This will be a long read but hopefully it will help others who are in the same boat.
Extra work up front helps to create a safe work environment:
Last Saturday we had 2 different commercial ops in our area. I did all the required preflight stuff (NOTAMs etc) but for one of the jobs I took it a couple of steps further due to extremely close proximity to our local Hospital with potential for AirMediVac. I notified our local LEA of my flight and called Flight Watch (dispatch for the Heli). The AHJ notified "Communications" and gave them my contact # just in case they had to request AirMediVac in my area.
About 30 minutes into my first series of flights I got a call from Flight Watch that MAMA#1 was going to be sent to my area. They gave me an exact time, direction and altitude she was arriving from and asked me to maintain 200'AGL or less. Almost immediately our local "Communications" called to notify we had MAMA#1 inbound. Easy to comply. When we heard her approaching we landed immediately just to be on the safe side.
Once she cleared the area (we watched her land) we took off for another flight. We watched closely as they unloaded the heli and started to take off. Again we landed until all clear. Very easy to do.
Right as we were about to wrap up our final flight for this job Flight Watch called again to alert us that MAMA#2 was going to be flying directly over our area and asked that we make sure we don't bust 400' AGL. Again easy to do but we were actually already approaching to land when this call came in. We landed and wrapped up the shoot right as MAMA#2 flew over head around 1000'AGL (maybe even more). I called Flight Watch to let them know we were done for the day and we are ALL CLEAR. I then called the local "Communications" to let them know the same.
This went about as "Text Book" as anyone could wish for in terms of "communications" between various agencies. To say we were pleased would be a HUGE understatement.
Our generic "communications work flow" looks like this:
1) Filed NOTAM (more than 24hrs but less than 72hrs prior to flight)
2) Sent informational email to County Manager, Police Chief, and Sheriff with my full intentions and flight details 48hrs prior to flight.
3) Notified AHJ the morning of the flight and gave them a firm Start & Stop time.
4) AHJ notified local "Communications" and gave them all this information and my contact information
5) Contacted Flight Watch. I contacted them 48hrs in advance and again the morning of the flight. I made another call to them when I was on scene and about to take off for the first flight.
6) Contacted Flight Watch after the last flight to let them know the area is All Clear in terms of our operations.
7) I contacted EMS Communications to let them know we were done and the area was All Clear.
A few extra steps but all worth the couple of extra minutes it took.
LEA - Law Enforcement Agency
AHJ - Agency Having Jurisdiction
NOTAM - Notice to Airmen
Extra work up front helps to create a safe work environment:
Last Saturday we had 2 different commercial ops in our area. I did all the required preflight stuff (NOTAMs etc) but for one of the jobs I took it a couple of steps further due to extremely close proximity to our local Hospital with potential for AirMediVac. I notified our local LEA of my flight and called Flight Watch (dispatch for the Heli). The AHJ notified "Communications" and gave them my contact # just in case they had to request AirMediVac in my area.
About 30 minutes into my first series of flights I got a call from Flight Watch that MAMA#1 was going to be sent to my area. They gave me an exact time, direction and altitude she was arriving from and asked me to maintain 200'AGL or less. Almost immediately our local "Communications" called to notify we had MAMA#1 inbound. Easy to comply. When we heard her approaching we landed immediately just to be on the safe side.
Once she cleared the area (we watched her land) we took off for another flight. We watched closely as they unloaded the heli and started to take off. Again we landed until all clear. Very easy to do.
Right as we were about to wrap up our final flight for this job Flight Watch called again to alert us that MAMA#2 was going to be flying directly over our area and asked that we make sure we don't bust 400' AGL. Again easy to do but we were actually already approaching to land when this call came in. We landed and wrapped up the shoot right as MAMA#2 flew over head around 1000'AGL (maybe even more). I called Flight Watch to let them know we were done for the day and we are ALL CLEAR. I then called the local "Communications" to let them know the same.
This went about as "Text Book" as anyone could wish for in terms of "communications" between various agencies. To say we were pleased would be a HUGE understatement.
Our generic "communications work flow" looks like this:
1) Filed NOTAM (more than 24hrs but less than 72hrs prior to flight)
2) Sent informational email to County Manager, Police Chief, and Sheriff with my full intentions and flight details 48hrs prior to flight.
3) Notified AHJ the morning of the flight and gave them a firm Start & Stop time.
4) AHJ notified local "Communications" and gave them all this information and my contact information
5) Contacted Flight Watch. I contacted them 48hrs in advance and again the morning of the flight. I made another call to them when I was on scene and about to take off for the first flight.
6) Contacted Flight Watch after the last flight to let them know the area is All Clear in terms of our operations.
7) I contacted EMS Communications to let them know we were done and the area was All Clear.
A few extra steps but all worth the couple of extra minutes it took.
LEA - Law Enforcement Agency
AHJ - Agency Having Jurisdiction
NOTAM - Notice to Airmen