Hoboken, New Jersey, is preparing to sue the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over its failure to regulate non-essential helicopter flights above the city. The announcement follows a fatal sightseeing helicopter crash in April that killed six people, including three children and three adults, near Jersey City in the Hudson River. The crash occurred approximately 150 feet offshore and involved a family of five tourists.
Mayor Ravi Bhalla said the city intends to hold the FAA accountable for not taking action to protect Hoboken residents from what the city describes as unsafe and unnecessary air traffic. Bhalla stated that helicopters have been flying at low altitudes over the city for years, and the recent crash highlights the risks of continued inaction.
CBS News New York observed over three dozen helicopters flying above Hoboken in a single hour. According to Bhalla, many of these flights are for sightseeing purposes and are considered non-essential. He said these helicopters are not involved in emergency services, law enforcement, or other essential operations.
- Hoboken plans to sue the FAA after a helicopter crash killed six people, including a family of five, reigniting calls to ban non-essential flights.
- Residents and city leaders argue that tourist helicopters are unsafe, loud, and polluting, with over 80,000 such flights reported yearly across NYC airspace.
- City council unanimously passed a resolution calling for immediate FAA action, and local officials are urging New York City to act if federal regulators won’t.
Concerns Over Noise, Safety, and Emissions
Hoboken residents report regular disruption from helicopter noise. The city says that low-flying helicopters create a constant disturbance that affects the quality of life. Residents have described feeling vibrations in their homes due to helicopters passing overhead, also expressing concern over the lack of current regulations on altitude and flight frequency.
The city also cited environmental concerns. According to officials, helicopters emit hundreds of pounds of carbon dioxide per hour, contributing to air pollution in densely populated neighborhoods. Hoboken leadership argues that these flights pose risks not only to safety but also to public health.
Even though there are residents who do not view helicopter noise as a major issue, the city’s leadership maintains that the flights are a significant concern. Hoboken officials have repeatedly requested changes to flight patterns from the FAA in the past, but those efforts were unsuccessful.
Volume and Flight Paths Raise Alarm
Following the April crash, the Hoboken City Council passed a resolution calling for the FAA to prohibit all non-essential helicopter flights over Hoboken and Jersey City. The resolution passed unanimously, with an 8–0 vote.
Councilman Phil Cohen, who co-sponsored the resolution with Councilman Paul Presinzano, said the problem is ongoing and referenced previous failed attempts to reroute helicopter traffic. Cohen noted that after the September 11 attacks, helicopter flights were banned over Disneyland due to national security concerns. He argued that similar actions are possible and necessary in Hoboken.
The resolution urges Mayor Eric Adams and the New York City Economic Development Corporation to suspend all sightseeing and commuter helicopter flights from the two city-owned heliports if the FAA does not act. It also calls for the creation of minimum flight altitudes and a ban on non-essential helicopter operations near densely populated residential areas.
Cohen said that residents have contacted him and Presinzano to express concern about the mental toll of frequent low-flying helicopter traffic. Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher added that if the April crash had occurred over land instead of water, the outcome could have been even more devastating. She noted the risk posed by helicopters flying near buildings and potential mid-air collisions with drones.
Local Leaders Cite High Flights and Limited Oversight
Hudson County Executive Craig Guy has worked for several years to address helicopter noise. He has communicated with the tour operator at the Kearny, New Jersey, heliport in an effort to find solutions. Guy said a recent conversation with the operator may have led to some concessions, but he noted that results remain to be seen.
The advocacy organization Stop the Chop estimates that approximately 80,000 non-essential helicopter flights occur over New York City each year. The group points to the location of the Kearny heliport and its proximity to Newark Airport as a factor. Helicopters must fly at lower altitudes to avoid conflict with fixed-wing aircraft entering or exiting Newark’s airspace. This often brings them directly over Hoboken.
A flight tracker recorded a helicopter flying at 800 feet above a park in Hoboken. This corridor is frequently used by sightseeing helicopters traveling north along the Hudson River and returning south.
CBS News contacted the Kearny heliport and a high-volume sightseeing helicopter company but received no response. The FAA declined to comment, citing its policy on pending litigation.
