Heliport
31st May 2002, 07:54
Helicopter World reports ..........
U.S. security officials barred helicopters using any of New York’s public heliports from flying into the nation’s capital, Washington DC.
‘We don’t understand what it is these people want,’ says a clearly frustrated Roy Resavage, head of HAI and one of the aviation groups working on re-opening general aviation flights into Reagan National Airport next month. Resavage says GA working groups put the New York helo sites at the top of a preferred list of ‘gateway’ departure points for aircraft headed for Reagan.
‘The fixed wing people were very generous. They saw the New York-Washington helicopter route as one of the ones people wanted to use. ‘Now we don’t know what to do next. They say ‘no,’ but you can never find out why.’
Resavage and other GA groups say Government heavy handedness - in the name of security - continues to plague their members. ‘Our industry is 40 percent down in terms of operations right now - maybe more than that,’ he says. ‘That’s a tragedy for an industry which relies on small business principles and depends on its turnover to survive.’
To add to the woes, officials at aviation groups in Washington DC have trouble identifying bureaucrats to contact. ‘The agencies seem in a constant state of flux. You can never find anyone who’s responsible for anything. And they all keep moving around.’
Resavage says it’s also clear ‘the FAA has no power anymore’ over the livelihood of GA. ‘They ceded authority to the TSA (Transportation Security Agency) and that’s an unknown monster at this point.’
Resavage, president of the 3,000-member helicopter operator group, says many of the nation’s helicopters have been grounded as the result of September 11. ‘Apart from the security problems, they are currently being hit with huge insurance increases. ‘Many operators are putting million dollar assets on the ground and refusing to fly. Just as many are flying on so-called ‘self-insurance’ - hoping nothing too bad goes wrong. ‘These are aircraft that can save lives, do good, and affect the quality of life in this country. The industry is in a pretty bad situation right now. We need help.’
The most pressing need, he adds, is that ‘someone needs to tell us what kind of threat we’ve suddenly become to national security and why.’
Sensible decision on security grounds?
Or absurd over-reaction?
What do you think?
U.S. security officials barred helicopters using any of New York’s public heliports from flying into the nation’s capital, Washington DC.
‘We don’t understand what it is these people want,’ says a clearly frustrated Roy Resavage, head of HAI and one of the aviation groups working on re-opening general aviation flights into Reagan National Airport next month. Resavage says GA working groups put the New York helo sites at the top of a preferred list of ‘gateway’ departure points for aircraft headed for Reagan.
‘The fixed wing people were very generous. They saw the New York-Washington helicopter route as one of the ones people wanted to use. ‘Now we don’t know what to do next. They say ‘no,’ but you can never find out why.’
Resavage and other GA groups say Government heavy handedness - in the name of security - continues to plague their members. ‘Our industry is 40 percent down in terms of operations right now - maybe more than that,’ he says. ‘That’s a tragedy for an industry which relies on small business principles and depends on its turnover to survive.’
To add to the woes, officials at aviation groups in Washington DC have trouble identifying bureaucrats to contact. ‘The agencies seem in a constant state of flux. You can never find anyone who’s responsible for anything. And they all keep moving around.’
Resavage says it’s also clear ‘the FAA has no power anymore’ over the livelihood of GA. ‘They ceded authority to the TSA (Transportation Security Agency) and that’s an unknown monster at this point.’
Resavage, president of the 3,000-member helicopter operator group, says many of the nation’s helicopters have been grounded as the result of September 11. ‘Apart from the security problems, they are currently being hit with huge insurance increases. ‘Many operators are putting million dollar assets on the ground and refusing to fly. Just as many are flying on so-called ‘self-insurance’ - hoping nothing too bad goes wrong. ‘These are aircraft that can save lives, do good, and affect the quality of life in this country. The industry is in a pretty bad situation right now. We need help.’
The most pressing need, he adds, is that ‘someone needs to tell us what kind of threat we’ve suddenly become to national security and why.’
Sensible decision on security grounds?
Or absurd over-reaction?
What do you think?