LA Helicopter Routes

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jeff0000

Filing Flight Plan
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jeff0000
jeff0000 said:
Does anyone know if helicopters need ATC permission to fly helicopter routes in the LA area? Or maybe they just need permission to fly the transitions (the connectors between the routes)?

Skyvector has the helicopter route charts for the Los Angeles area here:

https://skyvector.com/?ll=33.94240879630591,-118.40806870531615&chart=201&zoom=7
https://skyvector.com/?ll=34.068421815632014,-117.8036584296731&chart=202&zoom=7
Click to expand...

They have to comply Class B, C and D rules
 
I don’t think they need permission to fly them. They’re just recommended routes to aid in avoiding the most congested areas.
 
Velocity173 said:
I don’t think they need permission to fly them. They’re just recommended routes to aid in avoiding the most congested areas.
Click to expand...

That's what I thought initially too, but on the LA TAC chart, it lists several VFR routes that require ATC permission to fly - the Coliseum Route, Hollywood Park Route, Mini Route, and the Coastal Route. These VFR routes penetrate the bravo, so makes sense.

But if you look closely, the Harbor Freeway helicopter route running north-south east of KLAX also penetrates the bravo, since the bravo is from the surface to 10,000' MSL at that point.

LA TAC Chart:
https://skyvector.com/?ll=34.13003353660831,-119.55903426090163&chart=114&zoom=5
 
Last edited:
Velocity173 said:
That’s because they penetrate the B. Just like fixed wing transition route, you need a clearance prior to penetration.
Click to expand...

When I posted, I realized that I forgot this second part:

"But if you look closely, the Harbor Freeway helicopter route running north-south east of KLAX also penetrates the bravo, since the bravo is from the surface to 10,000' MSL at that point."
 
jeff0000 said:
When I posted, I realized that I forgot this second part:

"But if you look closely, the Harbor Freeway helicopter route running north-south east of KLAX also penetrates the bravo, since the bravo is from the surface to 10,000' MSL at that point."
Click to expand...

So you’re saying they don’t have to contact ATC through the stretch that goes through the B?
 
I initially thought we didn't need to talk to ATC to fly the helo routes, but I'm doubting myself because there must be a lot of helicopter traffic in order for the routes to have been established in the first place, and also because some of it penetrates the class bravo airspace. Also, on some of the helicopter routes, it says "at or below X MSL or as assigned by ATC". I think there's more evidence to suggest that you do in fact need an ATC clearance to fly them.
 
jeff0000 said:
Does anyone know if helicopters need ATC permission to fly helicopter routes in the LA area?
Click to expand...

Yes they do just like any VFR aircraft.

Only route that anyone can penetrate LAX Bravo on without talking to ATC is the SFRA transition
 
jeff0000 said:
I initially thought we didn't need to talk to ATC to fly the helo routes, but I'm doubting myself because there must be a lot of helicopter traffic in order for the routes to have been established in the first place, and also because some of it penetrates the class bravo airspace. Also, on some of the helicopter routes, it says "at or below X MSL or as assigned by ATC". I think there's more evidence to suggest that you do in fact need an ATC clearance to fly them.
Click to expand...

Yes there is evidence that Helos talk to ATC. LAX Tower has 3 frequencies. One for the North Complex, one for the South and one just for the Helos, 119.8.
 
luvflyin said:
Yes there is evidence that Helos talk to ATC. LAX Tower has 3 frequencies. One for the North Complex, one for the South and one just for the Helos, 119.8.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've tried listening to the LiveATC feed for 119.8, but I can barely make out any transmissions. There's a high-pitched whine that makes everything completely unreadable.
 
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