Hawaii Governor David Ige is expected to veto legislation that would burden helicopter operators in that state with an enormous amount of self-reporting and other restrictions. Ige said he would veto Senate Bill 3272 because it ascribes authority to the state that is the proper purview of the FAA. The state senate passed the bill unanimously in April.
The bill would establish a new helicopter noise task force within the state, weighted with neighborhood associations and community groups, and require all helitour operators in Hawaii to obtain a state permit to operate at any airport within the state.
Permit holders would be required to submit monthly reports to the Hawaii Department of Transportation detailing the place, date, and time of all aircraft operations, including takeoff and landing times; the number of individuals aboard the aircraft; the flight path from takeoff through landing; and whether the aircraft deviated from its intended flight plan. The reports would be available to the public.
The bill would also require permit holders to identify types of aircraft used, obtain a written area noise assessment from the state DOT, and establish penalties for revocation and suspension of a permit for failure to comply with permit conditions.