Regulations and Government
HAI Urges Opposition to Proposed New Mexico Air Tour Ban
NPS and FAA want to ban air tour flights over the Bandelier National Monument
Bandelier National Monument, new mexico
The view from Bandelier National Monument in New Mexico. (Photo: AdobeStock)

Helicopter Association International (HAI) is urging its members to immediately oppose the draft Air Tour Management Plan (ATMP) being crafted by the National Park Service (NPS) and the FAA that eliminates air tour flights over the 33,677-acre Bandelier National Monument near Los Alamos, New Mexico.

The monument is the site of pueblo structures dating from between A.D. 1150 and 1600 and hosts 270,000 to 430,000 visitors per year. Elevation within the park ranges from 5,000 to 10,000 feet and motorized travel of any kind is prohibited in the two-thirds of it that is designated the Bandelier Wilderness Area.