Management of the Hawai‘i Volcanoes National 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 park has announced flight plans for July 2020. They are as follows:
July 14 and July 17, between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., for Hawaiian petrel monitoring on Mauna Loa between 6,500- and 9,000-ft. elevation.
July 23, between 7 a.m. and noon, for fountain grass control and mapping from the park’s west boundary to Keauhou, between sea level and 4,000 feet.
July 28, between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., for ungulate control in Kahuku Unit between 3,500- to 5,000-ft. elevation.
July 28, between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., to survey for Rapid ‘Ōhi‘a Death (ROD) in the ‘Ōla‘a Rainforest Unit between 3,000- and 4,000-ft. elevation.
July 29, between 10 a.m. and noon, to survey for ROD in the Kahuku Unit between 2,000- and 4,000-ft. elevation.
July 29 and 30, between 8 a.m. and noon, to monitor Hawaiian petrels in the Kahuku Unit between 4,800- and 6,800-ft. elevation.
In addition, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.
Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather.
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