Hansen: Helicopters buzz O.C. coast but little can be done

If you’re on an Orange County beach and a helicopter flies so low it nearly blows sand in your face, there’s not much you can do about it.

But if you’re in Los Angeles County and a helicopter flies too low for your liking, at least you can report it, thanks to the launching this year by the Federal Aviation Administration of a dedicated helicopter noise complaint system in the county to our north.

For years the FAA has excluded helicopters from the 1,000-foot rule that applies to fixed-wing aircraft. The result is that helicopters can do pretty much whatever they want, which means they frequently buzz along the coastline of Orange County, leaving a sound wake.

Then legislation helped create the complaint system. The website, launched in April, was supported by various citizen groups, government agencies and helicopter operators as a way to broker peace and reduce complaints — in Los Angeles County.

“This has been one of my pet peeves,” said Laguna Beach Councilwoman Toni Iseman, who has traveled to Washington, D.C., to complain about the noise pollution. “I’ve had phone calls and complaints. One of the things with the helicopters, you know, we got used to it when (former President Richard) Nixon was in the western White House, but in today’s world, it’s probably some Realtor with a mogul looking for his new oceanfront house.”

Iseman said she’s seen an increase in coastal Orange County this summer of low-flying helicopters and other aircraft, which she calls “boys and their toys,” perhaps because of lower fuel costs.

“I understand it’s not just helicopters. Lately it’s some general aviation, like a red baron diving at the beach,” she said. “Somebody was in a panic and called me, and then I got four or five calls on it. There really is a renewal.”

Officially, the FAA said it has not seen a significant increase in complaints.

“Helicopters are not subject to the minimum-altitude restrictions as airplanes just because of the nature of the aircraft,” said Ian Gregor, public affairs manager for the FAA’s Pacific division. “In a nutshell, airplanes have to remain 1,000 feet up when flying over populated areas. Helicopters don’t. Helicopters have to be operated so they don’t pose a hazard to people or property on the ground or surface.”

Specifically, the FAA guidelines say that “helicopters may be operated at less than the minimums,” as long as they stay safe.

In other words, stay safely off the sand.

Or try not to hit the mast of the sailboat.

Or avoid the breeching whale.

The helicopter issues in Los Angeles grew largely out of the sheer volume of flights. Unlike Orange County — which trends toward corporate flights, some tour operators, a few private outfits and the fairly frequent military helicopters that are off limits to regulation — some areas of L.A. have constant noise.

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and U.S. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) spearheaded the legislation last year that eventually helped create the helicopter noise complaint system.

According to the complaint website, most noise complaints are lodged by small numbers of people in certain neighborhoods. That information can then be used to alter flight paths as needed.

While the site has been lauded as a step in the right direction, officials believe more can be done.

“For years, the FAA has not felt the urgency that homeowners and residents across Los Angeles County have felt — very literally with the rattling of windows — on the need to reduce helicopter noise,” said Schiff, in a joint news release with Feinstein. “Much more progress needs to be made, and it is my hope that this noise-complaint system — along with the data it collects — will provide us the necessary information to better identify the bad actors and bring about noise relief to all Los Angeles residents.”

Meanwhile, in Orange County, there is no comprehensive plan or public initiative to track or log helicopter complaints. It’s essentially up to residents or individual cities, such as Newport Beach, to work with the FAA and John Wayne Airport, as needed.

But as far as the FAA is concerned, there is no issue.

“I checked around, and we are not aware of any widespread concerns about helicopter noise in Orange County,” Gregor said.

When it comes to noise pollution, there are two types: One is the loud, temporary noise — like the thump of a military helicopter that shakes your house. The second is the pervasive white noise that cumulates in the background. Think leaf blowers, generators, sirens, jet skis, motorcycles.

Yes, these are First World problems, critics can say. It’s rough dealing with paparazzi helicopters along California’s emerald coast.

But say that to the night shift ER nurse just trying to get some sleep during the day while a helicopter hovers off the water for no real reason like an oversized drone.

In this regard, L.A. is ahead of the game, and there’s more to come.

“Helicopter noise has disrupted the daily lives of thousands of Los Angeles residents for years, and allowing the public to report incidents to the FAA is a welcome and necessary step toward solving this problem,” said Feinstein. “While the reporting system is important, additional action by the FAA is needed — and overdue. The agency must work with pilots and the public to propose new flight patterns and practices. We will continue to press the case for rules that can reduce noise and protect privacy in Los Angeles communities.”

DAVID HANSEN is a writer and Laguna Beach resident. He can be reached at [email protected].