San Lorenzo Citizens Fighting Airport Noise


Helicopter Operators at Hayward Executive Airport


Helicopter flight produce a particularly annoying noise because of the low-frequency "thwap thwap thwap" of the aircraft blades. The noise is also long-lasting because of the relatively slow flight of helicopters and because the blade noise is heard from a far distance. See, for example, Nonmilitary Helicopter Urban Noise Study: Report to Congress (2004).

Hayward Airport has attracted numerous helicopter operators in the past few years, particularly operators that fly TV and radio station "traffic reporters" around the East Bay.

The information below (current as of June 25, 2011) is meant to help residents communicate with helicopter operators when there is a noise problem. In addition to communicating with helicopter operators, complaints of unreasonable noise may also be directed to individual TV and radio stations.



East Bay Regional Park District

Operations = Helicopter surveillance of parks.

Owner = East Bay Regional Park District

Local address = Timothy Anderson, Chief of Police, EBRPD, 17930 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley, CA 94546; 881-1833 (non-emergency line, 24 hours a day)

Aircraft in use:

Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (N708PD) see image
Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (N996PD) see image

Website = Park police website

Facebook =

E-mail = Timothy Anderson, Chief of Police, tanderson@ebparks.org


Golden Gate Helicopters

Operations = Helicopter pilot training.

CEO = Laurie Pitman (also the founder)

Business status in California:

Type = Limited liability corporation
Name = Golden Gate Helicopters, LLC
Entity no. = 200736010104
Filed = Dec. 21, 2007 (former entity #199900510109 filed Jan. 5, 1999)
Address = 620 Airport Way, Ste. 5, San Carlos, CA 94070
Agent for service of process = agent resigned Sept. 28, 2009

Main office = 1250 Aviation Ave., Ste. 200N, San Jose, CA 95110; 408.805.5910.

Local address = 19990 Skywest Drive, Ste. 1116, Hayward 94541; 408.805.5910.

Aircraft in use:

Robinson R-22 see image
Robinson R-44 see image

Website = Golden Gate Helicopters website

Facebook =

E-mail =


Hayward Helicopters

Operations = aerial photography

CEO =

Business status in California:

Type = limited liability corporation
Name = Hayward Helicopters, LLC
Entity No. = 200909910056
Filed = April 8, 2009
Address = 19990 Skywest Dr., Hayward, CA 94541
Agent for service of process = Stu Sharf

Local office = 19990 Skywest Drive, Hayward 94541; 925.254.5375

Aircraft in use: (not identified at this time)

Website = Hayward Helicopters website

Facebook =

E-mail = info@haywardhelicopters.com


Helicopters, Inc.

Operations = Traffic reporting services for TV stations: KGO Channel 7 (ABC), KTVU Channel 2 (Fox), and KPIX Channel 5 (CBS).

CEO =

Business status = incorporated

Main office = 5000 Omega Drive, Cahokia, IL 62206; 618.337.2904

Local address = (none known)

Aircraft in use:

Bell 407
Bell 206L4
Bell 206B3
Eurocopter AS-350-B2 see image
Eurocopter AS-350-B3 see image
Eurocopter AS-350-BA see image

Website = Helicopters, Inc. website

Facebook =

E-mail = info@heliinc.com; bhouska@heliinc.com (Bill Houska, chief pilot)


Makin Helicopters

Operations = Helicopter pilot training, based at both Hayward and Petaluma airports.

CEO =

Business status in California:

Type = Limited liability corporation
Name = Makin Air Helicopters, LLC
Entity no. = 200805710257
Filed = Feb. 25, 2008
Address = 7083 Hollywood Blvd., Ste. 180, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Agent for service of process = Jeremy Makin, 17707 Hillside Ct., Castro Valley, CA 94546

Local office = 20995 Skywest Drive, Hayward 94541; 510.545.3080.

Aircraft in use = Robinson R-22 and R-44 helicopters, but the R-22 models are used for most training:

N74347 (Robinson R-22) see image
N75084 (Robinson R-22)
N4154G (Robinson R-44) see image
N560LH (Robinson R-44)

Website = Makin Air website

Facebook = Makin Air Wall

E-mail = info@makinair.com


National Helicopter Service & Engineering Co.

Operations = At Hayward, provides traffic reporting services for KRON-TV Channel 4 (KRON) and KGO Radio. Based at Van Nuys Airport but also operates from Hayward, San Diego, Seattle, and Denver.

Executives = Kurt Gronau, owner; Richard Hart, president; Helen Kosmala, vice-president and general manager

Business status in California =

Mailing address = P.O. Box 17150, Encino, CA 91416-7150.

Main office = 16750 Roscoe Blvd., Van Nuys Airport, Van Nuys, CA 91406; 818.345.5222.

Local office = (none identified)

Aircraft in use: (not identified at this time)

Website = National Helicopter website

Facebook = National Helicopter Wall

E-mail = Richard Hart, rhart@nationalhelicopter.com; Helen Kosmala, helen@nationalhelicopter.com