The red circle marks the site of the 2019 crash of an Airbus Helicopters AS350. The helicopter crashed in low clouds and rain on the Hawaiian island of Kauai, killing the pilot and all six passengers.
Prompted by numerous accidents involving Hawaiian air tour aircraft that have crashed after flying into areas of poor visibility, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing to authorize some operators to descend below specific altitudes to avoid encounters with instrument meteorological conditions.
Current FAA regulations require Hawaiian air tour aircraft to remain at least 1,500 ft above ground level (AGL) unless they have received authorization to fly lower.
The proposal, which the FAA said would take effect early in 2024, outlines a process by which air tour operators may apply for authorization to descend under specified conditions if necessary to enable an aircraft to remain in visual meteorological conditions (VMC). The proposed p…
