An air traffic controller at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) and a Medivac helicopter pilot got into a heated exchange. I’ve gotta say, they did a good job recovering, though, and not escalating further.
In this post:
Medivac helicopter flies through Washington Dulles airspace
VASAviation has an excellent video about an exchange that happened on April 22, 2025, between a helicopter pilot and a Washington Dulles tower air traffic controller. I recommend watching the roughly three minute video below, but to summarize:
- The helicopter pilot advised that he needed to cross the airport at an altitude of 700 feet
- The air traffic controller advised that he should climb to 2,000 feet, given traffic departing runway 1R
- The helicopter pilot said he wasn’t sure if he could climb to 2,000 feet, so the air traffic controller told him to remain west of runway 1R until he could be cleared
- The helicopter then proceeded to circle west of the field, which caught the air traffic controller off guard, and he asked what he was doing
- The helicopter pilot confirmed that he was staying west of the field until given clearance to cross
- The air traffic controller then responded that he gave instructions to stay west of 1R, and didn’t give him instructions to turn back, though the helicopter pilot explained he was simply doing circles while holding
- The conversation then got heated, with the air traffic controller saying “I never gave you a turn to go back westbound and I never said west of the field,” and he then said “I am not tryin got have a DCA incident here, so that’s why I gotta keep you separated from aircraft if you can’t climb”
- At this point, the helicopter pilot did a good job deescalating the situation, saying “I’m very aware of that, than you for doing that”
- The air traffic controller continued, though, and asked “why is it that you can’t climb,” saying “I’ve worked lifeguard helicopters my entire career and I’ve never had an issue with a helicopter climbing”
- The pilot responded “we’ll get it discussed on the phone when I get down, I appreciate it”
What stands out about this ATC interaction
Often when I post air traffic control interactions, there’s one person who is on an unnecessary power trip. I don’t think that’s the case here at all. The air traffic controller is obviously super vigilant, especially with helicopter traffic, following the fatal crash at a nearby airport a few months ago. Meanwhile the helicopter pilot is transporting someone who may very well be in a life or death situation.
With that in mind, a few things stand out about this interaction…
First of all, I’m sure the pilot had his reason for not wanting to climb to 2,000 feet, but it’s interesting that the controller said he had never heard that before. So, does anyone know what a possible explanation could be? I see someone in the comments section of the video suggesting that the patient was being transported to Reston Hospital, which has a hyperbaric chamber, so someone may have been suffering from a decompression illness, and increasing altitude could put their life at risk.
Second of all, the confrontation here seems to center around the controller’s instructions to “remain west of 1R.” The air traffic controller seemed to want the helicopter to hover in place, while the helicopter pilot was just going to circle in the area (when possible, helicopter pilots prefer not to hover in place). Based on the controller’s instructions, the pilot was complying, as I interpret it. At the same time, with there also being traffic using runway 30, it’s crowded airspace.
Lastly, huge kudos to the pilot for deescalating the situation, which is all too rare. When he sensed that the controller was losing his cool, he thanked him for what he’s doing. Then when the controller tried to continue asking him about why he couldn’t climb, he said that he’s happy to discuss it on the phone once he lands. That’s the level of professionalism we need more of.
Bottom line
A Medivac helicopter pilot trying to cross Washington Dulles Airport got into a heated exchange with a tower controller over holding instructions. I can appreciate the tensions involving helicopters operating near airports, given the tragedy we saw earlier this year. While it got heated for a moment, the pilot did a great job deescalating the situation.
What do you make of this ATC interaction?
A question which has just occurred to me ….
Are American ATC personnel employed for the good and benefit of the air traffic in their area of responsibility, or, is the air traffic flying for the good and benefit of the ATC operators?
Two things...
The helo pilot may not have wanted to climb due to an issue with a patient. Even if he wasn't flying in an emergency capacity, there can medical reasons for wanting to keep a patient low and steady. That may have influenced his desire not to climb. Once he said unable, that should have been it from the controller's side. The pilot in command knows his aircraft and his situation best.
The...
Two things...
The helo pilot may not have wanted to climb due to an issue with a patient. Even if he wasn't flying in an emergency capacity, there can medical reasons for wanting to keep a patient low and steady. That may have influenced his desire not to climb. Once he said unable, that should have been it from the controller's side. The pilot in command knows his aircraft and his situation best.
The controller didn't give the pilot instructions on what to do after saying to remain west. He didn't say hover, circle, go here, wait there, or anything. He essentially left it at the pilot's discretion. He shouldn't have gotten angry at the pilot; he should have been upset with himself for not being clearer. If he wanted the helo to remain west of something, then he should have said where west, and how to get there.
Not sure why you would fly from Stone Springs to Reston Hospital Center. It is only a 22 min drive (13 miles by Freeway). Ambulance could be quicker.
Patient can't go higher than 2000 ft or lower than 100 ft.
I am a rated Helo pilot as well as airline pilot. While it is true that Helo pilots generally don't like to climb while stationary, it would have been no problem to climb to 2000' while in a circling/holding pattern. I'm guessing there was some other reason why the helo pilot didn't want to comply (perhaps the medical issues with the patient). Also, being at 2000' and having an engine failure is a better position to be in than at 700' (helo or fixed wing)
I suspect many, if not most medivac flights are medically unnecessary. They happen with frequency in the US because there are private equity interests that have funded them. Is it really worth $50,000 to cut 20 minutes off what an ambulance transit time would be, particularly in an urban area?
Engel, many who know, both in and operating air ambulance services outside the U.S, would strongly disagree with your assumption.
You might never need the services of an air ambulance, however, thousands of people around the world are only alive today because of them.
If you have an ST elevated myocardial infarction, the heart muscle will start to die unless the blocked coronary vessel is opened up in a cardiac catheterization lab. If a patient is an hours drive away, a helicopter is absolutely medically necessary.
I will add that air ambulance services are widely used in the national health service in the UK. Prince William was a pilot for one service for a while. Private equity interests are not a factor in healthcare in the UK healthcare industry and the NHS would not provide the service unless it was medically necessary.
My sister survived a really bad car accident because a medivac helicopter was available to take her straight to the best trauma center in the region. 28 mile flight done in 10-15 minutes instead of an hour navigating 38 miles of windy suburban roads and jammed interstate traffic in an ambulance.
Are you on DOGE, Engel? That sort of stop-first-ask-questions-later logic based on vibes only reminds me of the 19 year olds who are responsible for making nuanced decisions about what our government considers essential services.
I listened to this yesterday as well.... Agreed the pilot handled it well and that the ATC is under a lot of stress. I don't agree with questioning an active medical flight as to why it would be at a certain altitude. "Unable" should be end of story once the pilot in command relays that to ATC. The pilot was following ATC instructions. Perhaps ATC should have made clear what was said in the later...
I listened to this yesterday as well.... Agreed the pilot handled it well and that the ATC is under a lot of stress. I don't agree with questioning an active medical flight as to why it would be at a certain altitude. "Unable" should be end of story once the pilot in command relays that to ATC. The pilot was following ATC instructions. Perhaps ATC should have made clear what was said in the later clarifying remark from the start. If you are giving someone boundaries to be within, usually that should require at least two parameters if you want some semblance of control.
Any rotary wing pilots able to discuss the distaste for hovering in place. Is it simply because it's not particularly easy to do or are there engineering/aerodynamics issues on top of that?
It takes higher power and at lower altitudes is not as safe in the event of something like an engine failure. Helicopters have a height/velocity curve they follow. Some forward airspeed is better than none as it's difference between possibility to auto-rotate with some level of control (comparable in theory to what an aircraft would do - glide - though not really the same) or drop like a rock if the engine fails.
Not a rotary wing pilot, but my understanding is that hovering can also cause a vortex ring state, where the helicopter could enter the turbulent air beneath it caused by hovering and lose most of its lift. It's just much safer to keep moving.
Great picture of the Air and Space museum!