This year March came in like a lamb on Roosevelt Island. It was the first Sunday afternoon in the history of residential development without helicopters coming and going from the 60th Street heliport. The last flight roared out on Saturday, February 28th with its closing.

The heliport, opened in the 1960's to replace the one atop the Pan Am building after a tragic accident forced its closure, has been the focus of community opposition for years. It is being closed because of structural problems and because of upcoming repair work to be done on the FDR Drive. At the present time there are no plans to reopen it.

Since 1975 the heliport had been operating in violation of the New York City Charter with noise levels on Roosevelt Island exceeding those that cause permanent hearing loss.

Should one worry that Roosevelt Island will be too quiet, we continue to be under the East River helicopter flyway created to ease noise levels in Manhattan. There are also plans to open a helicopter repair facility at the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Helicopters will be using the East River to access it.

Anyone who wishes to support efforts to eliminate helicopter traffic over New York and other crowded urban areas should call The New York City Helicopter Noise Coalition at (212) 628-3126.