There's no doubt that the helicopter air tour industry is on the rise, with state tourism liaison Marsha Weinert estimating that one in 10 tourists in 2005 went on the sightseeing excursions — roughly more than 750,000 people.

The trips provide passengers with a unique bird's-eye view of the Islands — but the flights are not without risk. For that reason, the Federal Aviation Administration, mandated to protect the flying public, must ensure that the state's helicopter tours are made as safe as possible.

Indeed, the safety record is not nearly as encouraging as it should be, with 34 fatal helicopter crashes in Hawai'i since 1964. The two most recent deadly accidents occurred in Kaua'i — one in 2004 that claimed five lives, another in 2005 that killed three. Both incidents inspired the National Transportation Safety Board's recent safety recommendations, which should be adopted by the FAA and enforced throughout tour operations in Hawai'i immediately.

Among those safety measures are calls for mandatory fixed or inflatable floats to aid helicopters in the event of an emergency water landing; better pilot training and procedures, and the need for better Global Positioning System satellite equipment.

Regulation, however, is useless without enforcement. One recommendation suggests the FAA develop an oversight body to make sure regulations in the state are enforced.

These are all sensible measures, and it will take a strong federal effort to ensure that these guidelines are followed.