MEDIA RELEASE

Hawaii National Park, Hawai‘i – Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park announces the following flight plans for October:

• October 9 and 11, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., to fly supplies and crews for petrel monitoring between Mauna Loa at about 9,000 foot-elevation and the helicopter pad at KÄ«lauea summit.
• October 15 and October 17 from 7:30 a.m., to shuttle fencing material and equipment and haul out old material between ‘Ōla‘a Agricultural Lot to ‘Ōla‘a New Unit in Volcano.
• October 18, between 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., for ungulate surveys and control work in Kahuku Unit, above 5,000 ft. elevation.
• October 24, between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., to shuttle crew from ‘Āinahou to Kamo‘oali‘i between 600-foot and 2,000-foot elevation, for invasive fountain grass survey and control.
• October 30, between 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., for ungulate surveys and control work in Kahuku Unit, below 4,500-foot elevation.
• October 30, between 8 a.m. and noon, to survey and control invasive guinea grass along Keauhou Trail from the coast to 2,700-foot elevation.

In addition, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over KÄ«lauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.

The park regrets any noise impact to residents and park visitors. Dates and times are subject to change based on aircraft availability and weather.

Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions, and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities.