AOPA pushes back on National Park air tour plans

These Air Tour Management Plans (ATMPs) seek to restrict air tours operating over at least 20 national parks. The park service has also publicly stated that its goal is to eventually eliminate tour overflights, citing noise pollution as a main concern.

Historically, agencies like the park service and the FAA would consult with stakeholders, operators, and the National Parks Overflights Advisory Group (NPOAG), a rulemaking advisory group put in place by Congress in the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000, to advise and offer recommendations to government agencies in their rulemaking. The ATMPs were and continue to be drafted without involving the NPOAG’s subject matter expertise. The park service and the FAA are only providing a briefing to the NPOAG after the fact, which is not in accordance with congressional intent.

In the comments, AOPA said, “NPOAG’s involvement and recommendations are critical to the safety and economic stability of the air tour industry while balancing the needs of the environment, tribal interests, the NPS, and the FAA. Excluding NPOAG in the ATMP process is negligent, violates congressional intent, and above all else, increases risks to life and property due to the lack of safety consideration in those ATMPs developed without industry safety expertise of the NPOAG during their development.”

Air tours offer once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for many visitors to experience our nation’s natural and human-made landmarks, and for individuals with disabilities, air tours are often the only option.

“Aerial tourism provides the access promised in the mission of the NPS,” AOPA said, noting that memorials should be available for all to enjoy, regardless of their age, mobility, or other factors. “Limiting flights…restricts access for those who might not have the time, resources, or physical ability to see the memorial any other way.”

Visitors choosing to see landmarks by air represent the lowest impact on parks, recreation areas, or memorials in comparison to ground-based visitation methods. Aerial tourism leaves no trace and helps to reduce congestion and demand on park infrastructure.

Alongside the Helicopter Association International, “AOPA submitted our comments due to the possible limitations on our members in the future as well,” said Murray Huling, AOPA vice president of regulatory affairs. HAI President James Viola testified before a Senate transportation subcommittee and said the plan will “cut back flights to such a degree that it is no longer economically feasible for air-tour companies to stay in business” and that it ignores the future potential of quieter electric aircraft.

“The draft plan severely curtails the economic viability of the air tour industry by limiting flight allocations,” Viola continued. “To our knowledge, there have been no economic studies undertaken to determine the impact on the industry and broader aviation community. Air tours offer a low-impact approach to experiencing the beauty of our nation’s national parks. Additionally, air tours provide those with disabilities an opportunity to interact with the parks in ways they could not otherwise. Cutting air tours without regard to economic considerations will cripple a fragile industry trying to recover from the pandemic.”

AOPA President Mark Baker agreed, stating, “continuing down the current pathway of not including industry stakeholders and the NPOAG, as congressionally intended, is simply wrong. Many, including the elderly and disabled, enjoy visiting our national parks and they should not be stripped of this opportunity and freedom just to protect special interest groups. The park service and the FAA need to revisit this issue as soon as possible.”