Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park has scheduled flight operations for September 2021. Management of the park requires the use of aircraft to monitor and research volcanic activity, conduct search-and-rescue missions and law enforcement operations, support management of natural and cultural resources, and to maintain backcountry facilities. In addition, the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory may conduct flight operations over Kīlauea and Mauna Loa to assess volcanic activity and maintain instrumentation.
September flight dates, times and locations are listed below:
September 1 and 3, between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., for Hawaiian petrel monitoring on Mauna Loa, between 8,000 and 9,000 feet elevation.
September 2, between 6:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., for invasive species survey at the Kahuku Unit from Highway 11 to 6,500 feet elevation and survey and control of fountain grass in the Great Crack area between 400 and 600 feet elevation.
September 8, between 8 a.m. and noon for survey and control of banana poka on Mauna Loa between 4,000 and 6,000 feet elevation.
September 9, between 8 a.m. and noon, for survey and control invasive guinea grass along the Keauhou Trail between 600 and 1,600 feet elevation.
September 20, between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., for invasive species survey from East Rift,‘Āinahou, Ka‘ū Desert, to Mauna Loa between 2,000 and 6,000 feet elevation.
September 22, between 6 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. for ungulate surveys and control work at Kahuku between 4,000 and 7,000 feet elevation.
September 28, between 6 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. for ungulate surveys and control work at Kahuku between 4,000 and 7,000 feet elevation.
September 29, between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. to remove old fence materials from Mauna Loa and Great Crack between 3,000 and 6,000 feet elevation.