East Hawaii residents have a chance today to express concerns about noise caused by helicopter tours flying in and around Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
East Hawaii residents have a chance today to express concerns about noise caused by helicopter tours flying in and around Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.
Officials from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service are hosting a public meeting at 1 p.m. in Conference Room 216 (above the Blue Hawaiian offices in the main terminal) at Hilo International Airport to identify specific problems community members have with helicopter operations flying within and outside of park boundaries.
About six months ago, island lawmakers sent a letter to congressional leaders relaying pleas from East Hawaii residents “asking for help to regulate the air industry,” said state Sen. Kai Kahele, D-Hilo.
Noise is an issue at other national parks, including Haleakala National Park on Maui, but Hawaii Volcanoes features more air tour flights than any other national park, Kahele said, averaging about 28,000 flights in the Puna area per year.
Many residents say helicopter noise is becoming worse: Tours are seemingly more frequent because of a rebound in the tourism industry, as well as recent lava flow activity, Kahele said, and many tours last all day.
The state has no jurisdiction over the helicopter industry, so complaints must be made to the FAA.
A similar meeting took place Wednesday on Oahu, but public turnout was low — attendees hailed mostly from the air-tour industry, Kahele said.
“High-level FAA officials are coming to Hilo to hear from the community and if the community doesn’t come, things like that letter we sent is unsubstantiated,” Kahele said. “I feel like they really need to hear from the community. The public needs to come out to make (the meeting) worthwhile.”
Email Kirsten Johnson at kjohnson@hawaiitribune-herald.com.