After five years of diligent work, an agreement has been reached to reduce helicopter noise in Sedona. Led by Mike Yarbrough, KSB was instrumental in reaching a voluntary agreement with the two local tour operators, Guidance Air and Sedona Air Tours. The agreement establishes “No-Fly Zones” and minimum altitudes. Both of these restrictions will result in less noise pollution for both residents and visitors. You can click on the map above to pull up a full depiction of the agreement.
When Mike began working on how to limit helicopter noise, he quickly learned that only the FAA has jurisdiction over airspace. Since it was highly unlikely that the FAA would act, KSB along with Jennifer Wesselhoff from the Chamber of Commerce and Sedona City Manager Justin Clifton began negotiations with tour operators. Others who participated in negotiations included Mayor Sandy Moriarty, City Council members, Yavapai County, Representative Tom O’Halleran’s office, Airport Management and of course the tour operators.
Their collaborative efforts paid off with this historic voluntary agreement, one of the first of its kind in the country.