I wanted to add the attached map of the former arrival and departure routes into Kahului. This and the noise abatement zone map I already submitted came from the Airport Safety Guide issued in 2012. Sen. Schatz and the Hawaii Dept of Transportation established these zones.
This Airport Safety Guide that shows the statewide noise abatement zones and recommended paths for all islands were easily accessible. Now it is not. The guide is no longer on the HDOT site or pulled up from a google search. Very disconcerting.
Concerning the new flight paths that cross all of Maui's abatement zones, the planes often deviate from the published path altitudes and routes. Arrivals are often given a vector for sequencing or a visual approach so they move laterally, more mauka. Because Haiku's topography elevates steeply from the water, these jets are flying at low altitudes over our homes. Our ambient noise has gone from sea breezes and birdsong to a constant thrum of aircraft noise. Urbanizing our upcountry environment.
I will save my other points for the next meeting where an FAA official will be able to attend.
FROM: Victor C. Pellegrino
SUBJECT: AIRCRAFT DISTURBANCE ON MAUI
DATE: October 16, 2021
Dear Councilmembers:
Please read and consider the issues I have expressed regarding aircraft noise. Note that helicopters, not just airplances, are categorized as aircraft. Please review this problem for the entire ahupua`a of Waikapu. Ma`alaea is only one small part of the larger ahupua`a of Waikapu. You may also wish to review the noise disturbances in Kahului, Wailuku, Waihee, Haleakala, West and South Maui, and other geographical areas of Maui County.
I have written over the past years letters to Governor Ige as well as Senator Ed Case, yet the issue of noise created by helicopters continue to increase. The State Legislature has ruled on helicopter safety, but more attention needs to be paid statewide.
Please feel free to call upon me or to meet with the Waikapu Community Association when we discuss noise problems created in our community by helicopters—in particular helicopter touring companies. (Monday, December 13, 2021, 7:00 PM on ZOOM. For additional information, contact WCA President, tavis Polido, mobile # 808-298-4680.
Mahalo.
Sincerely,
Victor C. Pellegrino
Professor Emeritus, Maui Community College
Resident, Waikapu, County of Maui
italiano@hawaii.rr.com
cell 808-344-0015 or home 808-242-4642
HELICOPTER TOURISM – EXPOSURE TO UNNECESSARY NOISE
UNDERLYING QUESTION: WHY DO HELICOPTERS COMPANIES FAIL TO UNDERSTAND, RECOGNIZE, AND ADMIT TO THE DAMAGE THEY ARE CAUSING FOR THE PEOPLE OF MAUI AND THE ENVIRONMENT?
If my wife and I wanted to hear aircraft noise, we would have purchased or built a home near one or in an aircraft corridor, such as Kahului or Spreckelsville. Instead, we built a home in a quiet rural town—Waikapu—
in the in the Ahupua`a of Waikapu. Now we are disturbed daily by from 12-42 helicopter passes over our farm, home, and adjacent areas not distant enough to allow any semblance of simple peace and quietude we deserve here on Maui. We are interrupted daily by noisy helicopters, and even our conversations are interrupted when helicopters approach, fly over, and the noise does not cease until they are well out of sight.
Is our home resale value currently affected by the encroachment of helicopters and accompanying noise? On the Big Island residents trying to sell their homes or property are affected by noise from coqui frogs and invasions of the little fire ants, which arrived on the Big Island in 1999 and are damaging crops and aggressively stinging people and pets. Aren’t the noise-based disturbances just as bad, let alone the fear that one of these helicopters will crash—because they fly regularly over home, churches, schools, farms, shopping centers, industrial buildings, ad infinitum?
Would one of the owners and pilots of these helicopter companies choose to live in my home? I think not. Evidently they are deaf to the fact that while they are making $$$$, their greed has created most unhappy noise and disturbed us unnecessaily. Truly, they lack respect for our communities, our environment, and the peace and quiet we deserve. We are citizens and taxpayers of Maui County, and we are being held hostage by noisy skies created by helicopter companies.
What are some of the other negative effects of helicopters flying over our homes, etc…? Besides a lack of respect, continuous interruptions daily—seven days a week—as many as 42 helicopters have flown over our farm, home, and adjacent areas in the auhpua`a of Waikapu. The noise from helicopters penetrates our home, even if we were to close our doors and windows. Rudely, they begin at 7:20 AM and continue daily until 5:00 and sometimes 6:30 PM.
How about a quiet hike in the auhpua`a of Waikapu? In 1968, when we built our home, and for many years thereafter, the days and nights were quiet and peaceful. We could hike in the valley, go to the beach, use the community center, enjoy outdoor gatherings, listen to the stream and winds, hear the birds sing and, in general enjoy our environment without annoying chop-chop sounds from helicopters. We should be able to enjoy our environment, our home and property or the valleys, streams, ocean and, yes, the sound of birds.These long-ago ways of life have been stolen from us by companies that provide helicopter tours—and their greed for $$$$ and the lack of respect and care for who and what are below—we, the citizens of Maui County.
What else? How about the effect on our children who frequent parks, the ocean, the baseball and soccer fields, their schools and churches and shopping centers? What about our summer outdoor school and county programs? Helicopter flyovers have interrupted filming, drowned out hula halau rehearsals and presentations, and flyovers have forced us to stop talking, stop teaching, stop listening. We wait. Why should we have to be rudely interrupted. As citizens of Maui County, we deserve silent skies.
Do helicopters cause negative damage? One report from the Big Island noted that native Hawaiian birds have been negatively affected by helicopter noise. I am not an ornithologist, but I am aware of how helicopter noise effects domestic animals, especially dogs. Most of all, though, there is one species that is adversely annoyed by helicopter flyovers: human beings. In our small Waikapu community, friends and neighbors talk openly about how they dislike the noise. It is not uncommon to hear them say, “We wish we could have the peace and quiet we once had in Waikapu. Now it is gone. We should be able to enjoy our environment. These companies have taken away—stolen—our right to silent skies. Why must they be allowed to continue to disturb us?” One person described the helicopter companies not as part of “over-tourism,” but called it “dirty tourism.”
Another said, why does profit take precedence over the concern for citizens below.
What happened to the Maui we once called paradise? Spiraling tourism growth is now out of control. Maui has more than 60,000 tourists on any given day. And it is not just busy roads that are a concern. Public health and welfare have been affected by helicopters. It is not a secret that continued exposure to loud sound affects hearing, raises blood pressure, creates anger, causes undue frustration, disturbs sleep, and fosters worries, especially that one day a helicopter will take away a life or lives on Maui.
What do we know about noise? Noise travels. In Waikapu, helicopter noise bounces off the back canyon walls of Mauna Kahalawai, and magnify the sound. Hawaiians new about this aspect of delivering sound to the valley below. They used a conch to warn of danger or the arrival of travelers. They blew the conch facing the rising walls. The sound would carry further than if they blew it facing the valley below. Thus, when helicopters pass over Waikapu, the sounds of their engines, blades, and rotors are increased. Somehow, we must listen to the ways of old Hawaii.
Do helicopter pilots and companies honor our environment or the rules of the skies? Examine the glossy brochures and webpaes produced by helicopter companies to see where they fly, how low they fly, how they land in isolated areas, how they fly close to cliffs and waterfalls, and of course, how they fly over our communities.
Helicopter tourism is out of control because it has negatively impacted our lives as citizens of Maui County. We have the power to make change. Do we have the will?
What is the solution? The helicopter tours must go. They have violated our environment and our residents.
Maui must be returned to what it is supposed to be—people and environment friendly.
PS. We love the days of high winds, downpours of rain, low clouds, and all kinds of inclement weather on Maui—because it is only then when helicopters are grounded and we can enjoy quiet and peaceful days.
Sincerely,
Victor C. Pellegrino
Professor Emeritus, Maui Community College
Resident, Waikapu, County of Maui
italiano@hawaii.rr.com
cell 808-344-0015 or home 808-242-4642
To: Councilmember Yuki Lei Sugimura, Chair and Members
Infrastructure and Transportation Committee
RE: Aircraft Noise and flight paths over Maui County
Aloha!
Ma`alaea Village Association (MVA) appreciates the IT Chair putting this item on the agenda soon after referral to committee. As the agenda item says, this isn’t just a Ma`alaea or Haiku issue, it is an issue county wide.
I understand that CM Molina has been able to get assistance from Congressman Kahele’s Hilo office. CM Molina encouraged MVA to work with Kahele’s office, as they have been ‘helpful’. This proves that Maui County Council CAN do something about this issue.
During the October 1 Council meeting, MVA member Anna Dominski gave excellent testimony, calling the FAA a 'bully' and she is right. There is a solution - aircraft can fly over the ocean - on the north shore and south shore of Maui – reducing noise impacts on both Haiku and Ma`alaea.
We have met with Kahului Airport manager Marvin Moniz several times, as well HDOT airport rep. County and state can affect nothing - the answer is the FAA. The FAA community engagement officer is working with Cong. Kahele’s Hilo office on reducing impacts for Haiku and the FAA did affect some changes in flight paths specific to noise concerns over Haiku and north Maui:
“East Bound Departures from (OGG) Kahului: Specific departures (Boeing 737 – 200-300 and 400 series operated by TransAir and Aloha Air Cargo) have agreed to be assigned the SWEEP Standard Instrument Departure in lieu of the ONOHI Standard Instrument Departure from 11 pm local until 9 am local. This change is effective on August 4, 2021. This moves the specified aircraft's flight patterns northerly in an effort to stay offshore.
Arriving Aircraft from North of (OGG) Kahului Airport: A change request submittal was put in place in roughly April 2021 to change the crossing altitude on the LNDHY Standard Terminal Arrival Route to allow aircraft to cross at higher altitudes while descending to land at Kahului from the North. That change is currently on hold and will be considered as part of the overall Hawaii Airspace modernization and optimization effort expected in the next couple of years. The approximate deadline for a change that includes higher altitudes is roughly between summer 2024 and 2025.”
The effort to address noise impact will be considered in the upcoming modernization effort. Apparently, industry expressed concerns that less efficient routings will increase carbon emissions. The question they posed is “what is the higher priority” Moving noise to different locations and thereby increasing their carbon footprint? or reducing the carbon footprint and potentially having noise concerns?
MVA’s Aviation Committee chair Bill Hawkins has provided input to HDOT, the FAA and the Council at the last meeting outlining very clearly the minimal changes needed that would benefit Ma`alaea Village. Changes already made for Haiku prove that minimal effort can accomplish much.
Mahalo for your support,
Lynn Britton, Government Affairs Committee Chair
Ma`alaea Village Association (MVA)
To Whom it May Concern,
I was asked to respond to the following information:
East Bound Departures from (OGG) Kahului:
Specific departures (Boeing 737 – 200-300 and 400 series operated by TransAir and Aloha Air Cargo) have agreed to be assigned the SWEEP Standard Instrument Departure in lieu of the ONOHI Standard Instrument Departure from 11 pm local until 9 am local. This change is effective on August 4, 2021. This moves the specified aircraft's flight patterns northerly in an effort to stay offshore.
Arriving Aircraft from North of (OGG) Kahului Airport:
A change request submittal was put in place in roughly April 2021 to change the crossing altitude on the LNDHY Standard Terminal Arrival Route to allow aircraft to cross at higher altitudes while descending to land at Kahului from the North. That change is currently on hold and will be considered as part of the overall Hawaii Airspace modernization and optimization effort expected in the next couple of years. The approximate deadline for a change that includes higher altitudes is roughly between summer 2024 and 2025.
The effort to ensure noise impact is considered in the upcoming modernization effort. Industry expressed concerns that less efficient routings will increase carbon emissions. The question they posed is “what is the higher priority” Moving noise to different locations and thereby increasing their carbon footprint? or reducing the carbon footprint and potentially having noise concerns?
The Eastbound traffic staying offshore on the SWEEP Departure will be a great reduction in noise for the community of Haiku. I’ve already noticed the difference. Great!
The later statement “Industry expressed concerns that less efficient routings will increase carbon emissions.” This statement opens a whole can of worms and is a poor argument for not considering moving the shoreline crossing approximately 2 mile west.
I was trained By several airlines that
1. Safety
2. Passenger comfort
3. Fuel Burn and schedule integrity were the airlines priorities.
For arguments sake I view Community comfort in lines with passenger comfort.
So if fuel burn is going to be a priority over passenger comfort/community comfort lets look at things the Airlines / FAA could enact to reduce carbon Emissions.
1. Best ECON fuel selections will be based on the lowest carbon emissions, therefore calculations
will no longer factor in crew cost, and the time the aircraft is in the air(cost of maintenance.
ECON will be solely based on carbon output.
2. Flights will be flown strictly at ECON, except in an emergency. No max speed for schedule
integrity.
3. Flights will remain at the gate until a clearance with the Optimum altitude is available for best
fuel burn.
4. Pilots must climb to OPT altitude even if reports suggest turbulence, we are no longer
considering passenger or crew comfort, we’re basing requirements solely on Carbon burn.
5. Pilots will only carry min fuel required for forecasted conditions. reducing weight, reducing
carbon emissions
6. Food is weight, and causes increased fuel burn and is only needed for passenger comfort
7. Removal of the flight deck Jump seat, (for the pilots in the room). weight means extra fuel burn.
Look with time I could come up with a few more ways companies could reduce carbon emissions. Frankly, I wouldn’t be comfortable with these implementations. Just as I’m not comfortable with the implication that we can’t move the shoreline crossing a few miles to the west because of carbon burn.
The second reason that the above statement is troublesome, is that it doesn’t appear that the suggestion was even considered. It appears someone thought it was easier to say we can’t do this because of carbon emissions, rather than taking the time to talk with the local controllers/planners to gain a knowledge of local conditions. Creating a waypoint to the southwest of LNDHY may actually reduce route distance from ZIGGIE/ APACK, remain the same for BITTA, and slightly increase distances from DENNS and FITES. I suggest having the planners take a look.They may find a way to make even the DENNS routing more efficient
Moreover, I don’t believe there was an impact study for the changes in the Arrival, Most notably the lowering of altitude for crossing at HOMAI. Increasing the altitude at HOMAI from its current 5000’ is something that will never occur. In my humble opinion this would make the RNAV (RNP) RWY2 approach unstable, and essentially useless. You can say it’ll be considered in 2024/25 but I think it’s to give hope to the community and then in 2 years you’ll forget about it. Dust in the wind.
There was never an impact study done over this critical change. Honestly increasing the altitude at HOMAI creates more challenges than moving the shoreline crossing west, having the routing cross the shoreline slightly west of Maliko and continue to HOMAI. There are no housing development in this area.
Currently, aircraft can legally request a visual approach and continue descent to 3,000’ until base leg. (creating a higher levels of noise for the Haiku community, since the routing is over Haiku) Suppose we could make 5000’ a mandatory altitude until passing HOMAI, this may make it difficult for crews to use the more efficient (carbon saving)visual approach with a 3 nm downwind base and final.
The advantage of bringing the shoreline crossing to the west, is twofold, it brings pilots through what I call the grey wall. the clouds that appear with trade wind showers. I would expect the controllers would have a better understanding of this local phenomenon than myself.
Since most days are VFR. The fuel burn advantage would be for crews to call for a visual and fly a 3nm approach. Moreover aircraft descending for a visual would now be flying over an uninhabited areas. This was the preferred procedure that the controllers were using back when I was flying. (Pre-LNDHY ARR) The visual approach greatly reduced the distance of the old inefficient Haiku ARR, Which took the aircraft out over Kihei and crossing again over Maalaea.
Lastly, using Carbon emissions as an argument is very subjective and is based on a tremendous number of variables. You can manipulate the numbers so you’ll appear politically correct, but you’ll fall short because you can not truly consider all the factors involved, and in the end you’ll have to erode passenger safety and comfort. You’ve already degraded the community’s comfort.
I just wanted to provide testimony regarding the flight traffic over our home in Ha’iku. I know this is an issue you’ve worked on before, but as a resident of Ha’iku over for the past 13 years, the current flight paths has greatly disrupted our quality of life for the worse. We now have large, commercial flights coming directly over our house every multiple times per hour starting early in the morning and lasting until approximately 10pm. It never used to be like this and it feels as though we live right next to the airport. Ha’iku used to be a peaceful, quiet area away from the traffic and sounds of Kahului and even the sounds of smaller towns like Pa`ia. The qualitative shift from tranquility to the regular loud rumblings of planes close over head, has absolutely compromised the beauty and feel of this area.
What can be done? Why can’t flights fly over the ocean as they used to?
Many thanks,
Testimony Regarding Air Traffic Noise & Flight Paths over Haiku
From: Stefan Schaefer, 2781 Kauhikoalani Place, Haiku, HI 96708
Thank you in advance for considering this important matter.
As I have expressed to Councilman Molina and Congressman Kahele, the recent changes in air traffic over Ha’iku has greatly impacted our lives for the negative. We are located on Kauhikoalani Place, three minutes from Haiku Town Center.
Just anecdotally, as I was working in the yard today, I decided to count the planes that flew overhead. In the course of one hour — from approximately 11:30am-12:30pm, on a Sunday — I counted six large passenger jets. They flew directly overhead, so low that individual windows and airline logos could be identified. There were also several smaller aircraft, including a helicopter. We have lived at this address since 2009, and this never used to be the case.
My understanding is that prior to the pandemic, flights were routed over the water. This clearly makes more sense. Part of why we chose to live in this rural setting is to enjoy the quiet — the sounds of the rain, the wind in the trees, the birds. If we were looking to move to the neighborhood now, I would opt out. We now have aircraft flying overhead from early in the morning until at least 10pm.
My wife and I both work from home — she as a visual artist and myself as a screenwriter. Being distracted every 15-20 minutes by the roaring of an aircraft is a horrific. We ask that you recommend to the FAA — for whatever governing body is in charge — to return to the prior flight patterns. Expedience too often trumps the experience of local residents. Whatever the rationale was in changing these flight paths, it clearly didn’t reflect the wishes of the residents of Ha’iku.
Please email or call with any questions.
Mahalo,
Stefan Schaefer
stefan@cicalafilmworks.com
808-575-5222
To: Chair Sugimura and the Infrastructure and Transportation Committee of the Council of the County of Maui
From: Kathleen Storm
Date: October 18, 2021
Aloha and thank you for your generosity today in hearing testimony from the community regarding Air Traffic Noise and Flight Paths over Maui County (IT-72).
My name is Kathleen Storm and I’m a Ha’iku resident.
I understand that the economic health of our community is reflected in the busy sky above our neighborhoods supporting local commerce, which includes tourism but also the daily life of our ohana. The concern that I and many residents in our area have is that there was a shift in the level of noise over our neighborhood that began in July of 2019 and it has been disruptive. Planes started flying lower and more directly overhead than in the past. Even with doors and windows closed, and the television on, we would hear flights over head, such as the Amazon cargo flight that heads to Kona around 6:40 each night, like clockwork. Startled by sound, I often look up to see planes from my front yard, close enough to see passenger windows easily. It has been noticed by residents independently all over Ha’iku, and we began comparing notes. As you may be aware, a petition was created at https://www.change.org/p/faa-honolulu-control-facility-increased-jet-traffic-over-haiku and it currently has close to 1,500 signatures from our community.
My stepfather is a retired environmental scientist focusing on sound and its impact on communities. He measured and testified to the effects of airport noise on surrounding neighborhoods for much of his life’s work.
He told me that the FAA is very sensitive to the effect of flight noise on residents and that they go to great lengths to limit exposure to neighborhoods. He said that the FAA only makes routing changes at the request of the local airport and that they always hold public hearings before making changes. So, it was perplexing to us that a change that created such a dramatic shift in our environment was not communicated with residents. Realizing that not all neighborhoods can be spared noise exposure, we aren’t asking simply for this not to be in our backyard. We are aware that a slight shift of the flight pattern over the ocean or, at minimum, flying at a higher altitude, would ease the disruption greatly. This is what we are asking for.
As a group of committed citizens trying to bring attention to this matter, we are pleased to see the support of local elected leaders, such as Councilmember Mike Molina and others, and we are encouraged by the creation of the Hawaii Air Noise and Safety Task Force (HANSTF) to explore concerns and potential solutions. There appears to have been incremental adjustments made by some pilots, but it is important to have a policy in place to insure consistency and protection for the future.
When my husband and I purchased our home in Haiku, we received the Sellers Real Property Disclosure Statement. Line 27 states, “Is the Property located in the regular path of aircraft and does it experience regular excessive aircraft noise?”
The sellers of our home naturally selected “No”, because it wasn’t an issue then. We now feel that it is and we would have to disclose what we are experiencing. Anything listed on a property disclosure statement is there because it may adversely affect a property’s value. This environmental shift to more traffic and more noise impacts homeowners financial well-being as well as being disruptive.
I hope we can count on you to join us in asking for this minor adjustment in flight paths or altitude that will have a positive impact on our community with a relatively minimal impact on flight operations.
Mahalo for your time and consideration this morning.
Aloha Madam Chair Sugimura-
I wanted to add the attached map of the former arrival and departure routes into Kahului. This and the noise abatement zone map I already submitted came from the Airport Safety Guide issued in 2012. Sen. Schatz and the Hawaii Dept of Transportation established these zones.
This Airport Safety Guide that shows the statewide noise abatement zones and recommended paths for all islands were easily accessible. Now it is not. The guide is no longer on the HDOT site or pulled up from a google search. Very disconcerting.
Concerning the new flight paths that cross all of Maui's abatement zones, the planes often deviate from the published path altitudes and routes. Arrivals are often given a vector for sequencing or a visual approach so they move laterally, more mauka. Because Haiku's topography elevates steeply from the water, these jets are flying at low altitudes over our homes. Our ambient noise has gone from sea breezes and birdsong to a constant thrum of aircraft noise. Urbanizing our upcountry environment.
I will save my other points for the next meeting where an FAA official will be able to attend.
Many Mahalos,
Cheryl Hendrickson
FROM: Victor C. Pellegrino
SUBJECT: AIRCRAFT DISTURBANCE ON MAUI
DATE: October 16, 2021
Dear Councilmembers:
Please read and consider the issues I have expressed regarding aircraft noise. Note that helicopters, not just airplances, are categorized as aircraft. Please review this problem for the entire ahupua`a of Waikapu. Ma`alaea is only one small part of the larger ahupua`a of Waikapu. You may also wish to review the noise disturbances in Kahului, Wailuku, Waihee, Haleakala, West and South Maui, and other geographical areas of Maui County.
I have written over the past years letters to Governor Ige as well as Senator Ed Case, yet the issue of noise created by helicopters continue to increase. The State Legislature has ruled on helicopter safety, but more attention needs to be paid statewide.
Please feel free to call upon me or to meet with the Waikapu Community Association when we discuss noise problems created in our community by helicopters—in particular helicopter touring companies. (Monday, December 13, 2021, 7:00 PM on ZOOM. For additional information, contact WCA President, tavis Polido, mobile # 808-298-4680.
Mahalo.
Sincerely,
Victor C. Pellegrino
Professor Emeritus, Maui Community College
Resident, Waikapu, County of Maui
italiano@hawaii.rr.com
cell 808-344-0015 or home 808-242-4642
HELICOPTER TOURISM – EXPOSURE TO UNNECESSARY NOISE
UNDERLYING QUESTION: WHY DO HELICOPTERS COMPANIES FAIL TO UNDERSTAND, RECOGNIZE, AND ADMIT TO THE DAMAGE THEY ARE CAUSING FOR THE PEOPLE OF MAUI AND THE ENVIRONMENT?
If my wife and I wanted to hear aircraft noise, we would have purchased or built a home near one or in an aircraft corridor, such as Kahului or Spreckelsville. Instead, we built a home in a quiet rural town—Waikapu—
in the in the Ahupua`a of Waikapu. Now we are disturbed daily by from 12-42 helicopter passes over our farm, home, and adjacent areas not distant enough to allow any semblance of simple peace and quietude we deserve here on Maui. We are interrupted daily by noisy helicopters, and even our conversations are interrupted when helicopters approach, fly over, and the noise does not cease until they are well out of sight.
Is our home resale value currently affected by the encroachment of helicopters and accompanying noise? On the Big Island residents trying to sell their homes or property are affected by noise from coqui frogs and invasions of the little fire ants, which arrived on the Big Island in 1999 and are damaging crops and aggressively stinging people and pets. Aren’t the noise-based disturbances just as bad, let alone the fear that one of these helicopters will crash—because they fly regularly over home, churches, schools, farms, shopping centers, industrial buildings, ad infinitum?
Would one of the owners and pilots of these helicopter companies choose to live in my home? I think not. Evidently they are deaf to the fact that while they are making $$$$, their greed has created most unhappy noise and disturbed us unnecessaily. Truly, they lack respect for our communities, our environment, and the peace and quiet we deserve. We are citizens and taxpayers of Maui County, and we are being held hostage by noisy skies created by helicopter companies.
What are some of the other negative effects of helicopters flying over our homes, etc…? Besides a lack of respect, continuous interruptions daily—seven days a week—as many as 42 helicopters have flown over our farm, home, and adjacent areas in the auhpua`a of Waikapu. The noise from helicopters penetrates our home, even if we were to close our doors and windows. Rudely, they begin at 7:20 AM and continue daily until 5:00 and sometimes 6:30 PM.
How about a quiet hike in the auhpua`a of Waikapu? In 1968, when we built our home, and for many years thereafter, the days and nights were quiet and peaceful. We could hike in the valley, go to the beach, use the community center, enjoy outdoor gatherings, listen to the stream and winds, hear the birds sing and, in general enjoy our environment without annoying chop-chop sounds from helicopters. We should be able to enjoy our environment, our home and property or the valleys, streams, ocean and, yes, the sound of birds.These long-ago ways of life have been stolen from us by companies that provide helicopter tours—and their greed for $$$$ and the lack of respect and care for who and what are below—we, the citizens of Maui County.
What else? How about the effect on our children who frequent parks, the ocean, the baseball and soccer fields, their schools and churches and shopping centers? What about our summer outdoor school and county programs? Helicopter flyovers have interrupted filming, drowned out hula halau rehearsals and presentations, and flyovers have forced us to stop talking, stop teaching, stop listening. We wait. Why should we have to be rudely interrupted. As citizens of Maui County, we deserve silent skies.
Do helicopters cause negative damage? One report from the Big Island noted that native Hawaiian birds have been negatively affected by helicopter noise. I am not an ornithologist, but I am aware of how helicopter noise effects domestic animals, especially dogs. Most of all, though, there is one species that is adversely annoyed by helicopter flyovers: human beings. In our small Waikapu community, friends and neighbors talk openly about how they dislike the noise. It is not uncommon to hear them say, “We wish we could have the peace and quiet we once had in Waikapu. Now it is gone. We should be able to enjoy our environment. These companies have taken away—stolen—our right to silent skies. Why must they be allowed to continue to disturb us?” One person described the helicopter companies not as part of “over-tourism,” but called it “dirty tourism.”
Another said, why does profit take precedence over the concern for citizens below.
What happened to the Maui we once called paradise? Spiraling tourism growth is now out of control. Maui has more than 60,000 tourists on any given day. And it is not just busy roads that are a concern. Public health and welfare have been affected by helicopters. It is not a secret that continued exposure to loud sound affects hearing, raises blood pressure, creates anger, causes undue frustration, disturbs sleep, and fosters worries, especially that one day a helicopter will take away a life or lives on Maui.
What do we know about noise? Noise travels. In Waikapu, helicopter noise bounces off the back canyon walls of Mauna Kahalawai, and magnify the sound. Hawaiians new about this aspect of delivering sound to the valley below. They used a conch to warn of danger or the arrival of travelers. They blew the conch facing the rising walls. The sound would carry further than if they blew it facing the valley below. Thus, when helicopters pass over Waikapu, the sounds of their engines, blades, and rotors are increased. Somehow, we must listen to the ways of old Hawaii.
Do helicopter pilots and companies honor our environment or the rules of the skies? Examine the glossy brochures and webpaes produced by helicopter companies to see where they fly, how low they fly, how they land in isolated areas, how they fly close to cliffs and waterfalls, and of course, how they fly over our communities.
Helicopter tourism is out of control because it has negatively impacted our lives as citizens of Maui County. We have the power to make change. Do we have the will?
What is the solution? The helicopter tours must go. They have violated our environment and our residents.
Maui must be returned to what it is supposed to be—people and environment friendly.
PS. We love the days of high winds, downpours of rain, low clouds, and all kinds of inclement weather on Maui—because it is only then when helicopters are grounded and we can enjoy quiet and peaceful days.
Sincerely,
Victor C. Pellegrino
Professor Emeritus, Maui Community College
Resident, Waikapu, County of Maui
italiano@hawaii.rr.com
cell 808-344-0015 or home 808-242-4642
To: Councilmember Yuki Lei Sugimura, Chair and Members
Infrastructure and Transportation Committee
RE: Aircraft Noise and flight paths over Maui County
Aloha!
Ma`alaea Village Association (MVA) appreciates the IT Chair putting this item on the agenda soon after referral to committee. As the agenda item says, this isn’t just a Ma`alaea or Haiku issue, it is an issue county wide.
I understand that CM Molina has been able to get assistance from Congressman Kahele’s Hilo office. CM Molina encouraged MVA to work with Kahele’s office, as they have been ‘helpful’. This proves that Maui County Council CAN do something about this issue.
During the October 1 Council meeting, MVA member Anna Dominski gave excellent testimony, calling the FAA a 'bully' and she is right. There is a solution - aircraft can fly over the ocean - on the north shore and south shore of Maui – reducing noise impacts on both Haiku and Ma`alaea.
We have met with Kahului Airport manager Marvin Moniz several times, as well HDOT airport rep. County and state can affect nothing - the answer is the FAA. The FAA community engagement officer is working with Cong. Kahele’s Hilo office on reducing impacts for Haiku and the FAA did affect some changes in flight paths specific to noise concerns over Haiku and north Maui:
“East Bound Departures from (OGG) Kahului: Specific departures (Boeing 737 – 200-300 and 400 series operated by TransAir and Aloha Air Cargo) have agreed to be assigned the SWEEP Standard Instrument Departure in lieu of the ONOHI Standard Instrument Departure from 11 pm local until 9 am local. This change is effective on August 4, 2021. This moves the specified aircraft's flight patterns northerly in an effort to stay offshore.
Arriving Aircraft from North of (OGG) Kahului Airport: A change request submittal was put in place in roughly April 2021 to change the crossing altitude on the LNDHY Standard Terminal Arrival Route to allow aircraft to cross at higher altitudes while descending to land at Kahului from the North. That change is currently on hold and will be considered as part of the overall Hawaii Airspace modernization and optimization effort expected in the next couple of years. The approximate deadline for a change that includes higher altitudes is roughly between summer 2024 and 2025.”
The effort to address noise impact will be considered in the upcoming modernization effort. Apparently, industry expressed concerns that less efficient routings will increase carbon emissions. The question they posed is “what is the higher priority” Moving noise to different locations and thereby increasing their carbon footprint? or reducing the carbon footprint and potentially having noise concerns?
MVA’s Aviation Committee chair Bill Hawkins has provided input to HDOT, the FAA and the Council at the last meeting outlining very clearly the minimal changes needed that would benefit Ma`alaea Village. Changes already made for Haiku prove that minimal effort can accomplish much.
Mahalo for your support,
Lynn Britton, Government Affairs Committee Chair
Ma`alaea Village Association (MVA)
To Whom it May Concern,
I was asked to respond to the following information:
East Bound Departures from (OGG) Kahului:
Specific departures (Boeing 737 – 200-300 and 400 series operated by TransAir and Aloha Air Cargo) have agreed to be assigned the SWEEP Standard Instrument Departure in lieu of the ONOHI Standard Instrument Departure from 11 pm local until 9 am local. This change is effective on August 4, 2021. This moves the specified aircraft's flight patterns northerly in an effort to stay offshore.
Arriving Aircraft from North of (OGG) Kahului Airport:
A change request submittal was put in place in roughly April 2021 to change the crossing altitude on the LNDHY Standard Terminal Arrival Route to allow aircraft to cross at higher altitudes while descending to land at Kahului from the North. That change is currently on hold and will be considered as part of the overall Hawaii Airspace modernization and optimization effort expected in the next couple of years. The approximate deadline for a change that includes higher altitudes is roughly between summer 2024 and 2025.
The effort to ensure noise impact is considered in the upcoming modernization effort. Industry expressed concerns that less efficient routings will increase carbon emissions. The question they posed is “what is the higher priority” Moving noise to different locations and thereby increasing their carbon footprint? or reducing the carbon footprint and potentially having noise concerns?
The Eastbound traffic staying offshore on the SWEEP Departure will be a great reduction in noise for the community of Haiku. I’ve already noticed the difference. Great!
The later statement “Industry expressed concerns that less efficient routings will increase carbon emissions.” This statement opens a whole can of worms and is a poor argument for not considering moving the shoreline crossing approximately 2 mile west.
I was trained By several airlines that
1. Safety
2. Passenger comfort
3. Fuel Burn and schedule integrity were the airlines priorities.
For arguments sake I view Community comfort in lines with passenger comfort.
So if fuel burn is going to be a priority over passenger comfort/community comfort lets look at things the Airlines / FAA could enact to reduce carbon Emissions.
1. Best ECON fuel selections will be based on the lowest carbon emissions, therefore calculations
will no longer factor in crew cost, and the time the aircraft is in the air(cost of maintenance.
ECON will be solely based on carbon output.
2. Flights will be flown strictly at ECON, except in an emergency. No max speed for schedule
integrity.
3. Flights will remain at the gate until a clearance with the Optimum altitude is available for best
fuel burn.
4. Pilots must climb to OPT altitude even if reports suggest turbulence, we are no longer
considering passenger or crew comfort, we’re basing requirements solely on Carbon burn.
5. Pilots will only carry min fuel required for forecasted conditions. reducing weight, reducing
carbon emissions
6. Food is weight, and causes increased fuel burn and is only needed for passenger comfort
7. Removal of the flight deck Jump seat, (for the pilots in the room). weight means extra fuel burn.
Look with time I could come up with a few more ways companies could reduce carbon emissions. Frankly, I wouldn’t be comfortable with these implementations. Just as I’m not comfortable with the implication that we can’t move the shoreline crossing a few miles to the west because of carbon burn.
The second reason that the above statement is troublesome, is that it doesn’t appear that the suggestion was even considered. It appears someone thought it was easier to say we can’t do this because of carbon emissions, rather than taking the time to talk with the local controllers/planners to gain a knowledge of local conditions. Creating a waypoint to the southwest of LNDHY may actually reduce route distance from ZIGGIE/ APACK, remain the same for BITTA, and slightly increase distances from DENNS and FITES. I suggest having the planners take a look.They may find a way to make even the DENNS routing more efficient
Moreover, I don’t believe there was an impact study for the changes in the Arrival, Most notably the lowering of altitude for crossing at HOMAI. Increasing the altitude at HOMAI from its current 5000’ is something that will never occur. In my humble opinion this would make the RNAV (RNP) RWY2 approach unstable, and essentially useless. You can say it’ll be considered in 2024/25 but I think it’s to give hope to the community and then in 2 years you’ll forget about it. Dust in the wind.
There was never an impact study done over this critical change. Honestly increasing the altitude at HOMAI creates more challenges than moving the shoreline crossing west, having the routing cross the shoreline slightly west of Maliko and continue to HOMAI. There are no housing development in this area.
Currently, aircraft can legally request a visual approach and continue descent to 3,000’ until base leg. (creating a higher levels of noise for the Haiku community, since the routing is over Haiku) Suppose we could make 5000’ a mandatory altitude until passing HOMAI, this may make it difficult for crews to use the more efficient (carbon saving)visual approach with a 3 nm downwind base and final.
The advantage of bringing the shoreline crossing to the west, is twofold, it brings pilots through what I call the grey wall. the clouds that appear with trade wind showers. I would expect the controllers would have a better understanding of this local phenomenon than myself.
Since most days are VFR. The fuel burn advantage would be for crews to call for a visual and fly a 3nm approach. Moreover aircraft descending for a visual would now be flying over an uninhabited areas. This was the preferred procedure that the controllers were using back when I was flying. (Pre-LNDHY ARR) The visual approach greatly reduced the distance of the old inefficient Haiku ARR, Which took the aircraft out over Kihei and crossing again over Maalaea.
Lastly, using Carbon emissions as an argument is very subjective and is based on a tremendous number of variables. You can manipulate the numbers so you’ll appear politically correct, but you’ll fall short because you can not truly consider all the factors involved, and in the end you’ll have to erode passenger safety and comfort. You’ve already degraded the community’s comfort.
Sincerely,
Craig Hanson
Testimony Regarding Air Traffic Noise over Haiku
I just wanted to provide testimony regarding the flight traffic over our home in Ha’iku. I know this is an issue you’ve worked on before, but as a resident of Ha’iku over for the past 13 years, the current flight paths has greatly disrupted our quality of life for the worse. We now have large, commercial flights coming directly over our house every multiple times per hour starting early in the morning and lasting until approximately 10pm. It never used to be like this and it feels as though we live right next to the airport. Ha’iku used to be a peaceful, quiet area away from the traffic and sounds of Kahului and even the sounds of smaller towns like Pa`ia. The qualitative shift from tranquility to the regular loud rumblings of planes close over head, has absolutely compromised the beauty and feel of this area.
What can be done? Why can’t flights fly over the ocean as they used to?
Many thanks,
Chenta Laury
Haiku Resident
chenta@earthlink.net
tel. 917-282-0174
Chenta Laury
Testimony Regarding Air Traffic Noise & Flight Paths over Haiku
From: Stefan Schaefer, 2781 Kauhikoalani Place, Haiku, HI 96708
Thank you in advance for considering this important matter.
As I have expressed to Councilman Molina and Congressman Kahele, the recent changes in air traffic over Ha’iku has greatly impacted our lives for the negative. We are located on Kauhikoalani Place, three minutes from Haiku Town Center.
Just anecdotally, as I was working in the yard today, I decided to count the planes that flew overhead. In the course of one hour — from approximately 11:30am-12:30pm, on a Sunday — I counted six large passenger jets. They flew directly overhead, so low that individual windows and airline logos could be identified. There were also several smaller aircraft, including a helicopter. We have lived at this address since 2009, and this never used to be the case.
My understanding is that prior to the pandemic, flights were routed over the water. This clearly makes more sense. Part of why we chose to live in this rural setting is to enjoy the quiet — the sounds of the rain, the wind in the trees, the birds. If we were looking to move to the neighborhood now, I would opt out. We now have aircraft flying overhead from early in the morning until at least 10pm.
My wife and I both work from home — she as a visual artist and myself as a screenwriter. Being distracted every 15-20 minutes by the roaring of an aircraft is a horrific. We ask that you recommend to the FAA — for whatever governing body is in charge — to return to the prior flight patterns. Expedience too often trumps the experience of local residents. Whatever the rationale was in changing these flight paths, it clearly didn’t reflect the wishes of the residents of Ha’iku.
Please email or call with any questions.
Mahalo,
Stefan Schaefer
stefan@cicalafilmworks.com
808-575-5222
To: Chair Sugimura and the Infrastructure and Transportation Committee of the Council of the County of Maui
From: Kathleen Storm
Date: October 18, 2021
Aloha and thank you for your generosity today in hearing testimony from the community regarding Air Traffic Noise and Flight Paths over Maui County (IT-72).
My name is Kathleen Storm and I’m a Ha’iku resident.
I understand that the economic health of our community is reflected in the busy sky above our neighborhoods supporting local commerce, which includes tourism but also the daily life of our ohana. The concern that I and many residents in our area have is that there was a shift in the level of noise over our neighborhood that began in July of 2019 and it has been disruptive. Planes started flying lower and more directly overhead than in the past. Even with doors and windows closed, and the television on, we would hear flights over head, such as the Amazon cargo flight that heads to Kona around 6:40 each night, like clockwork. Startled by sound, I often look up to see planes from my front yard, close enough to see passenger windows easily. It has been noticed by residents independently all over Ha’iku, and we began comparing notes. As you may be aware, a petition was created at https://www.change.org/p/faa-honolulu-control-facility-increased-jet-traffic-over-haiku and it currently has close to 1,500 signatures from our community.
My stepfather is a retired environmental scientist focusing on sound and its impact on communities. He measured and testified to the effects of airport noise on surrounding neighborhoods for much of his life’s work.
He told me that the FAA is very sensitive to the effect of flight noise on residents and that they go to great lengths to limit exposure to neighborhoods. He said that the FAA only makes routing changes at the request of the local airport and that they always hold public hearings before making changes. So, it was perplexing to us that a change that created such a dramatic shift in our environment was not communicated with residents. Realizing that not all neighborhoods can be spared noise exposure, we aren’t asking simply for this not to be in our backyard. We are aware that a slight shift of the flight pattern over the ocean or, at minimum, flying at a higher altitude, would ease the disruption greatly. This is what we are asking for.
As a group of committed citizens trying to bring attention to this matter, we are pleased to see the support of local elected leaders, such as Councilmember Mike Molina and others, and we are encouraged by the creation of the Hawaii Air Noise and Safety Task Force (HANSTF) to explore concerns and potential solutions. There appears to have been incremental adjustments made by some pilots, but it is important to have a policy in place to insure consistency and protection for the future.
When my husband and I purchased our home in Haiku, we received the Sellers Real Property Disclosure Statement. Line 27 states, “Is the Property located in the regular path of aircraft and does it experience regular excessive aircraft noise?”
The sellers of our home naturally selected “No”, because it wasn’t an issue then. We now feel that it is and we would have to disclose what we are experiencing. Anything listed on a property disclosure statement is there because it may adversely affect a property’s value. This environmental shift to more traffic and more noise impacts homeowners financial well-being as well as being disruptive.
I hope we can count on you to join us in asking for this minor adjustment in flight paths or altitude that will have a positive impact on our community with a relatively minimal impact on flight operations.
Mahalo for your time and consideration this morning.
Sincerely,
Kathleen Storm
Aloha, I strongly urge you to do everything possible to reroute the planes flying above Haiku .
You can have the flights routed over the ocean so our quiet lifestyle is retained and our safety assured.
It is unfair that these flight paths were changed without proper public notice or input.
Help us now.
mahalo
Joanne Vasquez
Aloha, I strongly urge you to do everything possible to reroute the planes flying above Haiku .
You can have the flights routed over the ocean so our quiet lifestyle is retained and our safety assured.
It is unfair that these flight paths were changed without proper public notice or input.
Help us now.
mahalo
Joanne Vasquez