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Air Tour Management Plan
Arches National Park » Air Tour Management Plan » Document List
The National Park Service (NPS) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed an air tour management plan for Arches National Park on October 21, 2022. The plan establishes measures to protect park resources, including outstanding geologic, ecologic, and cultural resources, and preservation of wilderness character and visitor experience.
Commercial air tours have occurred over Arches for many years without defined operating parameters. The air tour management plan will protect national park resources and values by providing management oversight and continued education.
The Arches plan authorizes up to 309 air tours per year on four defined routes conducted over the park and up to ½-mile outside the park's boundary. There were on average 309 air tours per year reported over Arches National Park from 2017 - 2019.
The operating parameters of the plan will be effective within 90 days from the date of signature on the air tour management plans.
Arches is among 24 parks in the National Park System for which the FAA and NPS are developing air tour management plans. Each air tour management plan is developed to allow air tours to be managed in a way that is consistent with the NPS's mission and the FAA's authority to ensure flight safety. The plans meet the requirements from the National Parks Air Tour Management Act to mitigate or prevent significant adverse impacts from commercial air tours on the park and NPS's obligation to protect the park's natural and cultural resources, wildlife, and visitor enjoyment.
An important part of the process is the inclusion of Traditionally Associated American Indian Tribes. The agencies consulted with Tribes that attach historic and cultural significance to resources within the parks. The plans include measures that are protective of Tribal use of the parks.
Commercial air tours have occurred over Arches for many years without defined operating parameters. The air tour management plan will protect national park resources and values by providing management oversight and continued education.
The Arches plan authorizes up to 309 air tours per year on four defined routes conducted over the park and up to ½-mile outside the park's boundary. There were on average 309 air tours per year reported over Arches National Park from 2017 - 2019.
The operating parameters of the plan will be effective within 90 days from the date of signature on the air tour management plans.
Arches is among 24 parks in the National Park System for which the FAA and NPS are developing air tour management plans. Each air tour management plan is developed to allow air tours to be managed in a way that is consistent with the NPS's mission and the FAA's authority to ensure flight safety. The plans meet the requirements from the National Parks Air Tour Management Act to mitigate or prevent significant adverse impacts from commercial air tours on the park and NPS's obligation to protect the park's natural and cultural resources, wildlife, and visitor enjoyment.
An important part of the process is the inclusion of Traditionally Associated American Indian Tribes. The agencies consulted with Tribes that attach historic and cultural significance to resources within the parks. The plans include measures that are protective of Tribal use of the parks.