Air Tour Rebuttal: An Open Letter

Jeri Ledbetter
Secretary-Treasurer GRCG
Flagstaff, AZ 86002

Jeri,

   It has come to my attention that you are writing articles in your magazine called the boatman’s quarterly review concerning a discussion you and I had last year. At that time you showed up at my door and asked if you could talk to me, being a river guide and fellow pilot. At that time you did not tell me you were interviewing me. Well in your [unclear]“quote” in the Spring 1994 issue you have your notes a little wrong. I told you the FAA said I could fly one inch above the ground as long a I didn’t hit anything. I did not say I did do this. It would be a little hard to accumulate over 11,500 flight hours, of which 10,875 flight hours are pilot in command of a helicopter and still be around flying, if I were so inclined to fly this way. My average flying altitude above ground level is 300' to 500' doing scienic tours over BLM Public Use lands. That is not over National Parks, National Rec. Areas, wilderness, wildlife refuges, National Monuments, Primitive Area’s, etc that are charted. In reference to non-charted wilderness study areas, I have taken upon my self to contact the BLM and they have given the locations of these and I have them plotted on my local maps. In these I have been asked by the BLM, there is no request on these areas by the FAA, to remain 500' AGL. I do this when I am flying in those unless I have Gov’t agency people on board requesting I get lower. In reference to the FAA request of 2000' AGL over National Parks, Rec. Areas, monuments, wilderness and primitive areas, I do as the flight rules state in that I maintain 2000' above surface within 2000' laterally of my flight route which is about 1 football field longer than a 1/3 mile or better yet a little less than 7 football fields on either side of my aircraft. So I have set myself a little rule in these areas. If I see that I’am a 1/2 mile or more laterally and 2000' above the surface, I am doing what is requested. As for locally, I do not fly in Arches National Park and have a verbal agreement with them that I won’t conduct tours their. I think if you check with them you’ll see I do not hover next to their Arches. In reference to Arches located on BLM, State, public use lands with no restrictions, I do hover so people can get pictures, how close I get depends on if there are people on the ground, the wind and the weather for that day, etc, any consideration a safe operating pilot would use in determining the most common sense flying. I think if you were to come back to Moab and check with BLM, Forest Service, National Parks, Game department officials, etc. you would see your appx. 20 minute discussion with me last year is probably a little bit bias on your part. I have flown the Moab area since 1983 when anything was allowed til now when we as pilots must show some amount of user-friendly flying. I am working with various individuals and groups to create as little nuisance as possible while conducting scienic tours and have given those that asked, maps of my routes so that their people could be taken else where if they did not want the helicopter noise to effect there outdoor experience. I hope you have a good season and also this clears up some doubts you and your readers, if you print this, may have about Arches Helicopters here in Moab, Utah.

Sincerly,
John Ruhl

  I did, in fact, tell Mr. Ruhl that I was researching the air tour industry, that I was on the Board of GCRG, & mentioned The News. Also, I took very casreful notes during our conversation. The point I made in the article was that the FAA’s requests of a 2000 foot ceiling over designated sensitive areas is not taken seriously.
   Any efforts which pilots make to reduce their noise impacts on the ground are greatly appreciated.

Jeri