Narrative:

After takeoff from local hospital, which was out of radio contact with ZZZ tower but near their control zone, contacted ZZZ tower and advised off point, direction of flight and altitude to cruise (2500'). He then told us to contact XXX tower, which we did with the same information. He rogered us and advised us to remain north of 24 until he could point out traffic. As we neared 2500', XXX tower told us we had to remain below 2200 until he could get us clearance into the arsa. We descended below 2200' until he gave us a squawk and handed us off to departure. A procedure needs to be established for helicopter operators to takeoff from areas from within an arsa where radio contact is not possible until after takeoff. After airborne, it seems contacting clearance delivery would leave us flying either in a control zone or arsa or TCA, with no contact with the controller while we await a break in which to contact clearance delivery, then wait for the clearance to be issued. But if we contact tower or departure directly, then there seems to be confusion on their part as to what to do, handing us off from one agency to another like a hot potato, with no agency issuing clearance. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter indicated his employer was negotiating a letter of agreement with tower. Frustration has been greatly reduced as he becomes familiar with the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER INDICATES CONFUSION BETWEEN XXX TWR AND ZZZ TWR REGARDING A CLRNC FOR THE EMS HELICOPTER.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM LOCAL HOSPITAL, WHICH WAS OUT OF RADIO CONTACT WITH ZZZ TWR BUT NEAR THEIR CTL ZONE, CONTACTED ZZZ TWR AND ADVISED OFF POINT, DIRECTION OF FLT AND ALT TO CRUISE (2500'). HE THEN TOLD US TO CONTACT XXX TWR, WHICH WE DID WITH THE SAME INFO. HE ROGERED US AND ADVISED US TO REMAIN N OF 24 UNTIL HE COULD POINT OUT TFC. AS WE NEARED 2500', XXX TWR TOLD US WE HAD TO REMAIN BELOW 2200 UNTIL HE COULD GET US CLRNC INTO THE ARSA. WE DSNDED BELOW 2200' UNTIL HE GAVE US A SQUAWK AND HANDED US OFF TO DEP. A PROC NEEDS TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR HELI OPERATORS TO TKOF FROM AREAS FROM WITHIN AN ARSA WHERE RADIO CONTACT IS NOT POSSIBLE UNTIL AFTER TKOF. AFTER AIRBORNE, IT SEEMS CONTACTING CLRNC DELIVERY WOULD LEAVE US FLYING EITHER IN A CTL ZONE OR ARSA OR TCA, WITH NO CONTACT WITH THE CTLR WHILE WE AWAIT A BREAK IN WHICH TO CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY, THEN WAIT FOR THE CLRNC TO BE ISSUED. BUT IF WE CONTACT TWR OR DEP DIRECTLY, THEN THERE SEEMS TO BE CONFUSION ON THEIR PART AS TO WHAT TO DO, HANDING US OFF FROM ONE AGENCY TO ANOTHER LIKE A HOT POTATO, WITH NO AGENCY ISSUING CLRNC. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR INDICATED HIS EMPLOYER WAS NEGOTIATING A LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH TWR. FRUSTRATION HAS BEEN GREATLY REDUCED AS HE BECOMES FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.