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| Above, approaching a Kilauea crater by helicopter in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer. |
As one might expect, the current eruption of Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii's Big Island in Hawaiian Volcanoes National Park is drawing a lot of spectators. Along with that, demand for helicopter tours over the volcano are in high demand.
Getting a helicopter tour will be harder if a plan by the FAA and the National Park Service goes into effect. The plan is to slash tours by 88%.
Beat of Hawaii reported:
On an auspicious day when USGS just announced and shared photos (above) of the Kilauea volcano once again erupting, as seen within the Halemaumau crater, a visitors-welcome Zoom meeting will take place regarding the proposed drastic reduction in helicopter tours in the area. During the last eruption, your editors found it impossible to get a helicopter tour when they visited. With the planned reduction we imagine that tours will become far more costly too.
The FAA and the National Park Service (NPS) have issued a draft Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) with significant proposed changes and a massive reduction in helicopter tours for both Haleakala National Park and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The issue is the overall environmental impact of the air tours, especially the constant noise helicopters create.
We have to say this is a good idea. We’ve hiked at Waimea Canyon and Kokee State Park on Kauai many times, only to have helicopters flying over us incessantly at the end of the trail.
The FAA and NPS plan is to severely limit helicopter tours at two Hawaii locations: the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the Big Island and the Haleakalā National Park on Maui. If you have any opinion on this, you are urged to comment before the June 20 deadline. More information is below.
I took a helicopter tour of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park in 2016 and it was an enjoyable and interesting experience.
To read more, go here.
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