NY's East Hampton grapples with problem of airport noise

East Hampton, New York

FRANK Dalene never put the sign on the roof, the big no-trespassing sign that he wanted helicopter pilots approaching the East Hampton airport to read if they circled too low over his house.

Fed up with walls that shuddered and shook, and conversations that were drowned out by the thunder of helicopter engines, he had a yellow-and-black sign in mind that would read, "If you are below 700 feet, you are trespassing on my property." Now, he said, the sign had become unnecessary, because four of the five members of the town board promised not to apply for any more federal grants for the airport.

The town's last grant expired on Wednesday, and on Thursday, town officials said they had reclaimed the power to set airport rules and regulations, including limits on takeoffs and landings - a power they said they had surrendered to the Federal Aviation Administration under the terms of the grants. The fine print prevented them from restricting airpo…