Low altitude civil operation by rotary winged traffic gets a number of complaints from the civil pop...

Attributes
ACN	305988
Time
Date	199505
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : l52
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 300 agl bound upper : 600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 44 flight time total : 8016 flight time type : 79
ASRS Report	305988
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	observation : observer
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On both days of may/xx/95 I conducted scenic flts in a helicopter within 25 NM of the airport of departure. Flight altitudes of 300-500 ft AGL along the beach were used. Over the populated areas, altitudes of 500-600 ft AGL with local altimeter were used. At all times during flight did I keep a place in sight for an effective automatic rotation in case of power failure. Local residents who oppose the airport and some others thought that the 91.119(C) of the FARS were violated, and reported it to the local FSDO. It is currently under investigation. Perhaps higher altitudes could have been used to keep noise to a minimum, but the local law enforcement agency related to me that no local laws were being violated. Interpretation of 91.119(C) can be vague, but I based my judgement on the flying I normally do over the los angeles basin which recommends such altitudes of 500 ft in certain areas. I do not feel any violation occurred based on my experience in operating helicopters over cities and beaches as the law enforcement and commercial aircraft do.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LOW ALT CIVIL OP BY ROTARY WINGED TFC GETS A NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FROM THE CIVIL POPULATION BENEATH IT.

Narrative: ON BOTH DAYS OF MAY/XX/95 I CONDUCTED SCENIC FLTS IN A HELI WITHIN 25 NM OF THE ARPT OF DEP. FLT ALTS OF 300-500 FT AGL ALONG THE BEACH WERE USED. OVER THE POPULATED AREAS, ALTS OF 500-600 FT AGL WITH LCL ALTIMETER WERE USED. AT ALL TIMES DURING FLT DID I KEEP A PLACE IN SIGHT FOR AN EFFECTIVE AUTO ROTATION IN CASE OF PWR FAILURE. LCL RESIDENTS WHO OPPOSE THE ARPT AND SOME OTHERS THOUGHT THAT THE 91.119(C) OF THE FARS WERE VIOLATED, AND RPTED IT TO THE LCL FSDO. IT IS CURRENTLY UNDER INVESTIGATION. PERHAPS HIGHER ALTS COULD HAVE BEEN USED TO KEEP NOISE TO A MINIMUM, BUT THE LCL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RELATED TO ME THAT NO LCL LAWS WERE BEING VIOLATED. INTERP OF 91.119(C) CAN BE VAGUE, BUT I BASED MY JUDGEMENT ON THE FLYING I NORMALLY DO OVER THE LOS ANGELES BASIN WHICH RECOMMENDS SUCH ALTS OF 500 FT IN CERTAIN AREAS. I DO NOT FEEL ANY VIOLATION OCCURRED BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE IN OPERATING HELIS OVER CITIES AND BEACHES AS THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND COMMERCIAL ACFT DO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.

Low altitude civil operation by rotary winged traffic gets a number of complaints from the civil population beneath it.