Quiet Skies Maui

03/11/2026

https://darksky.org/news/two-satellite-proposals-threaten-the-night-sky-the-window-to-act-is-now/

It just never ends! Space X wants to launch 1,000,000 satilites into low earth orbit along with Reflect Orbitals proposal to send up reflective mirrors into low Earth orbit to redirect sunlight toward earth at night.

In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the agency responsible for authorizing satellite launches and operations…

03/03/2026

https://aviationimpactedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ANR37-44_Excerpt.pdf

03/03/2026

https://www.foxrothschild.com/events/faa-reorganization-what-you-need-to-know

The largest and most comprehensive reorganization in FAA history is underway. What does this mean for the aviation industry?

02/08/2026

01/28/2026

FAA is reopening drone comment period.

This action reopens the comment period for the notice of proposed rulemaking titled "Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations" that was published in the Federal Register on August 7, 2025. FAA seeks additional comments on the electronic conspicuity and...

01/24/2026

The FAA are redisigning our flight paths again. It is now called the Hawaii Airspace Modernization Project (HAMP).

Insist on adherence to State Of Hawaii Noise Abatement Zones published in Hawaii Airports and Safety Guide, 5th addition in 2012-13.

Communities away from airports are most impacted due to low ambient noise, concentrated flight corridors and frequency of flights. Accoustics spread far and wide due to steep, gullied Hawaiian topography producing an echo effect.

Annoyance, environmental, economic and health impacts must be considered under using different noise metrics. Such as N-Above which measures the number of flights at different sound levels. Not just the current 65db averaging metric threshold.

Please submit comment by March 15

The FAA will review the comments to help determine the scope and objectives of the project. Submission deadline: March 15, 2026. If you have attachments, please send them to: [email protected]; Subject Line: Input Form

01/14/2026

Dear Aviation-Impacted Communities,

The FAA is proposing a nationwide framework to approve drone package delivery operations through a Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA). If finalized, this framework would allow drone delivery hubs, flight routes and corridors, and operational expansions to proceed across communities without a requirement for separate, location-specific environmental review or public notice.

Why This Matters - NextGen All Over Again

Relies on an antiquated noise threshold that fails to capture lived experience.
The Draft PEA uses the outdated DNL 65 noise significance threshold, which fails to capture the count and concentration of repeated very low-altitude drone overflights over the same neighborhoods and future flight corridors.

Uses DNL 65 as the primary gatekeeper for significance, structurally predetermining outcomes.
Because DNL 65 is the primary trigger for noise significance, the Draft PEA is structurally predisposed toward a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), at the time of initial hub approval and even as operations substantially increase, where communities experience high counts of overflight events.

Classifies frequent and disruptive overflights, including operations evaluated up to 24 hours per day, as insignificant under the analytical framework. Under this framework, communities can experience frequent, intrusive drone noise while impacts remain classified as insignificant, not due to lack of disruption, but because the metric does not reflect event-based exposure.

Drone overflights can be as loud as aircraft noise communities already endure.
Based on FAA-reported en route single-event noise levels, individual drone overflights can be comparable in loudness to aircraft noise associated with NextGen, while occurring much closer to people on the ground.

Repeats the structural failures of NextGen.
As with NextGen, reliance on averaged noise metrics risks enabling concentrated operations, persistent community disruption, and little to no notice or meaningful recourse once approvals are granted.

Public comment is critical to avoid repeating NextGen, where implementation advanced without effective accountability, enforceable protections, or meaningful recourse.

Action Required: Submit by January 23, Friday
It’s fast and easy. Copy the one-sentence template below into the comment portal and add your own comments if desired. Both organizations and individuals are encouraged to endorse.

Comment Template
For an Organization: We strongly support the Federal Register comment authored by the Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA) and submitted under FAA Docket ID FAA-2013-0259-4318
For an Individual: I strongly support the Federal Register comment authored by the Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA) and submitted under FAA Docket ID FAA-2013-0259-4318

Click here for step-by-step instructions-

Draft Programmatic Environmental Assessment (PEA) ***How to Submit a Formal Comment*** Deadline January 23rd, Friday, 2026 (11:59 pm EST) Background Information Only: Federal Register Notice, link here and the AICA comment, link here CLICK LINK BELOW in “1. Comment” TO SUBMIT A FORMAL COMMEN...

11/25/2025

Dear Aviation-Impacted Communities,

This email includes:
An update on the FAA Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee (ANAC) and the Noise Policy Review
AICA website links to the United Letter to Congress, endorsed by 83 community groups

Update on ANAC and Noise Policy Review

Aircraft Noise Advisory Committee (ANAC) Update
The new administration is conducting a broad review of all Federal Advisory Committees (FACAs), including their charters, to ensure they align with its priorities. This government-wide review began in the spring and is still underway.

Once the review concludes, the FAA is expected to publish a solicitation for ANAC members in the Federal Register. No publication date has been set, and ANAC will not move forward until the FACA review is completed. As of now, no committee members have been appointed and ANAC has not yet been convened. ANAC is the advisory committee chartered by Congress to provide independent recommendations to the FAA on the Noise Policy Review, which is why its formation is the next required step before the FAA can move forward.

FAA Noise Policy Review Status
The FAA has received public comments on its draft Noise Policy Review. The next step is the formation of ANAC, which will provide independent recommendations to the agency. ANAC may recommend changes to existing noise metrics, thresholds, or policy frameworks. After ANAC delivers its recommendations, the FAA will establish a timeline for completing the Noise Policy Review and determining whether policy updates will be adopted.

How Far Behind the ANAC Timeline Is Today?

Based on the deadlines Congress established in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act, the ANAC process is now significantly delayed. Even if ANAC were formed today, the overall schedule would already be far off track.

We are now:

One year late in forming the committee
Two years late on when the committee was expected to submit recommendations to the FAA
An additional year late on when the FAA was required to report those recommendations to Congress

Although the FAA has the authority to update its noise policy without waiting for ANAC, it appears unlikely that the agency will take that step.

In practical terms, the process Congress envisioned for ANAC and the Noise Policy Review is now pushed into late 2027, even under optimistic assumptions.

Thank you to Amy McCoy of GrotonAyerBuzz of Ayer, MA for sharing the FAA information presented at the September Massport Community Advisory Committee Meeting, slide 4 and 5 in the presentation and video timestamp 56:00, link https://massportcac.org/mcac-general-committee-meeting-9-18-25/

United Letter to Congress, Endorsed By 83 Community Groups
A heartfelt thank you again to the 83 community groups who endorsed AICA’s letter to Congress on airspace capacity and safety. Your support continues to demonstrate the strength and unity of communities nationwide.

As a follow-up to previous update, the Senate and House versions of the letter are now posted on the AICA website for easy access and sharing.
Senate letter, linkhttps://aviationimpactedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AICA_Realizing-a-Modernized-Proactive-NAS_Senate_Nov2025.pdf

House letter, linkhttps://aviationimpactedcommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/AICA_Realizing-a-Modernized-Proactive-NAS_House_Nov2025.pdf

Please share with your Congress members and fellow advocates.

Thank you for your continued commitment, collaboration, and leadership. Together we are building a strong national coalition to keep community impacts at the forefront of aviation policy. Your engagement makes a meaningful difference, and we look forward to continuing this work with you.

Kind regards,

Darlene Yaplee
President and Co-founder

10/09/2025

From our mentor
AICA (Aviation Impacted Community Alliance) Founder

Dear Aviation-Impacted Communities,

Thank you for endorsing the AICA comment on the FAA Drone Rule for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS). There were over one million public comments on the Federal Register. Your collective support continues to make a difference.

This email includes:
AICA, University Aviation Association (UAA), and National Air Transportation Association (NATA) Joint Comment on FAA’s Modernization of Pilot Schools
AICA representation at the UAA Conference
Media coverage of AICA’s BVLOS comment
Aviation Noise & Emissions Symposium (ANE) early-bird registration and grassroots community scholarship
Research, Engineering, and Development Advisory Committee (REDAC) membership nominations

AICA/UAA/NATA Joint Comment
Marking an unprecedented collaboration between community advocates and national aviation organizations, the Sept 30th joint comment by AICA, UAA, and NATA on the FAA’s Modernization of Pilot Schools highlights alignment on key priorities.
Two example recommendations:

Integrate responsible operations in noise-sensitive areas by embedding Advisory Circular (AC) 91-36D guidance into Airman Certification Standards.
Strengthen stakeholder inclusion and community engagement in accordance with AC 91-36D.

Thank you to Amy McCoy, Groton Ayer Buzz (MA), for her leadership on the Airman Certification Standards language in collaboration with flight school experts.

Earlier this year, UAA and NATA endorsed the February 8 comment submitted by AICA, Save Our Skies Alliance (CO), and Groton Ayer Buzz (MA).

Lehman Represents AICA at UAA Conference
Thank you to Bri Lehman, Save Our Skies (CO), who represented AICA at the UAA Conference panel, “Greener Skies, Quieter Communities: Alternative Fuels and Cooperative Community Engagement,” held in Costa Mesa, CA. Panelists included Curt Castagna (EAGLE), Chris D’Acosta (SWIFT Fuels), and Jason Talley (Elemental Aviation).

Media Coverage - BVLOS Comment
Airport Noise Report (ANR) featured AICA’s BVLOS comment, highlighting its relevance to the FAA’s Unmanned and Autonomous Flight Advisory Committee (UAFAC).
October 24 is the deadline to apply for UAFAC membership.

Aviation Noise & Emissions Symposium (ANE)
March 9-11, 2026, Las Vegas – Flamingo Hotel
In-person only (no remote option)
Early-bird registration, travel discounts, and grassroots scholarship applications
Event website and Example of last year’s ANE 2025 Program available online.

REDAC
As you recall, AICA’s Dr. Cindy L. Christiansen was appointed to FAA’s Research, Engineering, and Development Advisory Committee (REDAC) in January 2025—a groundbreaking milestone for community representation that also recognizes her extensive expertise in health and aviation impacts.
FAA is now reconstituting the committee, with nominations due October 30.
Cindy will reapply, and AICA wishes her continued success.
Thank you for your collaboration to advance policies that reflect the lived community experience and protect residents from harmful aviation noise and emissions.

In solidarity,
Darlene

Send a message to learn more

10/05/2025

The FAA is proposing new rules that would allow drones to operate in our communities, creating more low-altitude overflights that affect us all. These rules would permit drones to fly “Beyond Visual Line of Sight” (BVLOS), meaning operators could fly them long distances where they cannot be seen.

Why This Matters
Over 1,600 comments have already been submitted, and it is important that community voices are strongly represented.
Grants drones right of way without resolving major safety and accountability gaps
Relies on outdated noise metrics that don’t reflect community experience
Lacks meaningful community engagement in decisions that affect local residents

Action Required: Submit by ***October 6th***
It’s fast and easy. Copy the one-sentence template below into the comment portal and add your own comments if desired.

Action Required: Submit by ***October 6th***
It’s fast and easy. Copy the one-sentence template below into the comment portal and add your own comments if desired.

Comment Template
For an Organization: We strongly support the Federal Register comment authored by the Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA) and submitted under FAA Docket ID FAA-2025-1908-0628.
For an Individual: I strongly support the Federal Register comment authored by the Aviation-Impacted Communities Alliance (AICA) and submitted under FAA Docket ID FAA-2025-1908-0628.

Click here for step-by-step instructions

Normalizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems Beyond Visual Line of Sight Operations (BVLOS) ***How to Submit a Formal Comment*** Deadline October 6th, Monday, 2025 (11:59 pm EST) Background Information Only: Federal Register Notice, link here and AICA comment, link here CLICK LINK BELOW in “1. Com...

09/06/2025

Please submit testimony to not allow Blue Hawaiian to fly below 1500' at
https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/FAA-2025-0301-0308

Sample testimony

"I urge the FAA to deny the petition from Blue Hawaiian Helicopters for an exemption to fly below the 1,500-foot minimum altitude during tours. This exemption could have serious consequences for safety, the environment, and the community.

Safety Concerns:

Existing minimum altitude already contributes to accident prevention.
Lowering the altitude would increase risks, especially in Maui, Molokai, Lanai & Big Island’s challenging terrains.
Greater risk of accidents due to weather changes, wind gusts, and turbulence.
Limited emergency landing options and increased chance of mechanical failure.
Environmental and Community Impact:

Lowering the minimum altitude will increase noise pollution, negatively affecting residents and visitors alike seeking tranquility.
Wildlife, pets and domestic livestock have serious reactions including death from stroke and heart attack due to tour helicopter vibrations; lowering height restrictions will worsen this.
Severe impact to veterans, those with PTSD, autism and other sensory conditions which negatively affect health.
A lower altitude could lead to more crowded and competitive airspace.
Responsibility of the FAA:

The FAA should prioritize safety over commercial convenience. Reducing height is NOT safer.
Lowering the minimum altitude introduces wholly avoidable risks for passengers, pilots, and those on the ground.
I respectfully request that this exemption be denied to protect safety, reduce noise pollution, and preserve Maui, Molokai, Lanai & Big Island’s natural environments.

Sincerely,
YOUR NAME

08/18/2025

Kehea Alert- Blue Hawaiian Helicopters is petitioning the FAA to fly below minimum 1500 ft altitude on Maui, Lanai, Molokai and Hawaii island. They are citing safety reasons. Where in fact flying lower gives less time to autorotate (gliding down for landing in an engine out situation).
Please send in a comment by Sept 8, 2025 to prevent this intrution to our peace.
Many Mahalos

This notice contains a summary of a petition seeking relief from specified requirements of Federal Aviation Regulations. The purpose of this notice is to improve the public's awareness of, and participation in, the FAA's exemption process. Neither publication of this notice nor the inclusion nor...