Kīlauea Volcano Overflight: Big Crack in Lava Delta

July 13, 2017 Ivory May’s Lava

“I think this is some of the most beautiful lava we’ve been privileged to capture lately,” said Tropical Visions Video photographer and videographer Mick Kalber, about Paradise Helicopters’ Thursday, July 13, 2017, Kīlauea overflight.

“Flyin’ Hawaiian Paradise Pilot Luka Dayton-Smith handled our MD500 like a sports car, enabling us to capture the Goddess Pele up close!” said Kalber.

“The surface flow we’ve been tracking has made little progress beyond the bottom of the Pali,” Kalber said. “But the most extraordinary pahoehoe breakouts were found above and below the cliff.”

The 61g tube system remains very entrenched, feeding molten lava at the ocean entry at Kamokuna. The lava delta, or bench, continues to grow steadily, with several cracks indicating a collapse may be coming soon.

International model Ivory May, who joined the crew as a special guest on Thursday, will appear in Paradise Helicopters’ upcoming “VolcanoScapes” series entitled “The Hot Seat!”

“Stay tuned for exciting well-known guests, engaging visits with interesting Big Island personalities, and of course, as always, the best Kīlauea Volcano lava video anywhere!” said Kalber.