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Helicopters Fly Low over the Hudson Again (For a Movie)

By DNAinfo Staff on October 9, 2009 8:57am  | Updated on October 9, 2009 2:18pm

by Nicole Breskin

DNAinfo Reporter/Producer

CHELSEA – It is going to take more than a pack of low-flying helicopters to scare Manhattanites.

Starting at 7 a.m. Thursday, a handful of choppers roared and swooped over the Hudson River for filming of action flick, "The Other Guys," starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.

"It's crazy how quickly we forget," said Willie Perry, who lives on the Lower East Side. "I wasn't scared at all seeing these helicopters."

Perry has lived in Manhattan for 15 years, through all the recent air scares: 9/11, Cory Lidle's crash into an East Side apartment building, the Miracle on the Hudson, the Air Force One snafu, and this summer's fatal mid-air collision over the Hudson of a small plane and tourist helicopter.

“Maybe I should be more afraid, but I didn't even think twice about the helicopters," Perry said.

The helicopters flew across the length of Chelsea Piers, out over the Hudson River and then inched towards Midtown streets.

"The Other Guys" shoots already caused alarm last Friday when a stunt went awry and a van flipped over.

This time, Carl Brown, the director of security at Chelsea Piers, was monitoring things.

"Everything is under control," Brown said. "We're making sure everyone is safe."

Brown said the mayor's office, which issues filming permits, told Chelsea Piers management of the shoot last week — along with the Coast Guard and Fire Department. 

But many staff and patrons did not know of the shoot. NYPD's press office only managed to send out a notice at 2:30 p.m. — after the shoot was in full swing.

Others managed to see a few scattered small signs issued by Chelsea Piers that read, "A movie is being filmed here. Don't be alarmed if you hear loud noises."

"You're average citizen might not know what's going on," said "Criminal Intent" teamster, Kevin Flynn, who routinely films at Chelsea Piers. "I was aware that this was probably a shoot."

But for ice skater Elina Flobrent, 23, the stunts were just part of another day in the Big Apple.

"Well, it's New York," she said. "I'm not fazed too easily."