Helicopter Route Chart Program

Helicopter Route Charts are graphic portrayals of discrete and/or common use helicopter routes and/or operating zones located in high density traffic areas. Their purpose is to facilitate helicopter pilot access into, egress from, or operation within charted areas. They generally will include associated altitude or flight ceiling information to facilitate traffic avoidance. The charts provide expanded, and in some cases unique, ground reference symbology to improve visual navigation.

Pilot adherence to charted helicopter routes and the recommended altitudes or flight ceilings associated with them will normally be voluntary. However, controllers may assign charted routes and altitudes and expect or request pilot compliance with them, provided such procedures are called for in specific FAA-operator Letters of Agreement, or are necessitated by traffic density and/or safety considerations; controllers also may restrict operations within designated operating zones when requested by local law enforcement officials and the restriction would not adversely affect other aircraft operations.

Routes:

Recommended altitudes/flight ceilings/floors must avoid restricted/military airspace requiring prior authorization or clearance to enter.

All routes depicted on a Helicopter Route Chart must, to the maximum extent practicable, reference ground objects that can be readily identified from the air under visual meteorological conditions (VMC).

Operating Zones: Airspace encompassed by a Helicopter Route Chart must, when necessary and required by operational considerations, be divided into a sufficient number of operating zones or sectors to permit local law enforcement agencies to operate within them on an exclusive basis.

Altitudes and Flight Ceilings/Floors: Each segment of a helicopter route may contain recommended altitudes or flight ceilings/floors. It is the discretion of the local air traffic tower if such altitudes will be depicted, or, assigned at a later date when the pilot contacts the tower.

Recommended altitudes/flight ceilings/floors must avoid airspace requiring prior authorization or clearance to enter.

Care should be exercised to avoid recommending altitudes or flight ceilings/floors which could cause helicopters operating on a designated route to encounter inflight wake turbulence generated by large, heavy, or super aircraft.

When altitude/flight ceiling changes are required, they should be based on a descent rate of 250-350 feet per nautical mile.

Communications Information: Each Helicopter Route Chart must include sufficient radio communications information to permit pilot compliance with all pertinent regulatory requirements and facilitate the acquisition and dissemination of air traffic advisory information.

Military considerations:Avoid establishing helicopter routes or operating zones which would conflict with military ground control radar approach paths. When charting a route or operating zone which crosses or is located in close proximity to a MTR, include communications instructions that will permit pilots to determine the status of the MTR.

Helicopter Route Chart development: ATMs are responsible for determining the need for chart development or revision, and for compliance with the following:

Initial action: The requesting ATM must establish a task force comprised of local air traffic, FSDO, military, law enforcement, and helicopter operator personnel to recommend the area of chart coverage and the paths, routes, and operating zones that will comprise it.

Justification: As a minimum, the ATM must address in writing:

Background information pertinent to chart development or revision, including the composition of the task force;

The airspace areas and proposed routes, operating zones, and altitude/flight ceiling/floor considerations examined;

Special VFR procedural implications;

Task force recommendations; and

Supporting rationale.

Charts and description: ATMs must provide a narrative description or drawing of the chart area, including:

Identification of all integral routes or operating zones, with named visual checkpoints and elevations, and associated altitude or flight ceiling limitations;

Any IFR routes that fall within the charted area;

Procedural notes pertinent to operations within the charted area or an operating zone, and on designated routes; and

Traffic advisory radio communications frequencies and ATC facility names associated with area, route, or zone operations.

Helicopter Route Chart Approval and Publication: The ATM will send the proposed or revised chart to the Service Area Director of Air Traffic Operations for approval. The approved chart must be forwarded to the OSG for review and submission to Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) for publication.

Annual Review: The ATM is responsible for reviewing Helicopter Route Charts on an annual basis.

Revisions to Helicopter Route Charts: The ATM initiates revisions to Helicopter Route Charts and should propose changes to the established task force for collaboration. The following are considered sufficient justification for a revision:

Changes, additions, or deletions to area coverage, designated routes or operating zones, controlling agencies and/or frequencies, procedural notes, or airport/heliport/helistop status;

Changes in IFR routes within the chart coverage area; and

Additions or deletions to visual checkpoints.

Publicity: ATMs must seek the cooperation of local FSDO personnel in informing local aviation interests about the Helicopter Route Chart Program. Special emphasis should be placed on:

The voluntary nature of pilot adherence to designated routes, operating zones, altitudes/flight ceilings, and procedural notes;

The importance of chart use to operational safety and IFR traffic avoidance; and

The “see and avoid” nature of operations within the chart area.