Narrative:

I called helicopter control 119.8 at lax, asked for a 'north sepulveda.' the female controller told me that the field was IFR, 600' overcast or broken (I don't remember), and issued visibility, which I am not sure I recall--west it was 1 1/2 mi, east it was 25-50. She cleared me special VFR, under the ceiling, which was dangerous in my opinion, because of jet wake turbulence in the vicinity of the runways would require flight between bldgs. A jet was on final approach to runway 25 complex. I told her I was in VFR flight conditions and would prefer to climb southeast of the airport to 'VFR over the top' on the north sepulveda. Stratus cloud tops were at 1100-1200. I proceeded to climb and at 900' MSL I may have repeated the request. At my location and to the east of aviation blvd it was VFR. She responded with, 'ah, ah.' I insisted, by saying, 'come on!' she said, 'roger.' I continued in VFR to VFR over the top along the sepulveda route north, proceeded to quote far 91.107B,C,D, and where the overcast ended and scattered clouds began. She called my chief pilot. Smo tower had no problem with the same request, by the way, and replied, 'cleared as requested.' callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: 'special routing for the helicopter operation has been set up. Reporter feels very strongly to proceed as originally cleared would have been much more hazardous. His chief pilot did counsel him that he should not be so aggressive in requesting a change in clearance. Reporter talked with the controller and could not get a positive response as to why the request was denied. No action taken by the FAA and the incident is closed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELICOPTER WAS REFUSED CLRNC TO CLIMB ON TOP VFR AND PROCEED ON APPROVED ROUTING IN TCA AT A HIGHER ALT.

Narrative: I CALLED HELI CTL 119.8 AT LAX, ASKED FOR A 'N SEPULVEDA.' THE FEMALE CTLR TOLD ME THAT THE FIELD WAS IFR, 600' OVCST OR BROKEN (I DON'T REMEMBER), AND ISSUED VIS, WHICH I AM NOT SURE I RECALL--W IT WAS 1 1/2 MI, E IT WAS 25-50. SHE CLRED ME SPECIAL VFR, UNDER THE CEILING, WHICH WAS DANGEROUS IN MY OPINION, BECAUSE OF JET WAKE TURB IN THE VICINITY OF THE RWYS WOULD REQUIRE FLT BTWN BLDGS. A JET WAS ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 25 COMPLEX. I TOLD HER I WAS IN VFR FLT CONDITIONS AND WOULD PREFER TO CLB SE OF THE ARPT TO 'VFR OVER THE TOP' ON THE N SEPULVEDA. STRATUS CLOUD TOPS WERE AT 1100-1200. I PROCEEDED TO CLB AND AT 900' MSL I MAY HAVE REPEATED THE REQUEST. AT MY LOCATION AND TO THE E OF AVIATION BLVD IT WAS VFR. SHE RESPONDED WITH, 'AH, AH.' I INSISTED, BY SAYING, 'COME ON!' SHE SAID, 'ROGER.' I CONTINUED IN VFR TO VFR OVER THE TOP ALONG THE SEPULVEDA ROUTE N, PROCEEDED TO QUOTE FAR 91.107B,C,D, AND WHERE THE OVCST ENDED AND SCATTERED CLOUDS BEGAN. SHE CALLED MY CHIEF PLT. SMO TWR HAD NO PROB WITH THE SAME REQUEST, BY THE WAY, AND REPLIED, 'CLRED AS REQUESTED.' CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: 'SPECIAL ROUTING FOR THE HELI OPERATION HAS BEEN SET UP. RPTR FEELS VERY STRONGLY TO PROCEED AS ORIGINALLY CLRED WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE HAZARDOUS. HIS CHIEF PLT DID COUNSEL HIM THAT HE SHOULD NOT BE SO AGGRESSIVE IN REQUESTING A CHANGE IN CLRNC. RPTR TALKED WITH THE CTLR AND COULD NOT GET A POSITIVE RESPONSE AS TO WHY THE REQUEST WAS DENIED. NO ACTION TAKEN BY THE FAA AND THE INCIDENT IS CLOSED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.