Helicopter flight in Urbanized areas

[Daddy O]

I have always flown choppers on PE from airport to airport, maybe some cros country flight. But if you are operating from a rooftop or hopping about from pads within the city, and outside of the airport's controlled airspace, what kind of interaction do you need to have with...anyone? Is there anyone controlling the skies over a city like Tucson or Phoenix or even San Diego? Do executive helicopters talk to anyone when they hop about town?

[Ryan Geckler]

None, provided you stay away from controlled airspace.

[Ryan B]

Check out Skyvector and select the helo overlays....

[Daddy O]

Is a transponder required?

[Ryan B]

It's no different than fixed wing rules reference 30 mi mode C vail surrounding class B airports. You don't need one in class D airports for sure and I'd have to check but I don't think you need one in class C airspace.

[Keith Smith]

Transponder requirements in an easy to read document: http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources/PIC ... ments.aspx

The communication and transponder requirements aren't any different than fixed wing.

The transponder is required in Class B airspace, above Class B airspace, in Class C airspace, above Class C airspace, above 10,000ft or within the 30nm mode C veil around a Bravo.

[Ryan B]

Golly I'm a little rusty... We work a lot of "no box"
guys in duluth sometimes I forget about the rest of the world.