2018-01-26 Letter to HICOP Board re Helicopter Tours - Update

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•(Y OF .r�,�� '' ;• Wil Okabe Managing Director Harry Kim � •' � ,. .. �°• A./tour Barbara J. Kossow •;,M>`+i_. Deputy Managing Director hor • 44i- County of Hawaii Office of the Mayor 25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553 KONA. 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy., Bldg C • Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740 (808)3234444 • Fax(808)323-4440 January 26, 2018 HICOP Board do Bob Ernst rce1(a�isp.com Dear Mr. Ernst & HICOP Board: RE: Helicopter Tours In response to resident complaints about helicopter noise, and the helicopter tour industry in particular, I convened a meeting of tour operators and asked them to develop a plan to address the noise issue and to forward that plan to me for my review. On January 12, 2018, the tour operators reported that they: • Organized the nonprofit Hawaii Helicopter Association to address helicopter industry issues and to work with local community, state and federal agencies; • Launched an online complaint form through PlaneNoise, a program used by airports and municipalities across the country; • Convened multiple meetings with Federal, State, and local agencies, Federal Aviation Administration representatives and Department of Transportation officials; • Are installing flight tracking equipment in helicopters to assist companies with holding pilots accountable for deviation from agreed-upon directives; and • Reinforced the following pilot directives: o Require mandatory retraining for all pilots with an emphasis on reducing overflight noise impacts using the Helicopter Association International's "Fly Neighborly Guide," o Increase overflight altitudes above noise sensitive areas when weather permits, o Vary overflight paths to reduce repetitive annoyance noise impacts, and o Encourage pilots to use major thoroughfares to avoid low ambient noise areas. County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer