New York Representative Calls Corridor The "Wild West"

In the aftermath of the tragic mid-air collision involving a Piper Saratoga and a sightseeing helicopter over the Hudson River Saturday, some aeronautically ignorant New York officials are predictably calling for an end to uncontrolled flights under 1,100 feet in the region.

Hudson VFR Corridor Chart

New York television station CBS2 reports that Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) has likened the corridor to the "Wild West," and places the blame on the FAA. "It is unconscionable that the FAA permits unregulated flights in a crowded airspace in a major metropolitan area," he said. "And it is ridiculous that private planes and helicopters flying through a crowded area are dependent, while in flight, on visually sighting other aircraft and communicating with them. The real-life repercussions of these non-existent regulations have been disastrous."

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer called for at least a temporary end to uncontrolled flights in the corridor. "We must. We must suspend much of these flights below 1,100 feet until we put safety first," he said.

READ MORE:  Aero News Network