Ariz. Collision a First for TV Choppers

Two news helicopters fall after colliding in midair while covering a police pursuit in central Phoenix, Friday, July 27, 2007, killing everyone on both aircraft, police said. Both helicopters were from local television stations. KNXV-TV Channel 15 reported that one of the choppers belonged to its station. The other chopper was from KTVK Channel 3 in Phoenix. (AP Photo/La Voz-The Arizona Republic, AJ Alexander) (Aj Alexander - AP)

"Typically air traffic controllers clear helicopters into an area where they can cover a chase like this," Gregor said. "Once they are in the area, the pilots themselves are responsible for keeping themselves separated from other aircraft."

Pilots generally use a dedicated radio frequency to talk to each other, he said.

There is a high degree of coordination among the pilots, Gregor said. "To fly for a TV station you have to have a commercial rating, which means more (flight hours), more training."

McCutchen said pilot awareness is vital while covering news events because of the many distractions that could spell trouble.

"You are watching the scene. You have to bring your attention inside to look at the monitors to see what the audience is seeing so you can converse," McCutchen said. "But you're also having to direct your attention to the other aircraft flying around you. You have to have your head on a swivel in those kinds of situations."

In McCutchen's market, pilots of news choppers pick different altitudes and radio their positions to the other pilots.

"So then we have vertical separation, and then we make sure we have horizontal separation. But we're talking to each other. I may be live on the air and one of the other guys may say `Hey, I'm coming up on your left side.' I'll break away from what I'm doing on the air and say `Roger,' and then go back to talking."

Along with radio communication, the aircrafts' flashing beacon lights and conspicuous paint schemes also help alert pilots to the proximity of the other helicopters, a helicopter safety consultant and pilot trainer said.

"It's a pretty intense operation, as you can imagine, and where you've got competition among television stations, they obviously need to make sure it is a friendly competition," said consultant Shawn Coyle of Southampton, Pa. "If something goes wrong, the communication broke down somewhere along the way."

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Associated Press writers Jacques Billeaud, Chris Kahn, Pauline Arrillaga, Bob Christie and Terry Tang contributed to this report.