THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

1403

THIRTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2021

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO HELICOPTERS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 

     SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that helicopter crashes and resulting deaths continue to be a matter of public concern in Hawaii.  There have been at least eighteen civilian helicopter crashes in Hawaii since 2015, occurring on Oahu, Hawaii island, Kauai, and Molokai.

     Hawaii residents are not only concerned with the dangers associated with helicopter crashes, such as the December 2019 crash on Kauai or the April 2019 crash on a residential street in Kailua, but also with issues related to helicopter noise, frequency, and altitude.  These concerns related to helicopters in Hawaii remain largely unresolved.  The legislature believes that requiring commercial helicopter owners and operators to record basic details of helicopter flights will help provide necessary information to stakeholders and community members in order to find a meaningful resolution to this area of concern.

     Accordingly, the purpose of this Act is to require commercial helicopter owners and operators to:

     (1)  Record and retain monthly reports that contain basic helicopter flight information;

     (2)  File a monthly report containing information required by the Department for each commercial flight; and

     (3)  Make the required records available to the department of transportation and the public upon request.

     SECTION 2.  Chapter 261, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

     "§261‑    Reporting of commercial helicopter flights.  (a)  For each helicopter subject to this chapter, the owner or operator of that helicopter shall maintain records to be made available to the department or the public upon request that include details of each flight that the helicopter made for commercial purposes during the preceding calendar month as determined by the department.

     (b)  For each flight made for commercial purposes, the owner or operator of that helicopter shall submit a monthly report to the department that shall include:

     (1)  The date and time that the helicopter took off and landed;

     (2)  The number of individuals in the helicopter during the flight;

     (3)  The flight path, including altitude, from take-off through landing; and

     (4)  Whether the helicopter deviated from its flight plan, including an explanation for the deviation.

     (c)  The records required pursuant to this section shall be maintained for a period of ten years."

     SECTION 3.  This Act does not affect rights and duties that matured, penalties that were incurred, and proceedings that were begun before its effective date.

     SECTION 4.  New statutory material is underscored.

     SECTION 5.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

 

 

Report Title:

Helicopters; Commercial Flights; Records

 

Description:

Requires commercial helicopter owners and operators to retain and make available records containing basic helicopter flight information and report that information to the Department of Transportation.  (SD1)

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.