Birds and Helicopter Noise

Interesting Reading - a study done on the effects of Helicopter noise on the endangered Birds of Dassen Island.

One of the best-studied groups of birds for the impact of aircraft is penguins. Some species of penguins are prone to panic responses to helicopters (e.g. Wilson et al. 1991, Cooper et al. 1994, Giese & Riddle 1999), occasionally with catastrophic results (Rounsevell & Binns 1991). Most catastrophic events happen among dense groups of penguins, where even one bird panicking can set off a chain reaction throughout the group.
Source: http://adu.org.za/pdf/Nansikombi_Juliet_2004_MSc_CB_thesis.pdf

Dassen Island Penguin Colony (Source: Freshwater and Marine Image Bank - Copyright free)

Image source: Wikipedia - Michael John Nicoll - Nicoll, M. J. (1908) Three Voyages of a Naturalist : Being an Account of Many Little-Known Islands in Three Oceans Visited by the 'Valhalla' R. Y, S., London: Whitherby & Co.

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Video - LOW FLYING HELICOPTERS OVER CAPE TOWN SUBURBS

A video from a Claremont resident On Friday, 24 th February 2017, between 08H55 and 09H55, helicopters were flying low over the houses in Claremont. Footage of one of the helicopters shows how low this helicopter was flying against a backdrop of trees and the mountain. Despite numerous complaints to the Waterfront, City of Cape Town (Noise Control) and Operators themselves, helicopters continue to operate with no consideration of his residence below.

New York City and Noisy tourist Helicopter flips

And I found this point to be particularly pertinent to the Cape Town situation: Tourists will not stop coming if helicopter tours are ended. Most tourists (more than 58 million last year) come to New York to enjoy its magnificent public spaces, visit theaters and museums, shop, dine in restaurants, and perhaps get a view from a tall building. New York City almost banned Tourism helicopter activities all together. Various articles have been published on this matter and the most pertinent point has been around noise pollution and how bad it is for people. A Plague of Helicopters New York Times 31 January 2016 https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/31/opinion/sunday/a-plague-of-helicopters-is-ruining-new-york.html City leaders should consider the high price we pay for helicopter tourism, a cost to our environment and to the quality of life in our parks and neighborhoods. Source: Photo by Frank Köhntopp on Unsplash

Archive: Cape Town to regulate light aircraft

Source: http://www.iolproperty.co.za/roller/news/entry/cape_town_to_regulate_light This is an article from 2010 which talks about noise and regulations. Cape Town to regulate light aircraft over suburbs THE City of Cape Town is working with the South African Civil Aviation Authority to firm up regulations for helicopters and light aircraft that fly too low above residential suburbs and natural or World Heritage sites. Without any legislation at its disposal, the city council has up to now been powerless to control the height, routes or types of helicopters and light aircraft flying above the city. Councillor Owen Kinahan said in a motion to the city's economic development portfolio committee that helicopter "flips" over the southern suburbs generated "tremendously disruptive and invasive noise" that disturbed the peaceful environment of those areas. Gerrit Mostert, of city health, said helicopter companies had been relying on a noise abatement ch...

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