Question: Over the summer, Maunawili residents were subjected to constant helicopter noise. The helicopters were working for Hawaiian Electric Co. First it was five days a week, then seven days a week, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. I can understand that the remote sites need helicopter access, but these helicopters are flying very low over houses, and the noise reverberating off the mountains creates an almost unbearable situation. While I see the need for the fix, I do not believe that we should be subjected to this racket on Saturdays and Sundays. I called the Federal Aviation Administration and the state Department of Transportation, and neither was helpful. Is there anything that can be done to bring peace to our valley?
Answer: Maunawili residents will have respite from Hawaiian Electric’s helicopter activity until the beginning of 2012.
HECO will continue to use helicopters on projects in other parts of the island for now, but "we recognize the disruption to our customers, so we will stop all our helicopter work on Oahu after Dec. 16 and will not resume until the first week of January," HECO spokesman Darren Pai said.
The work schedule for January has not been set. When it is, Pai said HECO will notify the Maunawili Community Association, as well as customers who have contacted it about helicopter noise in the past, to keep them apprised of the work schedule.
Halting flights on weekends can’t be promised.
"We make every effort to avoid using helicopters on weekends because we know the noise is disruptive to our customers," Pai said.
"However, there are situations where weekend helicopter work is necessary" because of unexpected delays in weekday work, as well as emergency repairs, he said. "We take into account the urgency of the work to maintaining safety and reliable service for our customers in determining whether weekend work is needed."
Pai said the helicopters fly in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations and Hawaiian Electric’s safety practices. They do not fly over residential or populated areas while carrying loads.
"Customers who live near the staging area where helicopters land to pick up equipment and personnel will unfortunately be in closer proximity to the aircraft," Pai said.
He said the use of helicopters is an essential part of working on electrical systems on Oahu, because transporting materials and personnel to remote mountainous areas cannot be done via ground transportation.
In areas where ground transportation might be possible, heavy equipment would be required first to cut wide trails. "In these areas, helicopters allow us to work without damaging the environment," Pai said.
When we last addressed complaints about HECO’s helicopter flights flying over the Koolaus and affecting various neighborhoods ("Kokua Line," Sept. 12), we were told the work would end in September.
Pai said that project was completed, but said HECO recently began work on another project to upgrade structures that support major transmission lines, as well as upgrade protective lines that shield the structures from lightning strikes in roughly the same area.
However, work was delayed because of the no-fly restrictions imposed during the recent Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit as well as President Obama’s brief return and layover, Pai said. Those delays led to the weekend work.
"Again, we recognize and apologize for the disruption and try to avoid it if we can," Pai said.
MAHALO
To all who worked on repaving and repairing our highways. I live in Pearl City and have benefited from the great job you all have done, working at night in unsafe conditions. — Garret K.
Write to "Kokua Line" at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu 96813; call 529-4773; fax 529-4750; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
