Air tour operators at the
Grand Canyon would be able to take more visitors over the most popular
flight routes under a proposed incentive to make aircraft quieter.
The incentive would apply
to the Dragon and Zuni Point corridors, which provide views of the
widest and deepest parts of the canyon to the eastern edge. The flights
aren't visible from the South Rim where most of the Grand Canyon's 4.5
million visitors travel each year.
Operators use about 3,700
of their assigned flights in the Dragon and Zuni Point corridors from
January to March. Those that upgrade aircraft to meet the definition of
quiet technology could shift those flight slots to the summer months
when demand is higher without losing out on business during the winter
months.
"They can kind of manage
within their own fleet how they want to do it, but it would give
companies credit for truly quieter technology," said Robin Martin, chief
of planning and compliance at the Grand Canyon.
Operators don't
necessarily have to fly quieter aircraft to win the certification of
quiet technology. Under a definition used by the Federal Aviation
Administration, some can just add seats to aircraft to qualify.
A provision in the 2012
federal transportation bill to make half of the Grand Canyon free from
commercial air tour noise for at least 75 percent of the day requires
the Federal Aviation Administration and the Grand Canyon to provide
incentives for quiet air technology. Many of the tours originate from
Las Vegas.
U.S. Sens. John McCain of
Arizona and Harry Reid of Nevada had criticized a proposal by the
National Park Service to manage air tour noise at the Grand Canyon and
restore natural quiet to the park. The Park Service wanted to make 67
percent of the canyon quiet for three-fourths of the day or longer, but
the senators said the noise restrictions were unfair and would decimate
air tours.
The first incentive for
quiet air technology went into effect in January, reducing fees from $25
to $20 per flight. The FAA later released 1,721 flight allocations that
had been abandoned to commercial tour operators for use as long as
their active fleets did not increase noise in the park overall.
The public comment period for the latest proposed incentive ends Dec. 10.
Messages left with media
representatives for two of the Grand Canyon's largest commercial air
tour companies were not immediately returned Monday.
Air tour operators use
more than 90 percent of the nearly 45,000 flight slots available to them
in the Dragon and Zuni Point corridors, Martin said. About 60 percent
of the aircraft conducting tours at the Grand Canyon already meet the
quiet air technology standard.
Dick Hinson of the Sierra
Club said the impact of the proposal is unclear but could worsen noise
levels in the canyon's backcountry where hikers and campers seek
solitude. He said the environmental group wants some assurance from the
park that it is not going to do the minimum possible in terms of the
science.
"It can be a smoke screen," he said. "The incentives should be used to develop engines that are quieter as a source directly."
Martin said the FAA and
the Grand Canyon have set a maximum noise level at the park based on
flight allocations for 2012. Officials said the new incentive, if
implemented, could be discontinued if noise from air tours throughout
the park exceeds that level.
"We're looking more at noise than numbers," Martin said.
- Source: http://abcnews.go.com
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