News Release

August 2023 Notice of Flight Operations

Date: July 31, 2023
Contact: Jessica Ferracane, 808-985-6018

HAWAII NATIONAL PARK, Hawaiʻi – Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park announces flight operations for August 2023: 

August 8,11, 21, 25 and 30 between 6 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for Hawaiian petrel monitoring on Mauna Loa between 4,000- and 9,000-ft. elevation.

August 14 between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. to survey and control invasive banana poka on Mauna Loa between 3,800- and 6,800-ft. elevation west of Mauna Loa Road.  

August 15 between 5:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. for ungulate survey at Kahuku between 4,000- and 6,000-ft. elevation. Flights to survey and control invasive guinea grass along the Keauhou Trail from 2,400-ft. elevation to sea level will also occur.

August 18, 21 and 24 between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. for external sling loads, equipment and crew shuttles to Mauna Loa Summit Cabin for repairs and maintenance between 8,750- and 13,250-ft. elevation.  

August 28 and 31 between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. for external sling loads and crew shuttles to Red Hill Cabin for repairs and maintenance between 8,750- and 10,035-ft. elevation.  

August 29 between 5:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. for ungulate survey at Kahuku between 4,000- and 6,000-ft. elevation.

In addition, the U.S. Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (USGS HVO) will conduct numerous helicopter flights in the park during August: 

Between August 1 and 10, near-daily flights are planned by USGS to deploy and retrieve temporary magnetotellurics instruments across the entire Kīlauea volcano, from sea level to 3,300-ft. elevation. The flights will occur within and outside Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park.

USGS HVO may conduct additional flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation. 

The park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather. 

Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities.

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