HICOP to have a booth this Sunday 11-6 at Makuu

[Lee M-S]

I'll see you Sunday, too!

><(((*< ... ><(("< ... ><('< ... >o>

[bluesboy]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ino

Other options include relocating the helis to where they go- Put them back in the park where they used to be or at least nearby not 25 miles away-save gas, eliminate complaints. Develop flight paths over lava and not people's homes. We welcome new ides and suggestions - Mahalo!

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cool

[kalakoa]

Illegal for them to fly that far offshore at that altitude per FAA rules !

Illegal for them to fly over populated areas at less than 1500' altitude per FAA rules!

[terracore]

"There is strength in numbers.

You can sign up for notification of future meetings or to join our cause."

It's not clear to me what we can do to help.

[kalakoa]

There is strength in numbers.

Numbers of dollars, perhaps; if "we the people" could somehow pay enough taxes to replace the income lost by shutting down the tourist helicopters, we might get a say.

Which raises the point: does anyone know what the economic impact is? Assume the average tourist pays $250/flight, how much of that ends up in the County budget?

[Anxious Messiah]

quote:

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Originally posted by Obie

Illegal for them to fly that far offshore at that altitude per FAA rules !

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Nonsense. Not only perfectly legal, but in the best interests of the tour industry as well to work out an amicable set of guidelines/rules. If they can't see that, then the Feds will become more involved, and I am pretty sure that is the last thing that the tour industry wants.

_________________________________________
Don't speak unless you can improve on the silence.

[Ino]

Mahalo, everyone for your support.

You can show up tomorrow at Makuu- 7-2 pm we'll have handouts and sign up forms and some freebies for you.

You can send me your info for future updates.

Report low flying noisy helicopter- get ID if possible-take pictures;
http://tinyurl.com/pl3e765

It is apparent to me that the FAA is tired of dealing with the 179 complaints that have been filed on this island. They don't have an Inspector on this island so that means they have to fly out here to follow up on complaints. IMO that's why they have been proactive to get HICOP to meet with the tour companies to try to come up with a solution.

Call or write your local representative. Many of our representatives wrote a strongly worded letter to the FAA in Washington stating that something has to be done about this situation. IMO the tour companies didn't do themselves any favors when they told a representative delegation that met with them that they had no jurisdiction. This did not sit well with our Representatives!

There is strength in numbers as hindsight is 20-20 and with regulatory capture (thanks to the PWer who mentioned this ) they divided us and made us feel isolated. They told me I was the only one who ever filed an official complaint. At first Gov. Ige and his staff denied that there was a helicopter problem here but they're were 6 of us at his meeting, there to raise awareness.

With the opening of the Kona Inspector station in Dec. 2016 Double decked Airbus 300s direct from Japan will be landing at Kona International Airport. Each one carries 800 passengers, so now is the time to speak up. The situation could get much worse.

We think we are having an effect because of our numbers and political clout already but we think this is probably only temporary. As a grass roots organization we need people who will stand up with us. The more the better. Mahalo!

[Lee M-S]

I've heard rumors that some of the tour companies are looking into night flights. It would be good to establish guidelines and routes now, before we're wakened by flights at all hours.

><(((*< ... ><(("< ... ><('< ... >o>

[kalakoa]

before we're wakened by flights at all hours

I've already been woken up by flights before 6am.

I still think the answer is to allow subdivisions to tax their airspace (yeah, I know, no jurisdiction). If the helicopter flights were funding road maintenance or other visibly useful things, people might feel differently.

[Obie]

Only 2 of the tour companies have flotation equipment.Those that don't cannot legally fly that far off shore.

They all fly VFR and are required to keep the coastline in view.Most afternoons that would be impossible, due to the low clouds.

It's all in the notes from the meeting that Hicop had last month:

http://www.umvc.org/pdf/HICoP%20and%20To...4%2016.pdf

I don't see anything in there about the tour operators agreeing to fly further offshore.I do see lots of objections !