08-03-2012, 12:03 PM
Oink there are some other factors....
There is a growing population here that was not here when GH started....but the methods have not kept up with the fact this area does have more people... I complained when I saw a helicopter well below any of the FAA safe flying guidelines, right above a school & in area that had 4 schools directly in the flight path (less than 1/2 mile separates them) and very near 2 other schools, several senior living homes, fire, police & shopping facilities....all but one of the schools less than 1/2 mile from the flight path, the other school campus is a mile away...
If you think that that type of flying is OK & would welcome it over your schools, then fine for you....I do NOT think that that type of flying is OK, and I complained.... (Oh, & thanks for labeling us all as druggies....what a hoot!)
Also many areas of the US will do property confiscation, even if the landowner is absent.... have not heard of any absentee landowners being held responsible here...
Also, I doubt many places in the US have anywhere near the number of QUALIFIED civilian helicopter pilots that would be able to fly the GH....To be qualified to fly the air tours, these guys are that good... and we have more now than in the past (thanks to the last few years lava that is fairly inaccessible, but the view very desirable.... and the boats... when we have 2 - 3 boats in harbor or a new breakout, we actually have pilots in from other regions of the county & the state....these guys can be called on for GH....
If the lava ever does move again, perhaps the chopper routes will change, they may go over different areas, who knows, maybe they will get to visit Kau....or right over east Kapoho...or....maybe we will be lucky & Haleakala will re-ignite..... Ah, living with Pele, you really never do know where she will visit next, but hopefully the choppers will follow her!
Added - to Oink reply below - I should have stated that the # of pilots/capita in this one county - pretty sure this is one of the highest.... and HELICOPTER flight school grads would need a lot of airtime to meet FAA airtour guidelines here....so still think you will be hard presses to find one county with the # of qualified helicopter airtour pilots....
There is a growing population here that was not here when GH started....but the methods have not kept up with the fact this area does have more people... I complained when I saw a helicopter well below any of the FAA safe flying guidelines, right above a school & in area that had 4 schools directly in the flight path (less than 1/2 mile separates them) and very near 2 other schools, several senior living homes, fire, police & shopping facilities....all but one of the schools less than 1/2 mile from the flight path, the other school campus is a mile away...
If you think that that type of flying is OK & would welcome it over your schools, then fine for you....I do NOT think that that type of flying is OK, and I complained.... (Oh, & thanks for labeling us all as druggies....what a hoot!)
Also many areas of the US will do property confiscation, even if the landowner is absent.... have not heard of any absentee landowners being held responsible here...
Also, I doubt many places in the US have anywhere near the number of QUALIFIED civilian helicopter pilots that would be able to fly the GH....To be qualified to fly the air tours, these guys are that good... and we have more now than in the past (thanks to the last few years lava that is fairly inaccessible, but the view very desirable.... and the boats... when we have 2 - 3 boats in harbor or a new breakout, we actually have pilots in from other regions of the county & the state....these guys can be called on for GH....
If the lava ever does move again, perhaps the chopper routes will change, they may go over different areas, who knows, maybe they will get to visit Kau....or right over east Kapoho...or....maybe we will be lucky & Haleakala will re-ignite..... Ah, living with Pele, you really never do know where she will visit next, but hopefully the choppers will follow her!
Added - to Oink reply below - I should have stated that the # of pilots/capita in this one county - pretty sure this is one of the highest.... and HELICOPTER flight school grads would need a lot of airtime to meet FAA airtour guidelines here....so still think you will be hard presses to find one county with the # of qualified helicopter airtour pilots....