Newsday - FAA bans fixed-wing planes from East River

FAA bans fixed-wing planes from East River
BY CAROL EISENBERG
Newsday Washington Bureau

October 14, 2006

WASHINGTON -- Federal officials Friday night banned small planes from the treacherous East River corridor where Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and his flight instructor lost control of their aircraft Wednesday -- unless a pilot receives prior approval and is in contact with air traffic controllers.

The new rule, which does not include helicopters, was cheered by political leaders who had called for tightening airspace around Manhattan after the high-rise crash that killed the pair.

"This is a sensible first step," said Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Manhattan), whose district includes the East Sid.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

But others insisted further regulation was necessary and urged that the new rule should be extended to helicopters, which constitute most of the traffic in the East River corridor, as well as to the unrestricted airspace over the Hudson River.

"Unsupervised low-flying planes and high-rise buildings do not mix," Maloney said. "Why in the world are we allowing sightseeing and flight training over the most densely populated city in the world? I see this as both a safety and a security matter."

Maloney cited the recent helicopter crashes into the East River as evidence that helicopters should be more closely regulated as well.

BREAK IN TRANSCRIPT

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/am-ban1014,0,2222393.story?coll=ny-linews-print