Aucklanders are ready for a ban on private helicopters in residential areas, if a public consultation is anything to go by.
In July, Aucklanders got their say on an application by wealthy Herne Bay couple, Simon and Paula Herbert – who want to increase their permitted helicopter flights to two return flights a day, with a cap of four return flights in a week.
The submissions were never released after the Herberts withdrew their application, but Stuff has obtained them from Auckland Council.
In total there were 130 submissions – all of them opposed.
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“To jeopardise the tranquillity and privacy of an entire neighbourhood for the selfishness of one family is ludicrous,” Herne Bay’s Deb Dinerstein said in her submission.
One neighbour said the noise of the helicopter vibrated his whole deck and he was concerned about a potential crash in his backyard.
“I live no more than 100m from the site. The noise and vibration is horrendous and frightening for pets and my young grandchildren when they visit,” said another neighbour, Andrew Bruce.
Scott Hammond/Stuff
Vineyards and gulf islands are popular private helicopter destinations. (File photo)
It wasn’t just central Aucklanders who objected, either.
Jessica Rose of Avondale in west Auckland wrote: “I don’t agree that a handful of super-rich residents get to disrupt whole neighbourhoods by using a helicopter for daily commuting.”
Trish and Terry Porter of Leigh were concerned about the impact of rotor downwash on wildlife. Downwash is the change in air direction caused by the rotor blades in action and has the potential to cause damage to objects on the ground, including people, when hovering at low altitude.
“It’s enough wind to blow a small person over, blow blossoms off trees, and generally blow the living daylights out of the surrounding flora and fauna. And, the noise created is absolutely DEAFENING.”
Jason Dorday/Stuff
The Herberts applied to increase their allowed number of daily flights from their property in Cremorne St in Herne Bay.
Many submissions called for a total ban.
“Please stop letting noisy environmental-unfriendly helicopters land in residential areas. Helicopters should be used for emergencies only,” Westmere’s Anna Lim said.
Another common theme was the impact helicopter flights had on people enjoying central Auckland beaches over summer.
“We get the impression from the society pages of the Sunday papers that the Herberts spend most of the NZ winter in the south of France, so by inference the proposed changes are aimed at them flitting round the Auckland summer skies,” wrote Herne Bay’s John and Pauline Ray.
Abigail Dougherty/Stuff
Most private helicopter flight paths traverse the Hauraki Gulf to comply with resource consent conditions. (File photo)
Paula Beverstock said helicopter users “should sail [to Waiheke] using the wind, or not go at all. There is an environmental emergency, stay local, or if they have to be on the island, they have certainly got the money to relocate there”.
Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Bill is before parliament, on its way to its third reading, but rules around residential helicopters haven’t been included.
Auckland Central MP Chlöe Swarbrick proposed an amendment to the bill to require the Minister of Transport to consider the impact of noise on residents and the environment when setting rules on flight paths. So far, that’s been left out.
Swarbrick said new rules would also mean asking the Civil Aviation Authority to monitor private helicopter use, which would likely require an increase in resourcing. She understands that at present it “runs on an oily rag”.
She said the Green Party would be unlikely to support the bill unless her amendment was taken into account.
