Yellowstone N.P.

Grand Canyon National Park also has restrictions:

https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/upload/Map_Posters.pdf

Tom/Barb wrote:

The Park service can say what they like, they do not jurisdiction over any Federal airspace.

49 U.S. Code § 40128 - Overflights of national parks
link here
The operator of a commercial air tour must have a permit and be in compliance with the Park's "Air Tour Management Plan." So yes, there is a legal restriction in the US Code of Federal Regulations. Both the Administrator (of the FAA) and the Director (of the NPS) are referenced in this US Code, indicating that the two agencies work together.

However,The USFS Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness is one of the few national natural areas that has an airspace reservation (4,000 feet) designated by Executive Order (President Truman in 1949) and incorporated into Federal Law (P.L. 95-495, Section 8).

And yes, violators of the laws, executive orders and regulations have been cited. If you think that sister agencies within the federal government don't work together on enforcement, well...good luck to you!

And then there's this tour operator website which has some same language:

"Q: Can we tour Yellowstone or Grand Teton National Parks?
A: FAA and National Park regulations do not allow low altitude scenic flights operated over either park.
From outside Park boundaries though you will see the entire Grand Teton National Park, the Grand Tetons at eye level, and the region's mountains, rivers and wilderness as your pilot customizes your flight. The aircraft must stay outside park boundaries at lower altitudes except for takeoff and landing. Flights comply with the National Parks Air Tour Management Act of 2000, wilderness area flight regulations and noise-sensitive areas of Grand Teton National Park."

Jackson Hole Scenic Flights web page

Tom/Barb wrote:

NCWriter wrote:
There are helicopter tours, sort of, if you want the really big picture from on high. According to one tour operator, the NPS and FAA do not allow low altitude scenic tours by air, so the closest they can go is 2,000 feet above the ground.

Got a reference for that?? there is nothing on the local sectional saying any thing like that.

Yes: The sentence below is found on this home page of this website found if you Google "Yellowstone Helicopter tours"
Great Yellowstone Resource Guide


"The FAA and National Park regulations do not allow low altitude scenic flights operated over either park and aircraft must stay 2,000 feet above the ground, However you will see the entire Grand Teton National Park from above outside park boundaries, the Grand Tetons at eye level, and the regions mountains, rivers and wilderness as your pilot customizes your flight."

Below that are links to two air tour operators.

Looks like these companies fly tours over Yellowstone and Grand Teton:

Yellowstone Helicopter Tours

westernrvparkowner wrote:

Tom/Barb wrote:

NCWriter wrote:
There are helicopter tours, sort of, if you want the really big picture from on high. According to one tour operator, the NPS and FAA do not allow low altitude scenic tours by air, so the closest they can go is 2,000 feet above the ground.

Got a reference for that?? there is nothing on the local sectional saying any thing like that.

Do a search on flight restrictions over national parks. The park service suggests no flights under 2000 feet from the ground. Apparently, it is not formally restricted airspace, like the area around the White House, but I would strongly suspect that someone violating that suggestion would get a visit from the appropriate authorities. You aren't going to see much from 2000 feet and I doubt you are going to find many pilots who are willing to risk flying lower.

The Park service can say what they like, they do not jurisdiction over any Federal airspace. the FAA will and has placed restrictions on some airspace, When they do, they place the restrictions on the sectionals and a notice to airmen in the federal register.
There is none for yellowstone. It is a simple class "G" airspace
You can look it up on "Skyvector.com" It's on the Great Falls sectional (13) very lower right corner.

Tom/Barb wrote:

NCWriter wrote:
There are helicopter tours, sort of, if you want the really big picture from on high. According to one tour operator, the NPS and FAA do not allow low altitude scenic tours by air, so the closest they can go is 2,000 feet above the ground.

Got a reference for that?? there is nothing on the local sectional saying any thing like that.

Do a search on flight restrictions over national parks. The park service suggests no flights under 2000 feet from the ground. Apparently, it is not formally restricted airspace, like the area around the White House, but I would strongly suspect that someone violating that suggestion would get a visit from the appropriate authorities. You aren't going to see much from 2000 feet and I doubt you are going to find many pilots who are willing to risk flying lower.

NCWriter wrote:
There are helicopter tours, sort of, if you want the really big picture from on high. According to one tour operator, the NPS and FAA do not allow low altitude scenic tours by air, so the closest they can go is 2,000 feet above the ground.

Got a reference for that?? there is nothing on the local sectional saying any thing like that.

Tom/Barb wrote:
There are special flight rules for the grand canyon but no such rules for yellow stone. it's just a long flight in a helo. there is an airport at west yellowstone. you might call them for advice. the manger = Jeff Kadlec phone 406-646-7631.

Thanks for the number Tom! If I can't round up a helicopter a small airplane will do! I'm sure aircraft fly over Yellowstone all the time since it's so close to I-90? I don't like aircraft noise myself but, I here it everyday from small aircraft that follow Hwy. 16 (Hwy. 16 is just beyond my backyard) Mostly Army and Coast Guard Helicopters, and all jet flights going to Alaska fly over my house due to I live 1 mile West of the Bremerton Airport! My neighbor works for the FAA and he says the jet flights going to Alaska fly over Bremerton and Port Angeles Airports so if the jets have a emergency they can land safely at any those two Airports if need be.

Tom/Barb wrote:

Murphsmom wrote:
People go to Yellowstone for things other than hearing noise.

They don't seem to mind so much when they are being medically evacuated. :)

I agree. I was referring to what the ranger told us about tourists not liking to have aircraft overhead.