Narrative:

I was flying the above described helicopter. I had been maintaining l-hand orbits over this same location for over 20 mins. I was tuned to lax helicopter frequency 119.8 and was talking to same having been cleared into class B with lax. I also was monitoring 123.02 (los angeles helicopter's advisory frequency) giving position reports. While over said localizer, I heard helicopter 1 and helicopter 2 (commercial helicopters) request to transition northbound 110 freeway (class B) with lax. Lax tower cleared both and also asked me if I had visual. I advised 'affirmative, will keep visual separation.' at this time I activated my landing light and taxi light (already having a lower and upper strobe on and having on my anti- collision light and position lights on). Approximately 2-3 mins later, I heard a third helicopter, helicopter 3, advise he was 'eastbound to 10 freeway at labrea' (approximately 4 mi from my location). Helicopter 1 and helicopter 2 were flying in the vicinity of los angeles civic center (close to my location) and I therefore kept my landing and taxi lights on for additional visibility and gave a position report on 123.02. While continuing l-hand orbits and on a heading of approximately 270 degrees, I observed an aircraft eastbound 10 freeway at approximately 930 ft MSL. This aircraft was approximately 30 ft above (vertical), 0 ft (horizontal) and approximately 150 ft ahead and closing. At this time I immediately reduced collective pitch and banked left (larger angle) to avoid a midair collision. At this time I turned back northbound and observed the aircraft to be a helicopter and believed it to be helicopter 3. I then inquired on 123.02 if helicopter 3 had observed me or heard my position reports. Helicopter 3 advised that he had to make an evasive maneuver and did not see me until just prior. Helicopter 3 also advised me that he did not hear my position reports. I filed an near midair collision report with hawthorne FSS and also notified lax tower shift supervisor of the above incident. Suggestion: our helicopters have to be at lower altitudes in order to be able to perform their mission. Commercial helicopters do not. I suggest that these operators be encouraged if not mandated to fly at higher altitudes in metropolitan areas such as los angeles.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AMERICAN EUROCOPTER AS350-B1 HAD AN NMAC WITH ANOTHER HELI.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE ABOVE DESCRIBED HELI. I HAD BEEN MAINTAINING L-HAND ORBITS OVER THIS SAME LOCATION FOR OVER 20 MINS. I WAS TUNED TO LAX HELI FREQ 119.8 AND WAS TALKING TO SAME HAVING BEEN CLRED INTO CLASS B WITH LAX. I ALSO WAS MONITORING 123.02 (LOS ANGELES HELI'S ADVISORY FREQ) GIVING POS RPTS. WHILE OVER SAID LOC, I HEARD HELI 1 AND HELI 2 (COMMERCIAL HELIS) REQUEST TO TRANSITION NBOUND 110 FREEWAY (CLASS B) WITH LAX. LAX TWR CLRED BOTH AND ALSO ASKED ME IF I HAD VISUAL. I ADVISED 'AFFIRMATIVE, WILL KEEP VISUAL SEPARATION.' AT THIS TIME I ACTIVATED MY LNDG LIGHT AND TAXI LIGHT (ALREADY HAVING A LOWER AND UPPER STROBE ON AND HAVING ON MY ANTI- COLLISION LIGHT AND POS LIGHTS ON). APPROX 2-3 MINS LATER, I HEARD A THIRD HELI, HELI 3, ADVISE HE WAS 'EBOUND TO 10 FREEWAY AT LABREA' (APPROX 4 MI FROM MY LOCATION). HELI 1 AND HELI 2 WERE FLYING IN THE VICINITY OF LOS ANGELES CIVIC CENTER (CLOSE TO MY LOCATION) AND I THEREFORE KEPT MY LNDG AND TAXI LIGHTS ON FOR ADDITIONAL VISIBILITY AND GAVE A POS RPT ON 123.02. WHILE CONTINUING L-HAND ORBITS AND ON A HDG OF APPROX 270 DEGS, I OBSERVED AN ACFT EBOUND 10 FREEWAY AT APPROX 930 FT MSL. THIS ACFT WAS APPROX 30 FT ABOVE (VERT), 0 FT (HORIZ) AND APPROX 150 FT AHEAD AND CLOSING. AT THIS TIME I IMMEDIATELY REDUCED COLLECTIVE PITCH AND BANKED L (LARGER ANGLE) TO AVOID A MIDAIR COLLISION. AT THIS TIME I TURNED BACK NBOUND AND OBSERVED THE ACFT TO BE A HELI AND BELIEVED IT TO BE HELI 3. I THEN INQUIRED ON 123.02 IF HELI 3 HAD OBSERVED ME OR HEARD MY POS RPTS. HELI 3 ADVISED THAT HE HAD TO MAKE AN EVASIVE MANEUVER AND DID NOT SEE ME UNTIL JUST PRIOR. HELI 3 ALSO ADVISED ME THAT HE DID NOT HEAR MY POS RPTS. I FILED AN NMAC RPT WITH HAWTHORNE FSS AND ALSO NOTIFIED LAX TWR SHIFT SUPVR OF THE ABOVE INCIDENT. SUGGESTION: OUR HELIS HAVE TO BE AT LOWER ALTS IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THEIR MISSION. COMMERCIAL HELIS DO NOT. I SUGGEST THAT THESE OPERATORS BE ENCOURAGED IF NOT MANDATED TO FLY AT HIGHER ALTS IN METROPOLITAN AREAS SUCH AS LOS ANGELES.

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.