Time to consider lava viewing? Boost tourism?

[PaulW]

Are the heli tours running again?

[MarkD]

Someone on another thread was mentioning heavy helicopter traffic lately. Maybe it's all civil defense; were all helicopter tours shut down? (Sorry, I'm ignorant on topic.)

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Are the heli tours running again?

They are running nonstop, starting as soon as light breaks in the morning. I'm makai HPP, it seems that with the restricted fly zone around Halemaumau, the preferred flight path is now around or over Kaloli Point, then south along the coast, or over HPP. Most of the air traffic consists of tour helicopters.

Portion of Hawaii’s drinking water that comes from underground wells : 9/10
Gallons of raw sewage that leak into the ground from Hawaii cesspools each day : 53,000,000 - Harper's Index

[PaulW]

Aha. So is there no flight restriction any more in lower Puna? Sorry, I hadn't heard about this. Are they allowed to fly over Leilani?

[kalakoa]

no flight restriction any more in lower Puna?

Tour helicopters honor flight restrictions?

[leilanidude]

quote:

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Originally posted by PaulW

Aha. So is there no flight restriction any more in lower Puna? Sorry, I hadn't heard about this. Are they allowed to fly over Leilani?

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http://tfr.faa.gov/tfr_map_ims/hawaii_ht...15_12.html

Link is zoomed into eatern Puna.

[mermaid53]

Someone on another thread was mentioning heavy helicopter traffic lately. Maybe it's all civil defense; were all helicopter tours shut down?

That may have been me on the other thread. HOTPE's report is accurate. About 3 mornings ago, the first helicopter flew over about 6:15 AM. I thought maybe that one may have been for civil defense since it was so early. Later in the morning I called the Aircraft Noise Complaints hotline to complain about a helicopter flying approx 90-100 mph at an altitude approx 250 feet over Kaloli Point. The helicopters that morning were also flying with a regularity of approx every 10 min apart. About 10 min after I hung up, another helicopter flew over, different tour company, that was at an altitude of approx 400 feet so I called again. I noticed the helicopters were flying at an altitude of at least 1500 or more after that with longer breaks in between.

One of our friends called Paradise Helicopters for a free helicopter ride, "if there was a cancellation waiting list". He wanted to see if his house was still standing...this was the 1st Tues after the Leilani Estates evacuation on Thur 3 May. He was told the helicopters would be flying at an altitude of 3,000 feet.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

flew over about 6:15 AM

I often hear them before 6 AM.
The other morning I looked at my clock when I heard the first helicopter of the day and it was 5:50 AM.
I'm awake then anyway, and there's a lot of other things going on these days.

Portion of Hawaii’s drinking water that comes from underground wells : 9/10
Gallons of raw sewage that leak into the ground from Hawaii cesspools each day : 53,000,000 - Harper's Index

[MarkD]

I imagine it's boon time for the operators; the views must be spectacular. Stupid question here: How late can they fly? Dusk? Complete dark? Lava viewing at night is striking.

[mermaid53]

It's been awhile since I heard a helicopter....maybe an hour or more now...and it's 6:04 PM.

Since the cruise ships aren't coming to Hilo, maybe these are people driving in from Kona side and/or flying in from outer islands?