Bermuda disturbing the peace. It is difficult to understand just why this helicopter has been granted a licence and who, except its owner, thought it would be of any benefit to Bermuda.

We think the public was under the impression that the helicopter had arrived in Bermuda for a short time only in order for people to take desirable aerial photographs and that it would soon be gone. Letters to the Editor indicate that people are surprised to find that it is now here to stay.

As we understood it, there was a very desirable policy of no full-time helicopters over Bermuda which was reinforced some years ago when a businessman who wanted one for transport was asked to take his machine and go.

Perhaps the public was under the same misapprehension and was prepared to remain quiet as long as the helicopter was used on a temporary basis in a way which might benefit Bermuda. Advertising indicated that the helicopter would only be here for a limited time.

For years the United States Navy has used helicopters with remarkable restraint and great consideration for Bermuda. The Navy uses them sparingly and, more often than not, off-shore except when overland use is necessary for rescue work. We do not think that anyone has any problem with a helicopter used in that way.

We think the public also accepts that a helicopter can sometimes be useful for such things as aerial photographs to publicise Bermuda.

However, a helicopter buzzing about Bermuda on a full-time basis for commercial purposes is a very different matter. We think the short term enjoyment some people might receive from a helicopter sightseeing ride is far outweighed by the nuisance the machine causes and by the damage it does to the general environment.

Bermuda is a very small and crowded place and we must be vary careful of the stresses we place on the daily lives of Bermudians and of the damage we do to the visitor's Bermuda experience. Bermudians already suffer from noise pollution and we cannot think that a buzzing helicopter will make our beaches more relaxing for vacationers. In our view, too much damage is being done to Bermuda by this helicopter for the sake of one person's commercial enterprise, an enterprise which is financially uncertain if we are to believe what was said on television on Monday night.

Bermuda, which is promoted as a quality resort, already has crowded roads with noisy cycles. The Minister of the Environment was moved to laws to control excessive amplified noise, largely in the summer months. We did not follow the lead of some more careful resorts and ban noisy jet skis from our once peaceful waters. The list is long. Did no-one at the Ministry of Transport consider allowing the public some peace and quiet, never mind home privacy from prying telephoto camera lenses? It seems to us that this helicopter licence was granted in the most careless way.

Make no mistake, one helicopter will mean more helicopters. Now that the Ministry of Transport, through its Department of Civil Aviation, has granted one licence, it will inevitably be difficult to refuse requests for more helicopter licences. We should ban commercial full-time helicopters now before we ruin what remains of our quality of life.