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KeaauRich makes a good point. That $400 copter ride represents reservationists, pilots, mechanics, fuel (and tax on the fuel) managers, cleaning crews for the copters, etc. There's a lot of money floating around from the tour flights and they don't hover over the neighborhoods or fly in circles. They fly as high as they can, as fast as they can, straight to the lava.
The mayor routinely gets ferried around in a National Guard Blackhawk.
I did hear that both County Rescue copters were dispatched yesterday afternoon out near the Lighthouse regarding a swimmer in distress.
Hope no one complained about those two flights? Speaking of rescue flights, many accident and other serious illness victims are transported to Maui and Oahu all the time. It is the fastest way to try and save someone's life on an island with few medical facilities and long, winding roads. (side note: Chopper 2 has a cool paint scheme, reminds me of the one on Magnum, P.I.)
Don't forget about the fire fighting they do, too.
In every emergency, those tourist copter companies send their personnel and equipment out to help. If they weren't around...just saying...Hope some of you don't get what you wish for.
edit:typo
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Great advice w/ the trip advisory! I'm on it. Lots of good thoughts coming up here. Dogs and coquis and roosters are definitely beside the point. The point is these helicopters, so many flying overhead all day long that it's more than a little ridiculous. Most of us didn't buy property near the airport for a reason. There seems to be this little piece of paper when looking at real estate that warns about helicopter fly overs, it was in some paperwork I saw from Oceanview, again in Ahualoa, again in Volcano... is there anywhere that isn't warned about this? Is this the helicopter users little insurance, "Well, you were warned..."? Why are the helicopters given sway over citizen's right to peace and quiet?
I think absolutely that all helicopters unless they are the mythic and seemingly profuse HELCO copters (which btw, would only need to fly overhead ONCE in about a year, right?? Monthly checks? Surely not needed in the same areas over and over?) or the popo copters. Of course they need to go where they must (sigh), but it should really be limited and a somewhat rare occurrence. Other helicopter pilots really ought to be made to fly certain, limited routes except in the case of emergency or bad weather. And how about a cap on how many times a copter can fly one route each day? How about since they're obviously making money on these tourists, they be asked to put some of it toward neighborhood impact funds of the neighborhoods at whose expense they cash in?
Fact is, they do fly lower than 500 feet here ALL THE TIME. I'm not kidding. If I can see whether or not the pilot or passenger has sunglasses on, that's under 500'. Fact is, most copters that fly over our subdivision DO NOT follow roads. Fact is that it is extremely intrusive noise and extremely intrusive of privacy, even above 500'. And frankly, I think most of these helicopters must be tour copters, because why on earth would any other agency be flying overhead, back and forth, every day? Helco? They would need to get some better line checkers I'd think, or raise our rates! DEA? Pot plants don't spring up overnight. Even they wouldn't waste that kind of money to check and recheck every day.
Carol is right, if you've lived w/ it long enough, you know the different patterns. I know a DEA copter. I know an emergency copter. And I know a lookey-loo copter.
Melissa Fletcher
___________________________
"Make yurts, not war" Bill Coperthwaite, 1973
Open question ... If they are that regular and are truely a bother or below level ... Why not get the camera or video camera out and film them ???
This would be some pretty compelling evidence yeah ?
Next time you are in town drop it off @ airport AND the businesses in question along with voiceing your concerns.
Can't get any more direct than that.
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quote:
Originally posted by pog
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
Yes it is the Blue ones from what I have heard.
"From knowledge comes understanding"
"From knowledge comes understanding"
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Blue Hawaii has started using their new model called ECOSTAR? I saw one leaving Hilo Airport the other day. I have to say it is much more quiet than the others. About 6-8 months back down behind greenlake mountain in Kapoho, there was a black one hovering around. My friend and I actually pulled over to watch because we heard nothing from inside the car while this thing was hovering right above the canopy. Any other copter would be deafening at that height. Had no markings or numbers and yes, completely black. We looked at each other like is this really happening?
Long story short, it was nice to see on the news that soon after that sighting of this mysterious black heli, that Blue Hawaii Oahu was putting into service that very model we saw down in Kapoho except a very nice blue color. Now in Hilo. I believe these will be a welcome change as far as noise is concerned once the whole fleet is replaced.
Rescue and police emergency helicopters (not DEA) are irrelevant to this discussion. That's a completely separate use that everyone supports. The questions is, can a place be tourism friendly without sacrificing the residents' right to peacefully enjoy their property.
There are islands where bans are in place on tour overflights over residential areas for the purpose of maintaining quality of life. I believe that the rich estate neighborhoods on this island are not plagued by helicopters.
I think that Puna is considered poor, rural, and as having no clout, so the companies have gotten in the habit of doing whatever they want. Hundreds or thousands of people affected, and the argument for letting that happen is it creates a relatively small number of jobs.
The helicopters could fly along the coast. On Kaua'i they tour the Na Pali and of course they are out to sea because that's where the view is.
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quote:
Originally posted by YurtGirl
... How about since they're obviously making money on these tourists, they be asked to put some of it toward neighborhood impact funds of the neighborhoods at whose expense they cash in?...
Sorry YurtGirl. You are one of the people complaining about government intrusion regarding the type of house and how it is constructed over on the Building in Puna forum. Most people would call INSULATION a good start, not to mention that a YURT probably isn't very noise resistant to begin with.
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MDD7000,
I don't think there would be any appreciable difference between a canvas yurt and a typical Puna home with all the windows open to let in the trade winds. Surely you aren't suggesting we should all have to close up our homes, install AC, and give up the outside living lifestyle so many of us enjoy here, just to provide a few jobs in the helicopter tourism industry?
There needs to be some reasonable limits placed on how thoroughly certain neighborhoods and communities are impacted by the tourism flights. I recall reading that the last time the FAA tightened up helicopter regulations the Big Island was specifically exempted from the changes, at the behest of the helicopter tourism industry. People should be able to enjoy their homes in peace, without being bombarded by intrusive noise that can terrify pets and livestock, just so someone off a cruise ship can have a once in a lifetime experience to videotape. I am obsessed with that volcano, I take students there on field trips, check out the web cams throughout the day, and read the HVO updates daily, but I will still never take that helicopter flight as long as indulging myself that way deprives someone else of the right to live in peace on their own property.
Carol
Carol
Every time you feel yourself getting pulled into other people's nonsense, repeat these words: Not my circus, not my monkeys.
Polish Proverb
Me too, Carol, I will never take a helicopter tour here because I know what it does. I think it's worth a shot to try to raise visitor awareness. If visitors started requesting that the flights stay up and not go lower over houses, you know, like shopped for a conscientious company.
Visitors will go to great lengths to choose a boat company that doesn't impact the reef, because its conscious tourism, but they don't think about noise impact on homes. Possibly they would if awareness were raised. You have to put a face and a voice to the victims; it can't be abstract.
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MDD7000, you are suggesting insulation? as a solution? In Hawaii where we keep all the windows and doors open? Insulation to deal with helos? That's not why we live here, to stay inside and start insulating and shutting windows.
hawaiideborah
hawaiideborah
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