I%26#39;m coming in 2 weeks, and wondering if the current lava flow is worth seeing via helicopter. Has anyone done it recently? Recommendations for helicopter companies?
Helicopter Tours -- Lava Flowing?
That is a matter of opinion............. During the day, presently you wont see much of anything as it is different kind of lava called AA
You might get a peek at the Po%26#39;o vent if it isnt cloud covered which it normaly is ( it makes its own weather)
There is no ocean-entry... just steam
However, 2 weeks is a long long time and and a lot can change.
Go to the USGS or National; Park website
If you were here during a full moon ( this week) then Big Island Air now has a special night flight over the volcano.....out of Kona for about $290 .... the only one going
Helicopter Tours -- Lava Flowing?
Hi HD---is the night flight only during the full moon? Or is it offered at other times?
Pu%26#39;u O%26#39;o is pretty much quite right now, and like Dan said... no ocean entry. Usually I%26#39;d say skip a heli tour under these conditions.
But a vent northeast of Pu%26#39;u O%26#39;o has been very active (called Fissure D by the USGS I believe) and has had a nice set of surface flows going (both in pahoehoe river form and a%26#39;a forms entering the forest to the north of Pu%26#39;u O%26#39;o. The aerial shots I%26#39;ve been seeing at the USGS look pretty cool.
Might still be worth considering. Check daily updates here:
http://volcano.wr.usgs.gov/hvostatus.php
There was an interesting (imo) article with supporting aerial photos in the August online edition of the Honolulu Advertiser: honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article…
We%26#39;ve taken a number of Helicopter flights in Hawaii and prefer Blue Hawaiian. Their website (bluehawaiian.com)is among the more informative and includes streaming videos and pictures of tour highlights.
If interested, hope you have success in securing reservations; some friends are also going to be in Hilo, on a cruise, in a couple of weeks from now and were unable to book BH%26#39;s ';Circle of Fire'; on the only convenient day. Last we heard, they also struck-out with Safari and Tropical; your chances will (hopefully) be better if you have scheduling flexibility.
We were over the volcano exactly a week ago (Aug. 25). Short version: it was the most amazing part of our vacation, and the river of surface lava was the neatest thing I%26#39;ve ever seen. I%26#39;d highly recommend it for as long as the current vent and surface flows stay active.
Long version: We flew with Sunshine Helicopters out of Hilo (jn a ';black beauty'; A Star helicopter), after the doors off tour we%26#39;d scheduled with Paradise Helicopters fell through due to a mechanical issue with the Paradise Hughes helicopter they use. Paradise was great in getting us re-scheduled for a flight the same day with Sunshine. I won%26#39;t hold their mechanical hiccup against them, as they put safety first.
We%26#39;d definitely fly with Sunshine again. Their ground crew was professional, their waiting room was very nice with a good video presentation, and they offered a meaningful safety briefing. The helicopter also seemed very well maintained, and the pilot did a good job explaining what was going on and offering naration on the tour. The only bit of downside in having to change tour companies was that the Hughes we were supposed to go on was a 4 seater, with a window for everyone, and the A Star was a 6 seater, with four across the back (two window, two middle), and two seats in the front next to the pilot. There were only 5 people on our flight so having 3 across the back wasn%26#39;t too bad (Both in terms of space and view) but I think having all 4 back seats filled could have been less than ideal. Upside is nobody has to sit facing backwards, which I think is the case on some others.
The trip over the volcano was wild. We circled the active vent which was gushing surface lava, and then circled the place where the surface lava is pouring into a forest. In late July they had an earthquake which put a stop to the ocean flow, but started this surface flow. The pilot told us that the current surface flows are the best they%26#39;ve seen in about 2 years. While we%26#39;d hoped to see the ocean flow, this was very, very cool and absolutely made the trip worth it for us. We flew over the recently collapsed shelf at the edge of the ocean, as well as past flows. It was a great 50 minutes.
the night tour on Big Island Air.... is only going to be offered when there is a full moon and VFR conditions....... so once every 28 days for about 4 days..... safety is of prime consideration.........
Last I checked they dont have a web site...... use the phone
BUT..... the payback is excellent
Folks, many of you write as to what the volcano is doing, or read press releases that are days old......... waiting for a slow news day
Every day things change.... and it is impossible to forcast or predict
My suggestion is get a reservation for a day... ( you cna cancel 24 hrs prior) and look at the park and USGS information of the preceeding day.... and the NOAA zone forcast for Hilo. Click on South Hilo Radar..... the best forcast in real time
Hi HD,
Following-up on your ';...waiting for a slow news day'; comment, I emailed Kevin Dayton of the Advertiser Big Island Bureau who authored the above linked ';Hawaii lava eruption boosts air tourism'; article.
What follows is his response: ';He is right that conditions can change at any time, but the story was current when it was published (8/31). The pictures were taken the day before the story ran. The flow has not changed significantly since then.
What is exceptional about the current flow is that it is stunning in the daytime because of the open channel leading down to the a%26#39;a flow. Normally (as HawaiiDan says) there isn%26#39;t much to see in the daytime, especially when there is no ocean entry. This flow is different and remarkable because of that open channel.';
Our last two helo tours %26amp; drives/hikes down Chain of Craters road, as well as the hwy 130/Hakuma Point entrance have been 7%26#39;s on a 1-10; hopefully, we%26#39;ll be even luckier than warthog next time.
Are you heading back to VNP anytime soon?
kama
I agree with Kama, one can clearly look at the recent photos at the USGS site and see the flow is quite active right now. They offer daily updates, usually at the same time each day.
Latest images/videos:
hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/update/images.html
Channel D is still flowing strong... as of yesterday anyway.
Hi JC,
Those pics are so cool; thanks! My Wife just called our friends and recommended Tropical%26#39;s doors off if they could get it. Last time we did doors off she said ';pull that one again Buster and I%26#39;m calling Vaughn'; (our lawyer).
Am I looking at his correctly when I conclude that the best night-time ground viewing would be at the old north entrance/hwy 130 near Hakuma point?
Kevin; if you see this, I%26#39;ve been trying to reach you to say thanks %26amp; hope to see additional follow-ups. Our AOL(ousy) email/send has been crapping-out.
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