SPP 12-143 Paradise Helicopters - Laserfiche WebLink

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Paradise Helicopters Special Permit Application In response to a growing number of air tours over national parks across the country, Congress passed the National Parks Air Tour Management Act (NPATMA) of 2000, which directs the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service to cooperatively develop Air Tour Management Plans (ATMPs), including one for HVNP, which is currently in preparation. The objective of the plan is to develop acceptable and effective measures to mitigate or prevent the significant adverse impacts of commercial air tour operations upon the natural and cultural resources and visitor experiences. Commercial air tour operations are defined as any flight conducted for compensation or hire in a powered aircraft, where a purpose of the flight is sightseeing over a national parr or within �/2 -mile outside the boundary of any national park, during which the aircraft flies below 5,000 feet above ground level (AGL). Public meetings held in three locations in East Hawaii were attended by several dozen people total who voiced a number of specific concerns, although the substantial economic and employment contribution of the tour industry has also been recognized by some. r r Most of the problems stem from the routes helicopters must use to visit the eruption and ocean entry areas. Suggestions have ranged from banning air tours altogether, to f modifying the routes and adding mitigation, to allowing the status quo. Some residents prefer routes near the ocean, while others want helicopters restricted to unpopulated areas. Some want prescribed and unfixed routes and others would life variation to avoid having a few residents carry all the burden of helicopter noise. HvNP has developed four draft alternatives for the ATMP that have the following elements: • Maximum and minimum altitudes • Caps on numbers of overflights • weather routes • +Competitive bidding — must bid if set caps on numbers Quiet Technology • Curfews 17