Rotorcraft
French Riviera residents keep pressure on helo noise issue
Despite an agreement signed in 2006 to mitigate noise around the famous French Riviera city of Saint-Tropez, helicopter operators and local authorities are

Despite an agreement signed in 2006 to mitigate noise around the famous French Riviera city of Saint-Tropez, helicopter operators and local authorities are still at odds about decibels in the popular vacation locale. The acrimony stems from the fact that none of the affected parties seemed to keep its promises last summer. In a major blow to helicopter operators, the local state representative in August closed one unprepared helipad, or “helisurface” (see box).

The issue of aircraft noise around Saint-Tropez has been exacerbated in recent years by the more intensive use of helicopters. Wealthy individuals taking a summer vacation in the exclusive area have found flying increasingly convenient, especially as the roads become more congested every summer.