Aircraft noise is preempted by federal law (FAA), so neither Hawaii County nor the state DOH sets aircraft noise limits. Complaints about tour helicopters and planes are handled by the FAA and the State DOT Airports Division, not the county.
Aircraft in flight are federally regulated, so the HAR 11-46 dBA limits do not apply to aircraft, and the County of Hawaii cannot restrict flight altitude, routes, or in-flight noise. Tour helicopters over volcano and coastal areas are a frequent Big Island complaint, but authority over aircraft operations rests with the FAA; airport ground noise and land-use planning around airports are handled by the State Department of Transportation, Airports Division. Residents can file aircraft-noise complaints with the FAA or the State DOT Airports Division, but there is no local decibel ordinance for aircraft. The county and state can only address noise through land-use and zoning measures that do not affect aviation operations.
No county penalty applies to aircraft noise; it is a federal (FAA) matter. Complaints go to the FAA or the State DOT Airports Division.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Hawaii County, HI
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Hawaii County, HI
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Hawaii County, HI
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See how Hawaii County's aircraft noise rules stack up against other locations.
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