The FAA is warning pilots who fly near Mount Rainier National Park in Washington of potential “hazardous operations.”
According to a notice from the FAA Safety Team, pilots flying near the south side of the park, specifically those flying low along the Nisqually River between Ashford and Longmire, need to be aware of Kautz Creek Helibase (7WA7), which supports National Park Service aviation operations for Mount Rainier National Park.
According to FAA officials, the site is routinely used for search and rescue missions, short-haul operations, external load, and emergency response activities. In frequent use throughout the year, it is critical to aviation operations in the park, agency officials noted.
“Park personnel have observed multiple recurring low level overflights by aircraft transiting the area, including several incidents in which low-level aircraft have passed through or in dangerously close proximity to active helicopter operations, creating potential hazards and suspended operations,” the notice said.
“While the park continues to implement several mitigation measures, this notice hopes to bring attention to the possible hazard in this area,” it continued. “Kautz Creek Helibase is not visually charted on the sectional chart, and may not show on apps like ForeFlight without manually searching for the identifier 7WA7.”
The pad is located along the high north bank of the Nisqually River, between Ashford (7 nm west) and Longmire (2 nm northeast), at an altitude of 2,312 feet MSL.
“Please use caution when operating in this area, watch for helicopter operations, and be sure to maintain your minimum safe altitudes,” the notice concludes.
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