Letter: TV station tries to limit chopper noise

Monday, Nov. 29, 1999 | 8:32 a.m.

A couple of notes on KVBC's flights: A typical weekday includes two departures (3:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.) and two arrivals (4:40 p.m. and 6:20 p.m.). The helicopter usually does not fly on weekends. There are exceptions, of course, as breaking news dictates. But those are the standard times. The duration of warm-up is usually less than two minutes. Cool-down is about three minutes.

Channel 3 is adjacent to residential housing (Archie Grant) on one side only. Our pilot is always very aware of the Archie Grant facility, and makes every effort not to overfly that area. Archie Grant borders Channel 3 on the east. We almost always depart and arrive on southwest and northwest paths unless extreme wind conditions necessitate otherwise.

I haven't been inside Archie Grant for some 30 years, and really can't comment on what the helicopter might sound like from there. I have no reason to doubt Naiditch's concern. But I do wish to reassure her and every other resident of Archie Grant that Channel 3 is most desirous of maintaining good neighbor relations. We will continue making every effort to avoid noise disturbances from our helicopter.

TOM HAWLEY Channel 3 helicopter reporter