An R66 instructor pilot described communication difficulties and conflict with another helicopter du...

Attributes
ACN	959748
Time
Date	201107
Place
Locale Reference	LAX.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Robinson Helicopter Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	VFR Route
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	Cruise
Person 1
Function	Pilot Not Flying Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Rotorcraft Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 70 Flight Crew Total 2000 Flight Crew Type 110
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

I was transitioning south on the shoreline in contact with santa monica tower when a helicopter opposite direction and same altitude was spotted just before we got to the pier. We went right and so did the other helicopter. Tower never mentioned an on coming helicopter. At this time we were already watching a helicopter hovering about 300 to 400 ft AGL near the class B lax surface just about one half mile in [from] shore. Tower never mentioned this helicopter traffic either. I'm not sure if radar is used in this area or if my communication was unclear to the tower. I traveled past the pier and requested a frequency change and was granted. I then immediately called lax tower for a south shoreline transition. It took five calls and I had to stop just shy of the class B for clearance. I was granted transition and the helicopter I was watching called on lax tower frequency and said I wasn't talking to santa monica or on frequency. I was on with lax at this point. I told them I canceled with santa monica. The pilot told the tower he didn't feel it was close either; but wondered why I wasn't on with santa monica. I don't feel this was a close call; but feel communication would have helped. I reassessed to keep 123.05 in my back up radio at all times and become more familiar with the area points when I fly in la. It's very busy when you are not used to it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An R66 Instructor pilot described communication difficulties and conflict with another helicopter during a south shoreline transition through SMO into LAX airspace.

Narrative: I was transitioning south on the shoreline in contact with Santa Monica Tower when a helicopter opposite direction and same altitude was spotted just before we got to the pier. We went right and so did the other helicopter. Tower never mentioned an on coming helicopter. At this time we were already watching a helicopter hovering about 300 to 400 FT AGL near the class B LAX surface just about one half mile in [from] shore. Tower never mentioned this helicopter traffic either. I'm not sure if radar is used in this area or if my communication was unclear to the Tower. I traveled past the pier and requested a frequency change and was granted. I then immediately called LAX Tower for a south shoreline transition. It took five calls and I had to stop just shy of the class B for clearance. I was granted transition and the helicopter I was watching called on LAX Tower frequency and said I wasn't talking to Santa Monica or on frequency. I was on with LAX at this point. I told them I canceled with Santa Monica. The pilot told the Tower he didn't feel it was close either; but wondered why I wasn't on with Santa Monica. I don't feel this was a close call; but feel communication would have helped. I reassessed to keep 123.05 in my back up radio at all times and become more familiar with the area points when I fly in LA. It's very busy when you are not used to it.

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.

An R66 instructor pilot described communication difficulties and conflict with another helicopter during a south shoreline transition through smo into lax airspace.