SafetyIssues Personal and Public Safety News Articles: When News Choppers Collide

When News Choppers Collide
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Staff writer for safetyissues.com on 06/02/08 10:00:00
 
The television helicopters were following police cars pursuing a man in a stolen
vehicle, on Friday afternoon, July 27. At the time, there were six helicopters
cleared for entry into the same airspace. One was a police chopper and the rest
were news helicopters, including the two ill-fated choppers.
A spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration said that there are existing
rules in situations where several news choppers want to be in the same airspace.
 But once clearance is given, it is up to the individual pilots to communicate
with each other on a special dedicated frequency and to stay clear of other
helicopters in the same area.
The operating altitudes of news choppers are usually low, as the visuals that
they take generally involve scenes on the ground. Thus, they no longer
communicate with air traffic controllers except to get clearance to fly into the
airspace. Once cleared to go, the pilots avoid each other by sight.
It’s not always easy to do that, say veteran news pilots. There are many blind
spots; only the front and side views are clearly in sight. They’re vulnerable
from behind their tail, above their heads and below their belly. It’s much
easier if the choppers are on stationary hovering mode, as when covering a
building fire. But in pursuit situations where everyone is moving and
maneuvering to get good shots, it gets very hard.
The idea of see-and-avoid flight rules is objectionable to some. Some experts
think a change in flight rules may be necessary. One suggestion is to require a
co-pilot, who can also serve as lookout. That may help. In the rush to get the
perfect video moment, safety considerations may take a back seat as pilot and
photographer train their eyes on the scene. It should help to have somebody else
looking in other directions.