Ever wonder what is the Yankee Pattern?  What about other helicopter operations?

Falcon is one of the busiest helicopter airports in the country.  While we do not track specific numbers, few other facilities are home to two helicopter manufacturers, a major city police helicopter base operation, two air ambulances, and a host of other based helicopters.  In addition, because of our operation, many helicopters will come to Falcon to fly.  Why??? Because our touch and go pattern for helicopters is ideal for training.

So what is the Yankee pattern?

 Using the diagram below it shows that the Yankee Pattern is a helicopter operation that remains inside the standard traffic pattern.  Helicopters fly from the Turf area (in front of MD Helicopters), climb to 1,900 MSL and land again in the Turf.  Some of the operations also use the "Echo Ramp".  This area is the ramp where the seaplanes/Canberra's park.  The operation, however, remains the same. 

The tower will provide information all pilots operating in the closed traffic pattern.  This information will be passed one time, or as needed.

Pilots, in fixed wing aircraft, should not start their crosswind let until leaving 1,900.  Standard pattern altitude is 2,200.  Pilots should not make short approaches unless specifically approved by the tower.  Some of these helicopters are small and hard to pick up.  Like you, they are conducting training. 

The MD helicopters are very fast in the pattern and begin their decent as they turn final.  Often they will hover on final and make a rapid decent to the ramp. 

There are several other helicopter operations at Falcon.  There are three that depart from the west side of the airport (either MD or Boeing) that continue to the west/northwest, and one that departs the east side of the airport that departs southeast/east.

On the west side we have the Cactus/Citrus departure/arrival.  This operation uses the Boeing Longbow ramp and departs either toward the dump (about Gilbert and the Beeline) or up towards Fountain Hills.  Both operations are conducted at 1,900 MSL in the area around the airport.  The X-Ray departure/arrival is used by MD and is a mirror image of the Cactus, except that they begin/terminate on the turf/echo ramp.  In this respect they are much like the Yankee Pattern. 

On the east side, we have the Snake departure/arrival.  These operations begin on the east side of the airport and depart towards the east/southeast. 

The last operation is the "Bravo".  Using the diagram below, the "Bravo" has helicopters cross the airport along taxiway "Bravo"  They cross the runway at 1,900 MSL.  Obviously any fixed wing go around may pose problems.  However, because the helicopters are moving quickly across the runway environment, this is minimum.  Controllers will also call traffic to the helicopters and fixed wing aircraft to ease any conflicts.

Of course, as with any aircraft, helicopters may ask for other routes.  These are allowed on a traffic permitting basis.