Narrative:

A helicopter called me inbound from henderson airport (5 miles south of las) for a photo mission over the new city center (an area 1 mile northwest of las). I radar identified the aircraft and cleared him into bravo airspace. I then asked the pilot if he was familiar with the post office located midfield south of runway 25 and the pilot responded 'negative'. I then told the helicopter to proceed towards midfield and remain south of runway 25 and that I would call his crossing. When the helicopter was about 1 mile south of runway 25 I called the departing traffic to him. At the time there were 2 B737's departing; the first was midfield just lifting off; and the second was just making the turn onto the runway to begin his departure roll. When giving the traffic to the helicopter I asked him to verify that he had the B737 just beginning his departure roll from the full length of runway 25 in sight. The helicopter replied that he did have the traffic in sight and said that he would pass behind him. I told the helicopter to maintain visual separation on the traffic and continue across the runway. I then coordinated with the local assist 1 controller that the helicopter would cross midfield. After the coordination I observed the helicopter beginning his overflight of the runway while the traffic was still rolling in front of him. I then asked the helicopter again if he had the traffic off his right side in sight. He/she replied that he had the landing traffic in sight. I asked again; 'do you see the departing traffic'; which he then said 'yes' we have the traffic in sight. The helicopter crossed in front of the departing B737. I told the helicopter that in the future he should do his crossing further east meaning that I wanted for him to cross behind the departing traffic. Recommendation; have more meetings with the users to develop a better communication with the controllers and pilots. Better knowledge of the area and some of the less frequently used reporting points would also help. Possibly develop standard helicopter routes around the airport to avoid landing and departing traffic. Limit photo flights to time when traffic volume to the airport is at a minimum.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LAS Local Controller described conflict involving a helicopter airport crossing event when traffic and crossing location was apparently confused by the helicopter pilot; reporter suggests development of standardized routes.

Narrative: A helicopter called me inbound from Henderson Airport (5 Miles south of LAS) for a photo mission over the new city center (an area 1 mile NW of LAS). I radar identified the aircraft and cleared him into Bravo airspace. I then asked the pilot if he was familiar with the post office located midfield South of Runway 25 and the pilot responded 'negative'. I then told the helicopter to proceed towards midfield and remain South of Runway 25 and that I would call his crossing. When the helicopter was about 1 mile South of Runway 25 I called the departing traffic to him. At the time there were 2 B737's departing; the first was midfield just lifting off; and the second was just making the turn onto the runway to begin his departure roll. When giving the traffic to the helicopter I asked him to verify that he had the B737 just beginning his departure roll from the full length of Runway 25 in sight. The helicopter replied that he did have the traffic in sight and said that he would pass behind him. I told the helicopter to maintain visual separation on the traffic and continue across the runway. I then coordinated with the Local Assist 1 Controller that the helicopter would cross midfield. After the coordination I observed the helicopter beginning his overflight of the runway while the traffic was still rolling in front of him. I then asked the helicopter again if he had the traffic off his right side in sight. He/she replied that he had the landing traffic in sight. I asked again; 'do you see the departing traffic'; which he then said 'yes' we have the traffic in sight. The helicopter crossed in front of the departing B737. I told the helicopter that in the future he should do his crossing further east meaning that I wanted for him to cross behind the departing traffic. Recommendation; have more meetings with the users to develop a better communication with the controllers and pilots. Better knowledge of the area and some of the less frequently used reporting points would also help. Possibly develop standard helicopter routes around the airport to avoid landing and departing traffic. Limit photo flights to time when traffic volume to the airport is at a minimum.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.