Tourist-driven helicopter traffic over the Big Apple will be cut in half, under a new deal city officials announced Sunday.
The agreement by the Economic Development Corp.– first reported Thursday in The Post — will reduce the number of flights leaving from the downtown Pier 6 heliport to 28,000 a year starting Jan. 2017 and will end all Sunday flights.
“The non-stop din of helicopters has been a major quality of life issue for New Yorkers living near heavily trafficked routes,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio. “Today we’re addressing it.”
Last year, choppers made about 58,000 flights from the city’s only commercial helipad.
A preliminary 20 percent reduction of flights is expected to go into effect by June of this year. Companies that use the heliport will also have to provide monthly flight reports to the city under terms agreed upon by the city EDC and the Helicopter Tourism & Jobs Council.
A prohibition against flights over Governor’s Island will remain in effect under the deal.
In exchange, the EDC, which owns the Pier 6 helipad, is expected to extend its concession with the current operator. Saker Aviation, from when it runs out in 2018 to 2021.