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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1223]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
INTRODUCTION OF THE SAFE AND QUIET SKIES ACT
______
HON. ED CASE
of hawaii
in the house of representatives
Friday, September 27, 2019
Mr. CASE. Madam Speaker, today I have introduced H.R. 4547, the Safe
and Quiet Skies Act, to ensure that commercial air tour flights are
adequately regulated to ensure safety and address current widespread
community disruption. I extend a special thanks to my colleague,
Congressman Brad Sherman of California, for cointroducing this
necessary measure.
The national problem of inadequately regulated commercial air tour
flights has been highlighted in my own state of Hawai'i in just the
last few months. We have seen three dead in the crash of a commercial
air tour helicopter into a residential neighborhood and eleven more
dead in the crash of a commercial skydiving plane.
These tragedies occurred amidst a rapid increase in commercial
helicopter and small plane overflights of all parts of my state
including residential, commercial and industrial neighborhoods,
cemeteries and memorials, land and marine parks and other recreation
areas, and sensitive military installations. These have disrupted whole
communities with excessive noise and other impacts, destroyed the peace
and sanctity of special places, increased risk to not only passengers
but those on the ground, and weakened security and management of
defense operations.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) currently has virtually
exclusive jurisdiction over these aircraft operations. Following both
of these recent tragedies, the National Transportation Safety Board
(NTSB), which is responsible for investigating accidents but not for
direct safety regulation, strongly recommended to the FAA that safety-
related regulation of commercial tour helicopters and small aircraft
skydiving operations is generally insufficient.
Regarding ground disruption and risk, the FAA takes the position
that its responsibility is strictly operational safety and national
airspace efficiency and does not extend to ground disruption and other
negative impacts. As a result, the operators, aside from strict takeoff
and approach, avoidance of established flight paths and other limited
circumstances, are virtually free to fly wherever, whenever and as
often as they want. And they do, with little to no self-regulation.
This situation is unacceptable for both safety and community impact
concerns. It is also not limited to Hawai'i, with growing concerns in
other areas with high commercial tour usage, more dense populations,
valuable natural resources, significant defense installations and other
factors.
This bill would first require the FAA to implement the NTSB's
recommended enhanced safety regulations. It would also prohibit flights
over federal property that requires privacy, dignity and respect, to
include military installations, national cemeteries and national parks,
wildlife refuges and wilderness. It would further require the use of
standard equipment to monitor the location of flights, apply the
``sterile cockpit rule'' to tour flights (meaning in part that the
pilot could not also be the tour guide), prohibit flights lower than
1,500 feet over actual ground, and limit decibel levels to those
commonly applied to operations in residential areas. Additionally, the
bill would allow states, localities, and tribes to impose stricter
regulations on tour flights in their jurisdictions with required public
engagement.
I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill into
law.
____________________
