Kerry Lynch stepped into the role of editor of the&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;monthly magazine in May 2022 after serving with&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;for eight years. She joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in December 2014 as a senior editor covering Washington and business aviation news. She has also served on Convention News teams, including as editor of&nbsp;HAI Convention News. Lynch previously spent 25 years with Aviation Week. During her time there, she reported for and later steered&nbsp;The Weekly of Business Aviation, oversaw business aviation content on the&nbsp;Aviation Week Intelligence Network, served on the&nbsp;Show News&nbsp;staff, and held roles as the Washington columnist for&nbsp;Business &amp; Commercial Aviation&nbsp;and&nbsp;Overhaul &amp; Maintenance&nbsp;monthly magazines. In 2021 she was honored with the National Business Aviation Association Platinum Wing Award for lifetime achievement in journalism and was the 2004 recipient of the National Air Transportation Association’s Aviation Journalism Excellence Award. She also has been a recipient of an Aerospace Media Award for business aviation (2022) and NBAA Gold Wing Award (2003, 2024). Lynch graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor of arts in journalism.

Editor, AIN monthly magazine

Kerry Lynch

The Town of East Hampton, New York, is continuing to look for ways to reduce operations and lower noise from East Hampton Airport (HTO), this time by revoking its “airport license agreement” with Fly Blade. New York-based Blade arranges on-demand and scheduled flights to and from the airport using a series of Part 135 operators. The “airport license agreement” refers to Blade's rented "airport terminal counter space," which it has used over the past three years to support those operations.

 


East Hampton is also filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings, asking whether Blade is complying with federal obligations. “Our small, local general aviation airport is not designed for scheduled air service,” said Sylvia Overby, a member of the town council and co-liaison to HTO. “The town will not tolerate operators violating the law, especially when the safety of the flying public is jeopardized by unfair and deceptive business practices of operators.”

 


Jeffrey Bragman, another member of the town council and HTO co-liaison, added, “Until such time that they prove that they are in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, they have no place at East Hampton Airport.”

 


But while expressing concerns about the legality of the operations, East Hampton supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc also cited concerns about a “steep increase in air traffic” through smartphone applications or other services directly offered to customers.

 


The number of operations and noise at HTO has been an ongoing issue for certain East Hampton residents, leading town leaders to seek multiple means to address concerns. These included curfews and certain other “noisy” aircraft restrictions that ultimately were rejected by the courts. The town is currently working on a Part 161 study that looks at several more options, reportedly including possibly the shuttering of the airport altogether.

 


As for Fly Blade, attorney Edward Burke said, “Blade arranges helicopter and seaplane flights to multiple destinations in the East End of Long Island and elsewhere in the Northeast in full compliance with all DOT regulations. The company has requested a meeting with East Hampton Town representatives to provide an understanding as to how Blade arranges flights within federal guidelines.”

 


Blade’s services have grown rapidly since the company began arranging operation in 2014. It has established nearly two-dozen core routes in seven states and earlier this year formed a partnership with Airbus Helicopters for on-demand helicopter services.

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News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

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