The Papal Visit : Papal Digest : It’s the Pope’s Noise, So It’s OK

The arrival and departure of a Pope is no quiet affair, as residents who live near Santa Monica Airport have discovered. Airport Director Hank Dittmar said about a dozen irate residents have called to complain about increased noise at the airport ever since a fleet of helicopters being used to transport Pope John Paul II around Los Angeles arrived Saturday.

And quite a fleet it is--six large banana-shaped Marine “Huey” helicopters and one smaller Sikorsky chopper.

However, most of the callers calmed down after they learned what all the racket was about.

“Most people aren’t mad when you explain what it is,” Dittmar said. “It’s not like T. Boone Pickens is making that noise to fly to business meetings.”