The group, represented by Dunedin lawyer Colin Withnall, made submissions at the Department of Conservation's Mt Aspiring National Park management plan hearing in Wanaka yesterday.
The hearing panel was told Wanaka flight-seeing companies could not offer glacier landings because they did not have landing concessions.
Glacier landings are highly sought-after tourist activities on the West Coast and in Queenstown.
The submitters - Wanaka Helicopters, Alpine Helicopters, Aspiring Helicopters and Back Country Helicopters - argued a proposed landing site on the Volta Glacier was a good alternative to two suggested sites in the management plan.
One of those is a new site near Mt Tyndall, which is supported by Queenstown pilots.
The other is on Bevan Col, mainly used to ferry in guided climbing parties and for search and rescue.
About 300 landings a year, to be shared between the companies, would be sought for the Volta Glacier.
Doc charges flight-seeing companies about $95 (plus gst) a landing and another $12 (plus gst) per person.
The pilots said landing on the Volta Glacier would move helicopters away from national park areas that attracted much foot traffic.
Mr Withnall said the National Parks Act ensured access for all, not just those who were young, fit and active.
The pilots wanted to work collaboratively and were also calling on Doc to consider the importance of promoting economic growth in its national park management plan, Mr Withnall said.
"You need to anticipate the growth of Wanaka, and provide for it especially as it relates to tourism, and the demands of the park and what it has to offer."
From a legal point of view, obtaining the Volta Glacier landing site would be a simple process, requiring a Gazette notice, he said.
The proposed landing site is near the edge of a wilderness area.
Pilot Stephen Combe said he believed the majority of people would seek a compromise and pilots were willing to put aside personal agendas to find that compromise.
Scientists also supported the opening up of aerial access to the Volta Glacier, which took a long time to reach on foot, Mr Combe said.
The Volta Glacier would be more popular with tourists than Bonar Glacier, the pilots predicted.
Charlie Ewing said the new landing site was "not just about us" and would provide the community with another attraction to promote.
Panel member Chas Tanner asked Mr Ewing for information about helicopter noise complaints at Bevan Col.
Mr Ewing said as far as he was aware complaints had dropped over the years for various reasons, including a trend towards guided or more organised climbing parties, less overcrowding in the hut, and visitors taking glacier tours elsewhere.
The pilots agreed the Bonar Glacier was a good place to take tourists in helicopters, but it disturbed climbers.
