You are here

NPS, FAA Develop Framework For Air Tour Management Plans

Share
Badlands is one of about two dozen national parks that hope to have air tour management plans crafted by 2022/NPS file, Cathy Bell

Badlands is one of 23 national parks that hope to have air tour management plans crafted by 2022/NPS file, Cathy Bell

Sprawling across across 244,000 acres of prairie, canyons, buttes, and wondrous multi-colored geologic formations, Badlands National Park in South Dakota can be hard to fully grasp and navigate if you're on foot or even in a vehicle. That's where taking a flight over the park can show one the majesty of the landscape.

Much the same can be said of Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, Hawai'i Volcanoes National Park in Hawaii, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee and North Carolina, just to name a few of the units of the National Park System that have air tour operations. 

But those overflights can be irritating to those on the ground.

"Wanted to let you know that helicopters are flying over the Badlands National Park in what seems like every 15 min! For myself, it really took away from the experience during my visit," a reader told Traveler in August. "I did see the helicopter company right outside the park. The ranger I spoke to told me that the rangers all pretty much do not like that this is going on. How do we stop this, or what can we do? I suppose I could write the politicians."

The issue of air tours and how they operate is not a new one. Earlier this year, staff at Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona spotted helicopters flying much too close to the cliff dwelling there, and in May a federal judge chastized the National Park Service and the Federal Aviation Administration for failing for nearly two decades to agree on air management tours over national parks.

It was 20 years ago that the National Park Air Tour Management Act of 2000 was implemented and required the FAA, in coordination with the NPS, to set limits on overflight numbers, timing, and routes to protect park resources and the visitor experience.

Badlands National Park is one of the parks impacted by the judge's ruling. It will, however, be a while before a plan is in place for any of the parks.

"Commercial helicopter tours over Badlands National Park are provided by a private company and originate outside of the park," said Superintendent Michael Pflaum when Traveler reached out for comment on the visitor's concerns. "The Federal Aviation Administration regulates helicopter flights over the park. A May 2020 federal court order was issued, requiring the National Park Service and FAA to complete air tour management plans within the next two years for several parks, including Badlands.

"The NPS is currently in the early stage of working on an Air Tour Management Plan for Badlands National Park, projected to be completed by late 2022. That plan will take into consideration current levels of service and noise impacts."

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, which has sued the two government agencies to come to terms on managing overflights, on Tuesday will announce what Pflaum already knew: that the FAA is implementing the judge's directive and has announced the schedule for developing air tour management plans for 23 national parks that are all to be finalized by May 1, 2022 (see attached). 

“These air tours are noisy and usually low-flying, adversely affecting both wildlife and park visitors, as well as residents in gateway communities,” said PEER General Counsel Paula Dinerstein, who argued the litigation, in a statement obtained by the Traveler. “This lawsuit was needed to protect national parks from being loved to death by incessant overflights.”

According to PEER, through the past 20 years the FAA has "been issuing interim approvals that essentially have grandfathered-in existing flight levels. The FAA has also sought voluntary agreements with tour operators who had little reason to consent to reduced flights because they had no reason to fear mandatory restrictions, until now."

Dinerstein, noting that the court order requires FAA and the NPS to agree on management plans but does not speak to the quality of those plans, said that currently "national parks cannot limit overflights, no matter how damaging, without cooperation from the FAA, which has heretofore not been forthcoming, absent a court order.”

“We are happy the process for developing these park overflight plans has finally begun, but, if past is prologue, it will take a lot of work and public pressure to see them to a satisfactory conclusion,” she added.

The agreement filed with the court for approval Monday says the FAA and NPS will abandon efforts to reach voluntary management plans. It also notes that while unforeseen issues could cause individual parks to fall behind the desired schedule to complete management plans, "the agencies will work with project managers to ensure that a delay in completion of an air tour management plan for that park will not impact the schedule for other parks in the plan."

For the past three decades, Mike Jacob has been offering air tours over Badlands National Park and nearby Mount Rushmore National Memorial via his Black Hills Aerial Adventures company. At Badlands, the company offers five different helicopter air tours ranging from short, 6-mile flights to a 35-mile flight that takes in both Badlands and the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands that surrounds the national park.

While he's tried to come to terms with the FAA and NPS on voluntary agreements for those overflights, those deals have been elusive.

"We have been involved with the National Park Service and the FAA for over 20 years on this issue. We have been very close on several occasions to coming up with a voluntary agreement between the Park Service and myself, pertaining to operations in the Badlands," Jacob said Monday during a phone call. "The voluntary agreement that we had worked out between the park superintendent in the Badlands and the chief ranger for several years has been more than satisfactory with the parks. However, the powers to be keep rejecting it."

In trying to resolve the matter, Jacob brought regional Park Service and FAA representatives together for a roundtable discussion of the issues with hopes of finding an agreement that would address "what you do, and this is what you don’t do, and this is how you do it, and this is everybody’s expectations."

"When we had all the terms figured out, and were ready to sign a voluntary agreement, then somebody in their infinite wisdom decided that, well, the voluntary agreement is not suitable for this particular situation," he explained. "So they canceled the voluntary agreement process and said they were going back to working on an air management plan.”

Jacob said he wasn't entirely sure why the effort fizzled, but came away with the impression that FAA and NPS negotiators in Washington were seeking a "one-size-fits-all" solution to air tours.

“The issue, obviously, is trying to have two government agencies work together to try and figure out who’s going to basically call the shots on this. And, by the time you actually get things starting to progress, then there’s new players that come on board. And you start all over," he said. “I’ve been actively involved in this from its onset. This is my 30th year of doing this. To say the least, it’s extremely frustrating.”

For now, Blackhills Aerial Adventures continues operations under a letter of agreement with the FAA and NPS that dictates tour routes and altitudes the whirlybirds must fly at.

“It’s not that Mike Pflaum and myself are at odds at trying to get something done," Jacob stressed. "We’ve already established what would be a working relationship between us and the Badlands. So we don’t have any issues. It’s just waiting for somebody else to come up and try to determine what works best for the Badlands National Park when they sit in their office in Washington or wherever and try to make a one-size-fits-all.”

Traveler footnote: National parks that are to have air tour management plans finalized by May 2022 are Hawai'i Volcanoes, National Parks of New York Harbor Management Unit, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Haleakalā, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Badlands, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Great Smoky Mountains, Bryce Canyn, Canyonlands, Glacier, Arches, Point Reyes National Seashore, Bandelier National Monument, Olympic, Natural Bridges National Monument, Everglades, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Mount Rainier, and Death Valley.

National Parks Traveler is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit media organization that greatly depends on readers and listeners for support. Please donate today to help Traveler expand its coverage of national parks and protected areas. For a limited time, those who donate $50 or more will receive an American-made, double-wall insulated water bottle bearing a signature Rebecca Latson photo of Grand Teton National Park along with the Traveler logo.

A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler, P.O. Box 980452, Park City, Utah 84098. National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas.

Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below:

  • Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION FOR NATIONAL PARKS TRAVELER, (REGISTRATION NO. CH 51659), MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING 800-435-7352 OR VISITING THEIR WEBSITE WWW.FRESHFROMFLORIDA.COM. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE.
  • Georgia: A full and fair description of the programs and financial statement summary of National Parks Traveler is available upon request at the office and phone number indicated above.
  • Maryland: Documents and information submitted under the Maryland Solicitations Act are also available, for the cost of postage and copies, from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 (410-974-5534).
  • North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 888-830-4989 or 919-807-2214. The license is not an endorsement by the State.
  • Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of National Parks Traveler may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
  • Virginia: Financial statements are available from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 102 Governor Street, Richmond, Virginia 23219.
  • Washington: National Parks Traveler is registered with Washington State’s Charities Program as required by law and additional information is available by calling 800-332-4483 or visiting www.sos.wa.gov/charities, or on file at Charities Division, Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504.
Featured Article

Comments

No. This idea of air tours is not good for park experience for those on ground - people or animals. Air tours are only for rich. And lessening the normal peoples visit. 


This is a no-brainer.  Ban all aerial flights over all National Parks and Monuments.  


I completely agree. I'll never understand why people think they have to get inches from a monument or nature to appreciate it. I think looking at the Grand Canyon or Mt. Rushmore from a distance has a bigger impact than being up close. Why are people NEVER satisfied to just enjoy something the way it was made?


Doug,

I agree with you some what.  "all" might be a little much.   Hard to fly in to DC without flying over some park or monument.  But certainly the majors should be left in peace.  The one caviat is that many people have built careers and businesses based on providing these services.  To yank these away would verge on being an illegal taking.   There has to be some manner to phase out the flights over time.

 


That doesn't sound like the caveat emptor survival of the fittest Buck that has left a digital record around here for years now


That doesn't sound like ...

Perhaps you haven't been listening well.  In fact some time back in a discussion of flights over Bryce I made the exact same observation.

 

 


Ok then,  - like the camel's nose, big things are coming.


Rick B., you've completely missed the point of ecbuck's republican evangelical theology.  When he talks about the people providing these air tour services, he's generally not talking about the employees or about the careers of workers in any sense you might imagine.  He's talking about the people who have the far above average financial resources, generally inherited, needed to even think about owning or leasing the often multiple aircraft, worth hundreds of thousands of dollars each, that are required to reliably build and operate a successful small business in the air tour industry.  He's talking about people so wealthy that they can reliably stay afloat through a bad year in which they might have to absorb a hundred thousand dollars in losses without selling any of their flying fleet.  He's talking about people so wealthy that they can risk trying to make a career out of what they like to do for play.

He's not talking about folks trying to raise and educate a family on a forty hour week, hoping to someday make a "living wage" before they are so old and worn out that they're forced into an underfunded retirement.  Don't kid yourself; he's still the guy who said that, if anyone asked him for a living wage, he'd immediately fire them.  That's his America.  It's what America is for him and his republican peers.  Remember, Rick B.; remember him saying that?  I do and he's still that same guy.


Add comment

CAPTCHA

This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Image CAPTCHA
Enter the characters shown in the image.

The Essential RVing Guide

The Essential RVing Guide to the National Parks

The National Parks RVing Guide, aka the Essential RVing Guide To The National Parks, is the definitive guide for RVers seeking information on campgrounds in the National Park System where they can park their rigs. It's available for free for both iPhones and Android models.

This app is packed with RVing specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 parks.

You'll also find stories about RVing in the parks, some tips if you've just recently turned into an RVer, and some planning suggestions. A bonus that wasn't in the previous eBook or PDF versions of this guide are feeds of Traveler content: you'll find our latest stories as well as our most recent podcasts just a click away.

So whether you have an iPhone or an Android, download this app and start exploring the campgrounds in the National Park System where you can park your rig.