On November 4, 1992, then-President Bush signed the Oceans Act of 1992, which established the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. Less than a year later, the sanctuary appears more endangered than the whales it was intended to protect. … Continued
Amid the furor and controversies generated by the recent marked increase in tour helicopter traffic on the Big Island, Harry Kim, the county’s Civil Defense administrator, voiced his usual good sense and fresh perspective: “We need someone to speak for … Continued
The Hawai’i County Council adopted, on March 24, 1993, a resolution supporting an agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service to set standards for helicopter flights over Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. Adoption of the resolution was … Continued
Mike Wheat lives in Hawaiian Paradise Park, a rural subdivision south of Hilo. On days when helicopter traffic is especially heavy; he says flights over his house can be as frequent as every five minutes. The pilots often fly at … Continued
The Hawai’i Helicopter Operators Association was created in 1984, because, it has said, “The industry realized that it needed to improve its flying procedures in order to become more compatible with both the permanent and transient (tourist) communities.” Membership in … Continued
The crashes of helicopters in November 1992 and January 1993 have, predictably, resulted in the filing of lawsuits. The parents of Chang Lung Shieh, a Taiwanese tourist who presumably lost his life in the accident last January 25, have filed … Continued
Attempts to rein in helicopter traffic are nothing new. To date, however, most have failed. At the federal level, Congress has given the Federal Aviation Administration responsibility for making sure that aircraft operators fly safely. The FAA has tended to … Continued
The safety of helicopter operations in Hawai’i has come under increasing scrutiny recently, largely in the wake of two serious accidents. Last November, a helicopter carrying a Paramount Pictures film crew fell to the floor of Pu’u O’o vent. All … Continued
Health Department Finds No Risk to Geothermal A “Health Risk Assessment” prepared by epidemiologist Barbara Brooks for the state Department of Health concludes that the public would not experience any adverse health effects from accidental releases of hydrogen sulfide from … Continued