Aloha, Friend:
Just as I last advised you in March when the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced an extension of the deadline for public comment regarding the FAA’s Hawai‘i Airspace Modernization Project (HAMP), I am asking you continue your participation in this effort to modernize airspace utilization nationally.
HAMP is wrapping up the Scoping Phase and preparing to transition into the Solution Development Phase. The virtual Solution Development kickoff meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday, August 4, 2026, from 9 AM to 11AM HST. You can tune in on the session via this Zoom Link:
https://airportnetwork.zoom.us/j/81957700979?pwd=IYiZs9MempW3i53sQekzZWMioUKmwE.1
This session will begin the efforts to develop procedure and airspace solutions to address project elements identified during scoping.
By way of background, HAMP is a comprehensive, multi-phase project designed to evaluate, modernize, and optimize airspace and instrument flight procedures (IFP) throughout the National Airspace System (NAS) encircling the Hawaiian Islands. The project seeks to improve safety; enhance operational efficiency; and better integrate evolving aviation demands, including commercial, general aviation, military, and emerging entrants.
As you know, under current law the FAA has virtually exclusive jurisdiction over utilization of our nation’s airspace. State and county governments and communities have virtually no say, so that any community concerns must be addressed if at all by the FAA, which in my own experience has been largely unresponsive, especially to concerns on the ground disruptions of commercial, military, tour helicopter and other use of airspace over the land and nearshore areas of our state.
I hope you will be able to sit in on the session next Tuesday. If not, you can stay apprised of this project by tracking any updates here: https://www.faa.gov/airtraffic/communityengagement/community-engagement-hawaii.
As always, please stay in touch as we pursue our mutual goal to ensure that the utilization of Hawaii’s airspace prioritizes not just our air transportation needs but our safety, health, quality of life and natural resource protection concerns as well. Please go to my web site at https://case.house.gov or email me at ed.case@mail.house.gov.
