HVNP Flight Plan for October Released

Nene: Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park. PC: NPS

Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park last week announced flight plans for October 2019.

Flights that remain on the schedule are as follows:

• Oct. 15, between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., to shuttle passengers and gear for petrel monitoring from the summit of Kīlauea to Mauna Loa at about 9,000-ft elevation.
• Oct. 16, between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., for invasive banana poka surveys and control on Mauna Loa Road between 5,000-ft. and 6,000-ft elevations.
• Oct. 17, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., to shuttle passengers and gear for petrel monitoring from about 9,000-ft elevation on Mauna Loa to the summit of Kīlauea.
• Oct. 29, between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., for ungulate surveys and control work in the Kahuku Unit, between 4,000-ft and 6,500-ft elevations.
• Oct. 30, between 8 a.m. and noon, for invasive Guinea grass surveys and control along Keauhou Trail, from the coast to 2,000-ft elevation.
• Oct. 30, between noon and 1 p.m., to shuttle passengers and supplies to control invasive plants from ʻĀinahou to ‘Āpua Point.

The park in a press release expressed regret for 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, the release continued.