# Who to complain to about private helicopter? landing/taking off from adjoining proper



## bb12 (6 Jul 2007)

If you have a problem with a private helicopter landing and taking off from adjoining property, who do you make a complaint to? This is only a recent occurence and I'm not aware of any planning etc for it.


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## z109 (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

Hi bb12, I have a similar problem. A private helicopter seems to be using my house as a sign-post to turn off the main road and so flies right over it quite often. This is not so much of a problem except when the cloud cover is low, so it flies low over the house.

I don't know who to complain to either and would like to know...
(PS I don't know the owner, so I can't complain directly; I though about spelling 'feck off' out in daffodils, but that would only work for April...)


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## bb12 (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

Because this helicopter lands nearby, it often flies in low over my fields which is causing me problems with my young horses. I don't necessarily want to ban him from landing, just want him to fly in at another angle away from my bloodstock! 

I don't know the owners name so I don't know if its worthwhile to ring the council about it.


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## Purple (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

Buy a 5 foot length of 10" waven pipe and attach a lazer pointer to the side. The next time said helicopter flys over put the pipe on your shoulder and point it at him. You should make him bank and at least get a laugh out of it


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## tiger (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

The irish aviation authority I would guess.


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## CCOVICH (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

Could you try approaching the owner of the land/helicopter in the first instance?


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## demoivre (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

I agree with CCOVICH's suggestion. If that doesn't work the formal complaints procedure according to this would be to contact the [broken link removed] as suggested by tiger above.


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## z109 (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

In the "Helicoptor Site Operators Guidelines" on the IAA website is the following (section 3.8):
"A helicopter, especially when operating in or over a populated congested area, can be noisy and an irritant to persons on the ground. This often gives rise to noise disturbance/nuisance complaints from members of the public and this should be taken into account when planning operations.
Noise certificates for helicopters have been applicable since 1992 and helicopters on the Irish Civil Register conform with ICAO noise emission SARPS. However, it should be clearly understood that the IAA has no direct responsibility for the control of helicopter noise disturbance or nuisance. 

Complainants have access to the EPA Act 1992, Noise Regulations 1994 (as amended) through the Dept. of the Environment.

All interested parties are urged to co-operate at a local level so as to minimise noise disturbance/nuisance complaints through consultation and communication.

Where a complaint is initially directed to the IAA, and provided the IAA are satisfied that safety is not impaired, the complainant will be advised to take the matter up directly with the helicopter operator and/or the heliport site owner/occupier concerned or with the relevant Local Authority."

So it looks like the local authority, if it is possible to find out the owner!


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## ClubMan (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

Are the _Gardaí _exempt from these rules by any chance?


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## room305 (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*



ClubMan said:


> Are the _Gardaí _exempt from these rules by any chance?



I wonder too. I've often been woken at odd hours or kept awake with them flying low over my house. We also seem to be on a helicopter flight path from the airport but at least they usually only fly overhead during the day!


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## pc7 (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

we were tormented in north strand with the garda helicopter hoovering over head at 3am in the morning, if I had of had a ground to air missile launcher i wouldn't have been responsible for my actions!!


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## Dilly Ducked (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

Id buy a large white sheet and peg it to the ground and write in red paint "please approach your landing site from another direction as its causing us disturbance thank you ph. 1234567" if the person is decent you will get a call or notice a difference soon enough, if you get no joy I would lodge a formal complaint to the planning dept. as it was recently judged on, that a person needs planning for a helipad /landing site on their property.


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## Ham Slicer (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

There was a story in the papers last week about Jim Mansfield (I think) parking his helicopter in his back garden.  Someone complained and it turned out he didn't have planning permission to land.

So if you know where it's landing get on to the CC and see has PP been granted.


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## z108 (6 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*

how do you get a no fly zone established over your land ? Charles Haughey got one over his island when he was in power.


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## therave (6 Jul 2007)

important point is to get the reg of the chopper.. it should be visible from the ground if they are that low..
it shoudl start with EI- OR G- FOR THE UK
THEn  google it for the craic .. some of the airplane web sites have all the details if u look close enough.
you will need the reg for any complaint so the register can be looked up to see who it is registered to


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## gonk (6 Jul 2007)

An Bord Pleanala decided in an appeal last year that "The use of lands for the landing and taking off of a helicopter constitutes a material change of use of the land and therefore comes within the meaning of “development”." This was confirmed in a case in Limerick last month. ([broken link removed])

If, as you say, the adjoining property is regularly used for helicopter operations, on the face of it it would seem that it requires planning permission. You could approach your neighbour and point out the problems he's causing with your horses, and provide him with a copy of the decision above. You say you wouldn't mind so much if he took another flight path - it may well be he's unaware of the problem he's causing. 

If that doesn't work, next port of call would be your local authority's planning department.


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## csirl (9 Jul 2007)

> important point is to get the reg of the chopper.. it should be visible from the ground if they are that low..
> it shoudl start with EI- OR G- FOR THE UK
> THEn google it for the craic .. some of the airplane web sites have all the details if u look close enough.
> you will need the reg for any complaint so the register can be looked up to see who it is registered to


 
I think that there is a list of all registered aircraft in Ireland, including registrants address, on the IAA website.


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## csirl (9 Jul 2007)

Found it - here the link.

[broken link removed]


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## aircobra19 (9 Jul 2007)

*Re: Who to complain to about private helicopter?*



Purple said:


> Buy a 5 foot length of 10" waven pipe and attach a lazer pointer to the side. The next time said helicopter flys over put the pipe on your shoulder and point it at him. You should make him bank and at least get a laugh out of it



Funny but probably a bad idea. Cheered me up no end thought.


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## kybosh (30 Jul 2007)

I'm planning to write about nuisance from helicopters in The Irish Times in the next few days. If any contributors would care to tell me their experiences, I'd be glad to hear from them. email is paul@ireland.com

Thanks.


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## losttheplot (30 Jul 2007)

Offer your land to the ESB to run some overhead power lines on - they scare helicopters away.


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## Thirsty (31 Jul 2007)

> ..garda helicopter hoovering over head ...


keeps the neighbourhood clean though!


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