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Hello all,
I have a good gig up here in Alaska that allows me to rotate to Hawaii. But I still love to get my fix of "hands on" flying. I may look into flight instructing in Hilo when I head your way. I see quite a bit of Helicopter hate; what about "fixed wing" or small little Cessna or Piper planes. Anyone get ticked off by them? I don't want to be a harbinger of airborne hate. I have a feeling that the practice area for the little Cessnas will be closer to Hilo, but I can imagine flying the occasional scenic flight with a student down Puna way. Will I be getting my N-number snapped, curses and middle fingers waved skyward? Just curious. I'd be at at least 1000 feet, promise!
Just curious,
AKpilot
We're all here, because we're not all there!
We're all here, because we're not all there!
Posts: 87
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AKpilot, I plan on getting my private pilot license soon after I move there. I think all instructors there start you out on the 172. Just remember, even at 1000 ft, you are still only 500 amsl as I think most of puna is 400-500 ft until you start getting really close to the coast
Posts: 261
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Oh don't worry, I know all about the rules regarding altitude requirements. I'm an Airline Pilot. I juts like to instruct on the side.
AKpilot
We're all here, because we're not all there!
We're all here, because we're not all there!
Posts: 6,214
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There are small tour fixed wing planes that do go over, along with the hell-icopters ;~) BUT usually the small fixed wing planes 1) do not fly in tandem - Blue Hawaii seems like they would get lost if only one was up at a time!... 2) fly less frequently than the copters, which on "boat days" run 45 minute out & back runs for at least 9 hours.... depending on the boat & the lava flow. often the copter companies running over full capacity (ie, they will pull birds from their Kona & Maui operations) 3.) never seem to be apart of the VERY low flying Green Harvest 4) seem to have respect for the FAA recommended safe altitude...
Helicopters are far more likely to fly low over "downtown" Keaau.... though not a true urban area, with 6 schools & senior housing within 1.5 radius, it does seem like low altitude flight should NOT be a "safe & routine" flight practice there.... but often there are low copters right over "school flight line" (middle, HS & elementary & a charter school are all in a line that many fly right over...when they are low, I just do not get how they can think they are flying safe.... but I am not a pilot... so wadda I know!)
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I wasn't trying to wave the smarty pants pilot flag, no offense intended
AKpilot
We're all here, because we're not all there!
We're all here, because we're not all there!
Posts: 87
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Joined: Mar 2012
quote:
Originally posted by AKpilot
I wasn't trying to wave the smarty pants pilot flag, no offense intended
AKpilot
We're all here, because we're not all there!
I don't think there any offense was taken, but I also believe alot of people moved here for the natural seclusion & peace and quiet only to get their bubble burst when they realize that Hawaii's #1 economic producer is tourism. I mean where else can you go on earth that has 11 of the world's climate zones---people come to have a good time, from snowboarding to watching lava flow into the ocean, and everything in between. And the people that have $$ want to experience the best that it has to offer. But that's just my take on it. I love flying. I live a couple miles from the airport where I'm at now and I've gotten used to it...doesn't bother me a bit. I take my boys to the Blue Angel practices 2-3 times a week when they are in show season here...one of the Biggest things I'll miss when I do move to the BI
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I suppose I should be careful what I say, but I have often flown over Eden Roc and Hawaiian Acres in a small fixed wing. There is no way of telling whether I pissed any one off. Given some of the heated rhetoric posted, there is no way that I can avoid pissing some people off.
When flying down to Pu'u O'o, it is natural to follow Highway 11 til you get to Mountain View, then cut across. Given that the cloud bases are often in the 2,500' to 3,000' range and given that the terrain in Eden Roc is in the 1,800' range, you can see why sometimes the aircraft fly at 1,000' agl.
I'll admit that when helicopters fly over my place in Eden Roc it can get to be annoying, but I have personally read on this website other posters suggest using kites or tethered balloons as a deterrent. I wonder do these posters know that such deterrents have actually been used in wartime and that there are laws that apply today against such activities? I mainly wonder whether such people actually hear what they themselves are saying.
