Regulations and Government
Court Cites Federal Preemption in Hawaii Air Tour Case
A district court issued a permanent injunction against monthly air tour operation reporting requirements
Safari Helicopters Air Tour in Hawaii (Photo: Safari Helicopters)
Vertical Aviation International joined Safari Helicopters in challenging the 2022 Hawaii law requiring monthly reporting of air tour operations.

Citing federal preemption, the U.S. District Court for Hawaii this week struck down a state requirement for air tour operators to provide detailed reports of their operations. At dispute was a section of Hawaii Act 311, signed into law in July 2022, calling for the state to adopt rules to regulate air tour operations through permits with detailed monthly reporting requirements.

Permitted operators would have been required to submit monthly written reports of each tour, including the date and time of takeoff and landing, the number of individuals on the aircraft, the flight path, and whether deviations to that flight path occurred.

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