Too many ‘sky rats’
Our serene and quiet skies that we all treasured and enjoyed for eons are no more today. We were invaded by the screaming noise of “tour choppers.” I call them “sky rats,” disgusting flying rodents causing hell and mayhem in our once peaceful neighborhoods.
Back in my day, it was a rarity to see or hear a chopper overhead. Today? Fifty to 60 every day over your hale. I flip them “birds” and a few elbow cocks when they buzz my hale, sometimes 50 times a day.
There are five entities operating out of Hilo, not to mention the dozens throughout the state, all showing off our beloved ‘aina to unsuspecting tourists who have not a clue of the nuisance and chaos to which they are contributing.
When I was young, I hunted wild boar all around the island, from Maunakea to Waipio to South Point. I know this island like the back of my hand. Ninety percent of it is unpopulated. So, if you can’t find a way to fly from one point to another and back without flying over business districts, hotels, passenger ships, hospitals and communities, then you are mentally challenged — or you just don’t give a flying flip (it’s the latter).
These outfits from the mainland make mega-millions a year off of us, and very little — a token drop in the bucket — stays here. Most of their profits go back out of state to their headquarters in Nevada.
I’m running for mayor, and if I win, you people are history. There will be all new rules, regs and routes, all for the safety and respect of our neighborhoods. You can accept it or go back to where you came from.
Leave us with the peace and quiet we all grew up to love. Oh, by the way, to drive a car/truck without a muffler is illegal. It should be totally illegal for a chopper to fly without a proper muffler system.
It is amazing how such a small machine can create such noise and havoc.
Kawika Crowley
Hilo
Hirono should go
I spent 15 winters on your beautiful island. However, what I recently witnessed on the Senate Judiciary Committee by your senator, Mazie Hirono, certainly shows the level of degradation of your choices to send to the U.S. Senate.
I pray that your readers consider voting for her opponent the next time elections come around.
Peggy Teslow
Sioux Falls, S.D.
