Narrative:

During the time period following the tragic events of 9/tue/01, a period of confusion existed between ATC traffic management, FSS, FSDO operators, as we all with best intentions tried to handle a very fluid situation. I had a film crew in az with equipment stranded on a mountain and people waiting to finish the filming of a commercial. On thursday I was told by FSS at XA45 that commercial flight operations would be approved at XB00. I departed my house where the helicopter was parked at XB00 and climbed over the hill to land at vny. When I called the tower I was told the airport and airspace was not opened so I returned to my home about 2 miles away. At XE45 FSS informed me that 135 VFR operations were now approved and I was given a phone number to call to get a squawk code from ATC for my flight. I told both ATC and FSS that my aircraft was currently listed and inspected as a 135 certificated aircraft, but that my 135 ride was not current. I was told that would not be a problem that the intent was to allow operations in the 'system' by competent pilots that could move efficiently in a positive control environment. I then received a squawk, departed, flew my flight in positive radar control without incident. The same process occurred the next day for my work and flight home. As the next few days unfolded and the system has returned to normal it is my concern that a FSDO inspector may look at the above operation and try to enforce the letter of the law rather than accept the intentions of good people using their best judgement to unravel a very difficult situation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AS50 PLT NOT CURRENT TO FLY HIS HELI AS A PART 135 OP, WAS ASSURED THAT IT WOULD BE NO PROB, AND WAS ISSUED A SQUAWK, THEN DEPARTED VFR.

Narrative: DURING THE TIME PERIOD FOLLOWING THE TRAGIC EVENTS OF 9/TUE/01, A PERIOD OF CONFUSION EXISTED BETWEEN ATC TFC MANAGEMENT, FSS, FSDO OPERATORS, AS WE ALL WITH BEST INTENTIONS TRIED TO HANDLE A VERY FLUID SIT. I HAD A FILM CREW IN AZ WITH EQUIP STRANDED ON A MOUNTAIN AND PEOPLE WAITING TO FINISH THE FILMING OF A COMMERCIAL. ON THURSDAY I WAS TOLD BY FSS AT XA45 THAT COMMERCIAL FLT OPS WOULD BE APPROVED AT XB00. I DEPARTED MY HOUSE WHERE THE HELI WAS PARKED AT XB00 AND CLBED OVER THE HILL TO LAND AT VNY. WHEN I CALLED THE TWR I WAS TOLD THE ARPT AND AIRSPACE WAS NOT OPENED SO I RETURNED TO MY HOME ABOUT 2 MILES AWAY. AT XE45 FSS INFORMED ME THAT 135 VFR OPS WERE NOW APPROVED AND I WAS GIVEN A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL TO GET A SQUAWK CODE FROM ATC FOR MY FLT. I TOLD BOTH ATC AND FSS THAT MY ACFT WAS CURRENTLY LISTED AND INSPECTED AS A 135 CERTIFICATED ACFT, BUT THAT MY 135 RIDE WAS NOT CURRENT. I WAS TOLD THAT WOULD NOT BE A PROB THAT THE INTENT WAS TO ALLOW OPS IN THE 'SYSTEM' BY COMPETENT PLTS THAT COULD MOVE EFFICIENTLY IN A POSITIVE CTL ENVIRONMENT. I THEN RECEIVED A SQUAWK, DEPARTED, FLEW MY FLT IN POSITIVE RADAR CTL WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE SAME PROCESS OCCURRED THE NEXT DAY FOR MY WORK AND FLT HOME. AS THE NEXT FEW DAYS UNFOLDED AND THE SYSTEM HAS RETURNED TO NORMAL IT IS MY CONCERN THAT A FSDO INSPECTOR MAY LOOK AT THE ABOVE OP AND TRY TO ENFORCE THE LETTER OF THE LAW RATHER THAN ACCEPT THE INTENTIONS OF GOOD PEOPLE USING THEIR BEST JUDGEMENT TO UNRAVEL A VERY DIFFICULT SIT.

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.