HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-03-09 Letter to Lorraine R. Inouye and Breene Harimoto SCR 12,SR 13 Urging the Federal Aviation Administration to take Action Regarding Commercial Helicpoter Tour Operations in Hawaii J+tvJos„. Roy Takemoto
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Mayor
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County of Hawai i
Office of the Mayor
25 Aupuni Street,Suite 2603 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720 • (808)961-8211 • Fax(808)961-6553
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March 10, 2020
Senator Lorraine R. Inouye, Chair
Senator Breene Harimoto, Vice Chair
Committee on Transportation
Dear Chair Inouye, Vice Chair Harimoto, and Committee Members:
RE: SCR 12/SR 13 Urging the Federal Aviation Administration to take
Action Regarding Commercial Helicopter Tour Operations in Hawaii
SCR12 and SR 13 are appropriate counterparts to SCR 11 and SR 12, also on
today's agenda. Whereas SCR 12/SR 13 call on the Federal Aviation Administration
(FAA) to do a better job of regulating tour helicopters by increasing minimum flight
altitudes, mandating offshore tour aircraft routes when appropriate, and creating air tour
management plans for national parks in Hawaii, SCR 11/SR 12 go the next step and
say that if FAA won't do its job, give the reins to the National Transportation Safety
Board (NTSB).
The helicopter industry should be a responsible and considerate corporate
member of our community. You might think that the operators would want to achieve
that status voluntarily, but the track record indicates that it will take Federal action to
achieve that status. Since we do not know whether the FAA or the NTSB is more likely
to take the necessary action, I hope you will support SCR 12/SR 13 as well as SCR
11/SR 12.
Resp ctfully Submitted,
HarryKim
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MAYOR
County of Hawaii is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.