New legislation now in the works would allow the National Park Service to regulate air tour operators in airspace above U.S. national parks, Helicopter Association International said this week. HAI said the proposal is "unacceptable, establishes a dangerous precedent, and would transfer the FAA's statutory role in overseeing air safety to third parties." The amendment (PDF) to the Senate version of the Highway Authorization bill would grant authority to the Park Service director to regulate commercial air tours above the parks and within a half mile of park borders. If it passes, the bill would enable the Park Service to unilaterally eliminate air tours above the parks, HAI said.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://www.avweb.com/news/hai-raises-alarm-over-national-park-rules