Helicopter Air Show in Los Angeles

Once again I have to hand it to social media for helping me discover an aviation event, this time right in my own back yard. It was through a glance at Facebook last Saturday morning that I noticed a pilot friend posted something about a helicopter event. Upon following a few links I realized it was something perfect for me, that I'd been missing out on up until now!

The American Heroes Air Show describes itself as "a grass-roots community effort to celebrate the dynamic role of helicopters in law enforcement, fire service, search and rescue, homeland security, communications and national defense." What that means to me is a chance to see advanced military and civilian helicopters and meet the pilots who fly them.

Because this air show is helicopter-only, the event is able to take place in a large city park instead of behind an airport fence. Not only does this make it more accessible to spectators, but also encourages a family atmosphere where people bring their spouses, children, and even dogs. A couple soccer fields were taken over with parked helicopters ranging from small trainers to large medevac and Coast Guard aircraft, with pilots representing each organization there to answer questions.

This event is largely focused on military and government operations, but also featured helicopter rides for the public from a local tour operator in their R44's. Clearly this was a popular way to attract business, as they were selling seats for the short ride as fast as they could take the money.

Overall I was quite pleased not only to take part in this fun and accessible aviation event, but also really glad to see the positive impact of these helicopter relations with my community. I have the strong feeling that for the aviation industry and the helicopter industry in particular to continue to grow, events like these that delight and inspire the citizens of their communities are vital. I look forward to attending again next year, or even becoming more involved as a volunteer.