ATC
Park Service proposes cap on Grand Canyon flights
by Mark Huber The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing new rules to cap the number of air-tour flights over the Grand Canyon, further re

The National Park Service (NPS) is proposing new rules to cap the number of air-tour flights over the Grand Canyon, further restrict flight corridors and altitudes adjacent to it, and mandate the use of “quiet-technology” helicopters flying tours there. While helicopter tour operators have voluntarily added more modern and quieter helicopters, such as the Eurocopter EC130B4 “EcoStar,” to their fleets in recent years, they appear united in their opposition to a hard cap on the number of flights they can conduct.

The new rules would set a daily hard cap of 364 flights and an annual cap of 65,000 flights, about 12 percent more than the current level, for operators who in many cases are experiencing double-digit growth demand for these flights.  Areas of the Grand Canyon controlled by Native American tribes would continue to be exempt from the restrictions.

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