Monday, October 06, 2014

New restrictions put in place for aircraft flying near lava flow

The lava flow continues its slow crawl toward Pahoa, sparking a large bush fire this morning and advancing 150 yards since Sunday.

And interest in the lava flow is so great, Hawaii County Civil Defense and the Federal Aviation Administration have now teamed up to place new restrictions on air traffic in the area.

Before Monday, aircraft could fly right over the flow, while dropping down to no less 500 feet in open areas, and a thousand feet near populated areas.

The new rules create a two-mile buffer around the flow and restricts altitude to no less than 4,000 feet.

Darryl Oliveira, director of Hawaii County Civil Defense, said “so in an effort to provide for the safety of residents — for people on the ground as well as the increased amount of traffic in the air — we worked with the FAA and Civil Defense to request this new restriction over the lava. It’s because we’re seeing a lot more activity over the lava flow, and multiple times last week, I personally had a chance to witness fixed aircraft, as well as helicopter traffic, in the same space.

“We do understand the historic nature of this, and the value of the media coverage, but based on what were were seeing last week with the uncontrolled air space, we had to take steps to provide safety first, then go forward with everyone and see how we can manage that better.”

Oliveira says the restrictions are similar to those put into place years ago when lava devastated Kalapana.

Tour operators, not surprisingly, tell KHON2 the restrictions come at a time when business is booming. They are hoping to work with Civil Defense and the FAA to strike a balance between public safety and witnessing history.

Story and Video:   http://khon2.com

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