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United States · Bill · HR

H.R. 1696 (103rd)

To provide for the regulation of the airspace over National Park System lands in the State of Hawaii by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Park Service, and for other purposes.

openUnited States· United States Congress· EN

Introduced

5 April 1993

Last action

Status

Subcommittee Hearings Held.

Sponsors

Subjects

Discovery layer

Source updated

2 January 2025

Summary

Requires the Director of the National Park Service (NPS) to: (1) identify areas where low-flying aircraft may constitute an adverse impact on resources and convey specific information, including annotated maps, which indicates designated flight-free areas and primary visitor use areas, to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA); (2) develop a standardized reporting system acceptable to the FAA to document instances of low-flying aircraft over NPS lands for transmittal to the Honolulu FAA Flight Standards district office; (3) develop training programs and instructional materials enabling NPS personnel to recognize and report instances of low-flying aircraft; and (4) provide for quarterly meetings between NPS personnel and the FAA and affected pilots to discuss resources management objectives and issues associated with low-flying aircraft. Requires the FAA Administrator to: (1) communicate with pilots regarding NPS concerns and objectives about low-flying aircraft in specified areas; (2) investigate pilot deviations from the requirements of this Act and take action to discourage such deviations; (3) provide assistance to the NPS in communicating with various agencies in the Department of Defense about military aircraft operations over NPS areas; (4) make the results of such investigation available to the NPS at the FAA Flight Standards district office; (5) enlist the support of all aviation groups and organizations; and (6) participate in appropriate meetings at field and regional levels to assist the NPS in combating problems associated with low-flying aircraft. Prohibits the flying of commercial tour aircraft over Kaloko Honokohau, Pu'u honua o Honaunau, Pu'u kohola Heiau, and Kalaupapa National Historical Parks, Haleakala National Park, and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Requires scenic tour aircraft to maintain a two-mile standoff distance from such areas. Makes it unlawful for any fixed wing aircraft or helicopter flying under visual flight rules to fly at less than 2,000 feet over the surface of any NPS lands in Hawaii not subject to earlier provisions of this Act. Lists joint responsibilities of the Director and the Administrator regarding additional assessments of adverse impacts of aircraft operators, means of generating pilot understanding of NPS resource management objectives, and procedures for addressing public land over-flight issues. Makes Federal regulations relating to general operating and flight rules and to air taxi operators and commercial operators applicable to nonstop sightseeing flights that begin and end at the same airport and are conducted within a 25 statute mile radius of the airport.

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Documents

3 official files

Introduced in House (text)

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Sources

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