Everyone has a bucket list. You see, these are the items I really want to accomplish before I leave this mortal earth. Some people know they will probably never achieve it. Others may be achievable with a little effort. For my part, I know that I will never be able to say that I was on an aircraft that took off or that I landed on an aircraft carrier. I also know that I can't spend an hour in a helicopter taking pictures of LAX airport…
Wait, that might be possible!
Let's start a few months ago. The moment I realized I would be able to attend the SpotLAX2023 event in September, I knew there was one thing I really wanted to do. It was a one-hour helicopter ride over LAX airport, taking photos of the airport and aircraft. .
I started researching the details of how this could be achieved. The first item was to search for companies offering those flights. I met with Star Helicopters, based at Hawthorne Airport in Los Angeles. The first item checked off the list was the answer to the question, “Dad, what should I get you for Father’s Day?” My family's response to this set the entire experience in motion.
Now that I knew the days I would be staying in the Los Angeles area, I started researching what would be the best days and times to fly. This involved several hours confirming flight arrivals and departures at LAX Airport. Once I knew what I wanted to photograph, I knew what time of day would be best. After selecting my desired date and time, I contacted Star Helicopters online to book my flight. All you had to do was fill out the reservation request form and select your flight date and time. Within a few hours I received confirmation from Star Helicopters that everything was set up. In the months that followed, “Is it time to go to LA?”
The trip to Los Angeles has finally come to fruition, and the day of the helicopter trip has finally arrived! An amazing experience began the moment I entered Star Helicopter. The staff are all very welcoming and friendly. When I arrived my pilot Philipp was doing all the checks on the helicopter. After completion, he came to the office to discuss flight details. It is important to note that a description of acceptable locations is on their website. All flights allow one transition between locations, so choose wisely. I decided to spend the first half of my time between the two runways and then switch to the south side of the airfield.
After making a regulatory phone call to the LAX tower for approval to complete the flight, we headed to our registered N91AV Robinson R-44 helicopter. Philipp gave a final safety briefing for the flight and then everything was on board. Also worth noting is that there is no passenger door on the left side of the aircraft, making it easier to take pictures. If you suffer from vertigo, this is important to know.
From the moment we took off and headed towards runway 25 at Hawthorne, Philipp's local knowledge and experience of these flights were on full display. By wearing the headset during the flight, passengers will be able to hear all interactions with the LAX tower, and it will also serve as a means of communication with the pilots. Philipp started pointing out all the interesting sights.
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The first location we headed to was between complexes at 2,500' elevation. After receiving permission to divert there, we both began looking for an inbound flight. At the same time, I was pointing out interesting things about the scene that I wanted to photograph. The amazing thing Philipp was able to do for me was that he rotated the helicopter in the air every time I photographed my subject. All I had to do was concentrate on what I was taking pictures of.
During the flight, a news helicopter from a local TV station passed through LAX airspace not far from us. This provided the perfect opportunity for air-to-air fire. This was a very interesting and unexpected opportunity. We spent about 30 minutes circling the locations between the complexes, taking pictures of everything we could. Soon it was time to move south of the airfield and lower our altitude to 1,000 feet. Again Philipp searched the sky for everyone arriving, allowing me to focus on taking pictures. This allowed me to add more images to my camera's memory card.
Before we knew it, it was time to head back to Hawthorne Airport for a short flight. After saying goodbye to my amazing staff, I got in my car and immediately called my family, and the first words out of my mouth were, “Wow, that was amazing.” This is definitely an achievable bucket list item. It was an experience that will stay in my mind for years to come.
Anyone interested in checking one off their bucket list can contact Star Helicopters through their website or call (310) 355-1959.