Hawaii, passenger jumps from a helicopter
While I agree with AA in so far as that that is first and foremost this guy's problem, at least in more densely populated areas such activities are susceptible to hurt the acceptance of the whole helicopter industry. In continental Europe even HEMS stations are regularly taking heavy public flak for Noise pollution in cities. That may not apply if the next neighbour is 20 acres away. But it is a topic if the next neighbour is 0,1 acre away (that's the typical acreage of a standard family home even in rural areas here in continental Europe).
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FWIW, nearest neighbors are 300M, nearest neighbors with horses 400M, second nearest neighbors with horses 500M. So call it 6 or 7 acres away, not 20. On the approach I do try to vary my flight paths so as to spread the love, as there are homes all around, but there are really only two good ways in and out so short final is always one or the other, depending on the wind. But perhaps the saving grace for me is that a busy two lane road that has frequent loud truck (lorry) and loud motorcycle traffic goes right through the neighborhood. And we are right on a bend in the road so the trucks are using their Jake brakes, too. Hence something with the noise footprint of an R44 is merely an annoying insect (OK, have at it haters, I've opened the door for you with that one 
) compared to the road traffic. The few EC130 landings I've had on the property generated a much more significant noise footprint, but those have been rare and no neighbors seemed to notice when I explicitly asked them about it.
It was one of the reasons I chose this place to live. I left suburbia so that I would have this capability. That said, it was not unheard of for folks to be landing in yards in my prior town, and it was not and still is not illegal there.
Perhaps more relevant to the Hawaii situation: we live near a major lake. The lakeshore is dotted alternately with mini-mansions, mega-mansions, and what I jokingly refer to as "gold-plated shacks", the latter being very ramshackle in nature but worth ridiculous amounts of money because they are right on the water. With all that money involved there are more than a couple of folks operating helicopters in and out of their shoreline property. It could not be safer, with approaches and departures being over water and aimed at their own homes. Operations are typically infrequent, as one would expect. And yet the vitriolic dialogue of some neighbors is truly outstanding. "It's not safe, and it's noisy." These are, of course, the same neighbors that generate continuous noise by running their PWCs up and down the shoreline all damn day long. They are just jealous, ignorant haters. So jealous that they cannot be bought off by being invited on free helicopter rides. So jealous that they don't realize that their 40ft (13M) offshore racing boat that's a bit much for the lake is probably worth just about what that R44 is. It's a sad state of affairs when people are like this.
) compared to the road traffic. The few EC130 landings I've had on the property generated a much more significant noise footprint, but those have been rare and no neighbors seemed to notice when I explicitly asked them about it.It was one of the reasons I chose this place to live. I left suburbia so that I would have this capability. That said, it was not unheard of for folks to be landing in yards in my prior town, and it was not and still is not illegal there.
Perhaps more relevant to the Hawaii situation: we live near a major lake. The lakeshore is dotted alternately with mini-mansions, mega-mansions, and what I jokingly refer to as "gold-plated shacks", the latter being very ramshackle in nature but worth ridiculous amounts of money because they are right on the water. With all that money involved there are more than a couple of folks operating helicopters in and out of their shoreline property. It could not be safer, with approaches and departures being over water and aimed at their own homes. Operations are typically infrequent, as one would expect. And yet the vitriolic dialogue of some neighbors is truly outstanding. "It's not safe, and it's noisy." These are, of course, the same neighbors that generate continuous noise by running their PWCs up and down the shoreline all damn day long. They are just jealous, ignorant haters. So jealous that they cannot be bought off by being invited on free helicopter rides. So jealous that they don't realize that their 40ft (13M) offshore racing boat that's a bit much for the lake is probably worth just about what that R44 is. It's a sad state of affairs when people are like this.
AA, I think you are generalising a bit about the public, or non-aviation folks.
It is a global phenomenon but to simplify it down to jealousy would imply that everyone is in awe of aviation and rotorcraft.
There are plenty of people that just couldn't care less and for whom getting into a helicopter has all the excitement and allure of caravanning on a typical British summer's day.
This isn't helped by either Hollywood or the seemingly endless list of online videos and press articles showing them falling from the sky at every opportunity.
Boats, even noisy ones, don't have the same probability of falling through your roof while on fire.
The right or ability to use a helicopter is very much about the benefits to the few and not the many.
I have found that it is actually those involved with aviation that can be the most grumpy about the private use of aircraft but that is a different topic altogether.
When faced with the critical and sceptical eye of the public (and that of their camera phone), discretion is always a better course.
Freedom's are great until someone doesn't use them responsibly or enough people take offence, at which point it disappears in a puff of regulation.
It is a global phenomenon but to simplify it down to jealousy would imply that everyone is in awe of aviation and rotorcraft.
There are plenty of people that just couldn't care less and for whom getting into a helicopter has all the excitement and allure of caravanning on a typical British summer's day.
This isn't helped by either Hollywood or the seemingly endless list of online videos and press articles showing them falling from the sky at every opportunity.
Boats, even noisy ones, don't have the same probability of falling through your roof while on fire.
The right or ability to use a helicopter is very much about the benefits to the few and not the many.
I have found that it is actually those involved with aviation that can be the most grumpy about the private use of aircraft but that is a different topic altogether.
When faced with the critical and sceptical eye of the public (and that of their camera phone), discretion is always a better course.
Freedom's are great until someone doesn't use them responsibly or enough people take offence, at which point it disappears in a puff of regulation.
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The plot thickens!
Word around the area this aircraft is stored is that the person at the controls is a STUDENT pilot with a solo endorsement. Maybe he realized that solo means by himself and asked said jumper to vacate the aircraft!
Now, as previously stated this R44 is owned by a collection of individuals. Seams another of the "owners" is stepping up stating that he was in fact at the controls during the filmed jump. Falsifying a federal report is a crime, jumping from the helicopter is not in this case!!
Just my 2 cents!
Word around the area this aircraft is stored is that the person at the controls is a STUDENT pilot with a solo endorsement. Maybe he realized that solo means by himself and asked said jumper to vacate the aircraft!
Now, as previously stated this R44 is owned by a collection of individuals. Seams another of the "owners" is stepping up stating that he was in fact at the controls during the filmed jump. Falsifying a federal report is a crime, jumping from the helicopter is not in this case!!
Just my 2 cents!
