Homeowners along Westchester County’s Sound Shore have complained about low-flying helicopters passing over communities including Larchmont and Mamaroneck, especially during the warmer months as the ultra-rich flock to the popular eastern Long Island getaway, The Wall Street Journal<\/a> recently reported.<\/p>\n “I have to put the closed captions on so I can see what’s happening on the screen,” Larchmont resident Jay Davis, a realtor and attorney, told the Journal about helicopters interrupting television and conversations at his home.\u00a0<\/p>\n AIR TAXIS CUT HOUR-LONG COMMUTES TO MINUTES, RIDERS MAY BE SHOCKED BY THE PRICE<\/a><\/p>\n “I don’t want to continue to live like this,” he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Longtime resident Nancy Monzidelis told the outlet the aircraft can sound startlingly close.<\/p>\n Helicopter traffic to the Hamptons is drawing noise complaints from some Westchester County residents, according to new reporting. (Tana Lee Alves\/WireImage for Niche Media, LLC)<\/p>\n “One time I thought I had a helicopter in my driveway,” she said. “It’s not as peaceful as it was before.”<\/p>\n The dispute has created a clash between the ultra-wealthy and the not-quite-as-wealthy, the Journal noted.\u00a0<\/p>\n Larchmont and Mamaroneck homes can command seven-figure prices, according to real estate sales data.<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n ONCE-AFFORDABLE SUMMER ESCAPE ROCKED BY SOARING COSTS AS FAMILIES SHELL OUT THOUSANDS<\/a><\/p>\n Celebrities including Joan Rivers, Matt Dillon and Lou Gehrig have all had ties to the two towns.<\/p>\n The complaints highlight a growing tension surrounding one of the fastest and priciest ways to reach the Hamptons.<\/a><\/p>\n Helicopters heading toward the Hamptons can pass over some communiites very frequently during peak periods. (Bing Guan\/Bloomberg)<\/p>\n Private helicopter services can whisk passengers between Manhattan and the Hamptons in as little as 35 minutes, compared to three hours or more by car.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some operators advertise seats starting at $795 each way, while private charters can start at more than $4,700 and unlimited summer passes can go for $25,000, according to their websites.<\/p>\n Some residents told the Journal the helicopter traffic has been especially noticeable on summer Fridays and Sundays, as travelers head east<\/a> for the weekend and then return to the city.<\/p>\n Long Island’s East Hampton has grappled with aircraft noise complaints and efforts to restrict noisy flights for years. (Sean Zanni\/Getty Images for Beach Magazine)<\/p>\n Patrick Bucquet, a Mamaroneck resident, told the outlet that helicopters can pass overhead as frequently as every 15 minutes during busy periods.<\/p>\n “Maybe some people are doing very well, so they can afford a helicopter. Good for them,” he said.<\/p>\n FLIGHT PASSENGER’S ODD APPEARANCE AT MAJOR US AIRPORT LEADS OFFICERS TO WILD DISCOVERY<\/a><\/p>\n “Of course they can travel to the Hamptons,” he added. “But maybe they can take another route.”<\/p>\n The issue is not limited to Westchester County.<\/p>\n Helicopters offer wealthy travelers a way to bypass hours of traffic between Manhattan and the Hamptons. (iStock)<\/p>\n Aircraft noise has been a long-running source of controversy on the East End itself, according to local reports<\/a> and court documents.\u00a0<\/p>\n CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER<\/a><\/p>\n Data presented to the East Hampton Town Board earlier this year showed that helicopters continue to generate a disproportionate share of airport noise complaints.<\/p>\n Helicopter traffic to and from the Hamptons tends to become especially noticeable during busy summer weekends, residents say. (Johnny Milano\/Bloomberg via Getty Images)<\/p>\n The town has spent years wrestling with how to reduce aircraft noise, with past efforts to impose curfews and restrictions becoming tied up in court.<\/p>\n CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES<\/a><\/p>\n Eli Flint, president of Flexjet’s helicopter division, told the Journal that air traffic controllers have directed helicopters to create more separation from commercial aircraft<\/a> in the crowded New York airspace, contributing to flights at lower altitudes.<\/p>\n TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ<\/a><\/p>\n “We know it’s an issue,” Flint told the outlet, adding that manufacturers are working on equipment designed to reduce noise.<\/p>\n The Hamptons have long been a popular summer destination for wealthy New Yorkers. (iStock)<\/p>\n But not everyone in Westchester is bothered by the traffic.<\/p>\n “If somebody has the means to go to the Hamptons in a helicopter, God bless them<\/a>,” one longtime resident told the Journal.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"Atmosphere](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/southampton-ny-helicopter.jpg\")
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