Sedona Airport will be updating and adding a new helicopter tour company to its Fly Friendly Agreement

The current agreement with Sedona Air Tours and Guidance Air will be renewed with new updates. Apex Tours will be signing onto the voluntary agreement.

“The decision was made to make it an annual renewal of their commitment to this noise abatement tool,” Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau President and CEO, Candace Carr Strauss said.

Recently neighbors of the Chapel area have been expressing their concerns with the noise issues coming from helicopters. Although now, three companies all voluntarily participate in the agreement, private helicopters and other companies do not have to follow regulations beyond those set by the Federal Aviation Administration.

The Fly Friendly Agreement limited these companies’ takeoffs and landings between 8 a.m. and dusk, as well as agreeing not to fly directly over the city or hover over or near sensitive archeological sites, such as Tuzigoot National Monument, and Montezuma Castle National Monument.

On behalf of the chamber, a stakeholders meeting was held on Jan. 18 to discuss the upcoming ideas for updating the agreement and members. The city of Sedona, Keep Sedona Beautiful, the three tour companies, Sedona Airport, Yavapai County Board of Supervisors were all represented at the meeting.

“This meeting [was] called by the chamber to reconnect with current stakeholders now that the program has been running for 18 months or so, as well as welcome newcomers into the fold, including a new helicopter tour operator and the [National Park Service], to discuss how to improve upon it and garner renewed commitment,” Strauss said.

From the stakeholder meeting, Sedona airport and the three companies have agreed to talk about the flight patterns and noise issue with Chapel area residents.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday, Feb. 9, at the Sedona Performing Arts Center at Sedona Red Rock High School starting at 9:30 a.m. Ed Rose, the general manager of Sedona Airport, will be speaking to the Sedona Chamber about this renewed agreement. As a public meeting, the community is encouraged to attend and ask questions if needed.

The February meeting will also be recorded and uploaded to the Chamber’s website.