Helicopter Landing Pad Sparks Dispute in Pilchów Village
A private helicopter landing pad near single-family homes in Pilchów,West Pomeranian Voivodeship,has ignited a dispute with local residents. GS24.pl reports that 36 villagers voiced opposition at a local meeting, and a petition against legalizing the pad garnered 74 signatures.
Ireneusz todorski, the village administrator, stated that a resident is using a helicopter “generating noise and vibrations exceeding the permissible standards.” According to regulations, the allowable noise level in residential areas is 50 dB during the day and 40 dB at night. Though, the helicopter reportedly produces noise ranging from 80 to 110 dB.
The landing pad owner responded to the concerns in a letter to GS24.pl, asserting that the facility operates in full compliance with aviation law and “I don’t need a building permit nor a separate administrative decision.” He explained that he utilizes four different landing grounds, and that “Only in Pilchów there were any emotions related to its location.”
The owner clarified that the helicopter is used infrequently - “just a few to several times a year” - solely for private transportation, not for commercial or recreational purposes. He acknowledged the helicopter’s certified noise emission of approximately 80 dB, but argued that this noise is brief and “smaller than in the case of old cars.”
Looking to the future, the owner believes “Private means of air transport are becoming more common,” pointing to the testing of passenger drones by GOPR (Mountain Volunteer Rescue Service) as an indicator that “backyard landing pads will soon become everyday life.”
