening.

And Shroff's group isn't the only one complaining: Other residents have shared their concerns about what seems to be an increase in helicopter presence, a perception officials attempted to thwart Thursday night at the McLean Community Center during a session for McLean residents to become better familiarized with helicopter activity in the area.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Representatives from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1), U.S. Army, U.S. Park Police, Fairfax County Police and PHI Air Medical were in attendance, as well as Delegate Barbara Comstock, Supervisor John Foust and Sen. Barbara Favola.

Bob Laser, FAA operations manager at the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport tower, told residents there has not been an increase in the tempo of operations of helicopters in the national capital region.

Find out what's happening in McLeanwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"In fact, there’s been a decrease,” Laser said. “Perhaps not in your area, but overall there’s been a decrease, and that is a result of 9/11.”

According to Laser, there are zones and routes that helicopters must follow to stay clear of turbo-jet passenger-carrying planes that are landing at Reagan National Airport. The further away a helicopter is from the airport, the higher it can fly.

There is never a time that any helicopter, whether it is Army air operations or Fairfax County Police, is flying for any reason other than to complete a task. Their budget does not allow it. Commercial helicopter traffic, including media and news outlets, accounts for less than 1 percent.

“This is the most highly defended airspace on the planet. We track everything," Laser said. "So if somebody is off flying over your rooftop at 800 ft. and I know that, I’ll know exactly what they’re doing.”

McLean is in a zone that is bordered on three sides by helicopter routes: A route along the Potomac River, a route that follows the Beltway and a route that follows Route 7.

Community members expressed grievances of late night and early morning helicopter disturbance, even so much as to rattle windows and interfere with a Verizon FiOS connection. Laser said late night activity, for the most part, would be police work and medevac units performing necessary operations.

“If you’ve got a helicopter in your neighborhood at 500 ft. there’s a good chance that it may have a spotlight on it. If somebody is trying to conduct robberies or some felonious crime in your neighborhood, that’s what Fairfax County is out here doing,” Laser said.

Laser made note that he would reaffirm to all helicopter pilots in his jurisdiction to stick to their routes and fly in the zones that caused the least disturbance when possible, but that some exercises and missions simply could not be avoided or discussed in detail for security reasons.

“There are operations that we’re just not going to talk about. It’s not Jack Bauer and 24, but it’s pretty good stuff,” Laser said.

One important visit as the arrival of President Barack Obama to a fundraiser.

“Obviously HMX[-1] is here to support the President. You may have noticed some helicopter activity increase in your area today. You’re going to notice it again tomorrow, and then you can read about the very important person that came out and visited your neighborhood,” Laser said.

The option of holding a yearly helicopter noise forum was presented at the end of the meeting, as well as a proposal for a “noise portal” hotline, which would serve as a single-source telephone number for helicopter complaints. 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?