Rotorcraft
Complainers Want Higher Helo Base in LA
Helicopter noise in the Los Angeles metropolitan area remains a critical issue.
Helicopter noise in the Los Angeles Basin has been an ongoing issue for years. Operators have been 
working with neighbors and the FAA to address the issue, but it remains a contentious one. Photo: Fotolia
Helicopter noise in the Los Angeles Basin has been an ongoing issue for years. Operators have been working with neighbors and the FAA to address the issue, but it remains a contentious one. Photo: Fotolia

In the Los Angeles helicopter noise wars, 2,000 feet above ground level (agl) is the magic number, the nirvana of minimum helicopter cruising altitudes, various anti-helicopter groups aligned as the Los Angeles Area Helicopter Noise Coalition (LAAHNC or HNC) want to impose via regulation or statute. This despite the airspace chaos that move would create at the various airports throughout the Los Angeles Basin, including mixing helicopter and fixed-wing VFR traffic at the same altitude.