As I sit here with helicopters buzzing overhead...

[YurtGirl]

It's a beautiful morning, blue skies, birds chirping, home was so lovely until just before 7a.m., when the first helicopter chopped loudly overhead. Since then, there's at least 1 every 20 minutes within hearing range, 1 every hour flying directly overhead. We're in Fern Forest, toward the top of the subdivision. This isn't new. It's pretty much daily and has been for months. So why all the helicopters? It has increased A LOT over the past year. They can't all be pakalolo hunters. So what are they? What massive fund are they drawing from? Tourists? I think I'd like to start a movement letting tourists know that it's disruptive to the people who live here for them to take these helicopter tours. Tell them to take a boat if they want to see the lava. Look out their plane window if they want to see it from above. I give up on the pakalolo hunters, it will be legal soon and they'll be out of work. But where else are all these awful helicopters coming from?? And why can't we have a fly zone that doesn't disrupt neighborhoods from 7am to 5pm all week long?
The tourist information is a good thought though... The heli tour companies don't respect the 500' min. altitude, I've identified them several times.

[TrevorKane]

I lived near the MIA flight path for about 10 years, they had a hotline you could call / e-mail / whatever if you had a noise complaint. Tell them the day and time and they would provide you with a radar track of the plane you were complaining about. After about the 6th radar track was provided to me, I asked if there was anything being done? No was the simple answer, the office exists only to track complaints. Never mind that the bay is a mere 1/4 mile away and the planes could climb out over the water instead of rattling bedroom windows. As long as the planes waited until they reached the bay to turn left, they could turn left as hard as they wished - it was mostly cargo planes that rattled my windows.

Bottom line - the people in power cater much more to the desires of business than the complaints of residents.

[islandlvng]

On one hand, I think it's great to see more tour flights because that means we are getting more visitors which means more money for Hawaii. On the other, it is horrible to have these guys flying over OUR houses back and forth daily.

If you are able to identify them with numbers visible without binoculars, call the flight tower in Hilo, then the actual tour company of the seen helicopter. I have spoken with them several times. I was very surprised to hear that they get very few calls concerning this. I hear of more phone calls going into the police departments from family that works for HPD than anything else. The complaint number in the phone book that will ALWAYS go to voice mail is a dead end. Thanks LT. Richard Sherlock!!!! The tower can actually in real time track and monitor altitude on aircraft while the problem is happening.

I personally think that if the tower gets floods of calls when this is happening more will be done since the tour companies are located right next door practically. Wishful thinking? Maybe...

I also think a good thought would be for a large number of people who are sick of this to go stand in front of these companies with signs saying what is being felt. And since they are on the same road as the airport, tourists would see also even if they are not going on a tour.

[missydog1]

quote:

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I think it's great to see more tour flights because that means we are getting more visitors which means more money for Hawaii. On the other, it is horrible to have these guys flying over OUR houses back and forth daily.

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I don't think it correlates that way. It means more tourists are doing the air flight because the lava is hard to get to, and are not spending their money on the ground -- doesn't mean there are more tourists, as not all tourists take these air tours.

It amazes me too that there is so much willingness from tourists to avoid sensitive places, leave the dolphins alone, and there is no compassion for residents who live under the tour flight paths.

If you want people to know, start an awareness campaign on the relevant travel forums.

[Ed Smay]

I heard on the radio the other day that one of the helicopter companies was going to be helping Helco do surviellance of the power lines in our area. Maybe that's why the extra flights. Just a guess.

"From knowledge comes understanding"

[dmbwest]

Is it the Blue Ones ??? They seem to be working on new stuff lately ... See them a lot doing different flights and trajectories.

The FAA would be a good one to call too ... You can speak with a real person pretty EZ.

aloha,
pog

[islandlvng]

quote:

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Originally posted by KathyH

quote:

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I think it's great to see more tour flights because that means we are getting more visitors which means more money for Hawaii. On the other, it is horrible to have these guys flying over OUR houses back and forth daily.

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I don't think it correlates that way. It means more tourists are doing the air flight because the lava is hard to get to, and are not spending their money on the ground -- doesn't mean there are more tourists, as not all tourists take these air tours.

It amazes me too that there is so much willingness from tourists to avoid sensitive places, leave the dolphins alone, and there is no compassion for residents who live under the tour flight paths.

If you want people to know, start an awareness campaign on the relevant travel forums.

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hmmmm, your opinion or fact??

Fact. Visitor rates are up over 20% last month alone on the BI compared to last year. Month before, 18%
I think that is a direct correlation.

[Donk]

You can always fill out the Helicopter Survey form here: http://peacefulskyalliance.com/

And I hear your pain as well in Fern Forrest. Blue Hawaiian, for the most part, seems to fly above the required height the FAA allows. There is one company that flies well below, besides the DEA, and I will be calling them and the FAA when I figure out who.

[csgray]

I pay pretty close attention to the lava reports from HVNP/USGS, and live on a tourism flight path when the lava is flowing lower down. I have seen a real correlation between where the helicopters fly and where the lava is happening. If the lower flow field is pumping and a tour ship is in, then we get pretty constant overflights. When Pu'u O'o or Kilauea crater are active I see more activity higher up the mountain. Right now Pu'u O'o crater is filling up again, and there is a big breakout of lava at 1400 feet, so the lower tube system is no longer doing much at the ocean entry and Kalapana Gardens, all the activity is at higher elevations, thus more overflights mauka.

Last time I was parked in the cell phone lot at the airport waiting to pick someone up, I watched a helicopter tour company taking off with a new load of tourists every 5 minutes for a good 45 minutes, we could also see the stacks of the cruise ship from there, so I know one was in port. Kathy has a good point, post on the tripadvisor forum for the Big Island if you want visitors to know what the impact is. For most tourist based businesses the helicopters have a negative impact, when tourists spend their afternoon and hundreds of dollars on the volcano overflight, they are not spending that money at stores and restaurants in Hilo.

Carol

[Bullwinkle]

agreed - its been quiet up here for a change - the route changed....