/ Source: The Associated Press
Helicopter tour companies that offer sightseers exhilarating views of New York City's Manhattan skyline have agreed to bypass some landmarks because of noise complaints.
Tourist flights from downtown Manhattan will no longer fly over Central Park or the Empire State Building under new rules announced Friday by city officials.
Tour companies have also agreed not to fly over residential Brooklyn and eliminate very short flights that had helicopters returning to land less than eight minutes after taking off.
The changes came after waterfront residents complained that chopper noise had worsened in the weeks since all tour flights in the city were relocated to a single helipad near the Staten Island Ferry terminal.