Aircraft noise is preempted federally; Hawaii addresses it through HRS 261-12 while Honolulu's noise ordinance expressly excludes aircraft in flight.
Aircraft noise is preempted by the Federal Aviation Administration, so the state rather than the county carries the primary regulatory role. Hawaii Revised Statutes §261-12 directs the Director of Transportation to adopt rules and to require noise abatement procedures as a condition of tour-aircraft permits. Revised Ordinances of Honolulu Chapter 41, Article 6 expressly excludes aircraft in flight from its coverage, so there is no separate ROH aircraft-noise chapter.
Complaints about tour helicopters and overflights are routed to the State Department of Transportation Airports Division and, for federal rules, to the FAA.
Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu, HI
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Honolulu County.
See how other cities in Honolulu County handle aircraft noise.
See how Honolulu's aircraft noise rules stack up against other locations.
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