Narrative:

While loading a flight of 3 nanchang CJ6A's (yk-18) on a sightseeing/training mission to mount rushmore national monument, I observed several sightseeing helicopters operating into and around the monument. As I orbited my flight outside the published airspace of the monument, I observed that the helicopters also maneuvered in the valleys to the east and north of mount rushmore. From my vantage point above and outside of the mount rushmore airspace I have several concerns and observations: 1) aerial traffic in the mount rushmore area can, at times, be congested. 2) to my knowledge there is no published common radio frequency that traffic can use to coordinate separation. I feel it would be a good idea to at least publish, in an easy to access location (eg: sectional chart) a common frequency for all VFR aircraft to use to coordinate separation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: pilot was lead pilot of three chinese built yak-18's. The large number of helicopters operating in the area concerned him. The park service has a landing pad for the helicopters. Pilot said it was apparent the helicopters were talking to each other. The pilot was unable to find a common communication frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT SUGGESTS A PROC AND RADIO FREQ BE ESTABLISHED FOR SIGHTSEEING OPS IN THE MOUNT RUSHMORE AREA.

Narrative: WHILE LOADING A FLT OF 3 NANCHANG CJ6A'S (YK-18) ON A SIGHTSEEING/TRAINING MISSION TO MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MONUMENT, I OBSERVED SEVERAL SIGHTSEEING HELICOPTERS OPERATING INTO AND AROUND THE MONUMENT. AS I ORBITED MY FLT OUTSIDE THE PUBLISHED AIRSPACE OF THE MONUMENT, I OBSERVED THAT THE HELICOPTERS ALSO MANEUVERED IN THE VALLEYS TO THE E AND N OF MOUNT RUSHMORE. FROM MY VANTAGE POINT ABOVE AND OUTSIDE OF THE MOUNT RUSHMORE AIRSPACE I HAVE SEVERAL CONCERNS AND OBSERVATIONS: 1) AERIAL TFC IN THE MOUNT RUSHMORE AREA CAN, AT TIMES, BE CONGESTED. 2) TO MY KNOWLEDGE THERE IS NO PUBLISHED COMMON RADIO FREQ THAT TFC CAN USE TO COORDINATE SEPARATION. I FEEL IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO AT LEAST PUBLISH, IN AN EASY TO ACCESS LOCATION (EG: SECTIONAL CHART) A COMMON FREQ FOR ALL VFR ACFT TO USE TO COORDINATE SEPARATION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: PLT WAS LEAD PLT OF THREE CHINESE BUILT YAK-18'S. THE LARGE NUMBER OF HELICOPTERS OPERATING IN THE AREA CONCERNED HIM. THE PARK SVC HAS A LNDG PAD FOR THE HELICOPTERS. PLT SAID IT WAS APPARENT THE HELICOPTERS WERE TALKING TO EACH OTHER. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO FIND A COMMON COM FREQ.

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.