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Archive for October, 2009
Coast Guard @ LAX
U.S. Coast Guard helicopters are not to be mistaken for any other. The U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Los Angeles is located at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The unit started as an aviation detachment in 1962 with two HO-4s helicopters and has since grown to a station supporting four HH-65C “Dolphin” Helicopters. Air Station Los Angeles maintains a Search and Rescue helicopter 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and is responsible for protecting the coastal area of Southern California from Dana Point to Morro Bay. On average, 200 SAR (search and rescue) cases are prosecuted every year. In addition to SAR, Air Station LA helicopters provide Homeland Security Patrols for the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, and Port Hueneme in Ventura County.
The Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach comprise the largest cargo seaport in the United States and the fifth busiest in the world moving over 15 million containers every year. In Addition to container traffic, the seaport is also the largest Cruise Ship port on the west coast. Additional Homeland Security responsibilities include the over water approach and departure corridors for Los Angeles International Airport, which handles more international flights than any other airport in the country. Over 60 million passengers on California tours, ect. and 1.8 millions tons of cargo travel through LAX each year. Finally, Air Station Los Angeles helicopters and personnel protect the ecologically rich waters surrounding the Channel Islands National Parks.
KTLA Telecopter
News helicopters in LA are just part of the sky scape. Today we are accustomed to perfect HD news images that flow smoothly across our plasmas without a shake or shimmer. In 1958 – Television station KTLA became the first to use a news helicopter, and they cleverly called it the Telecopter, changing news history forever.
In general, helicopters in LA are highly leveraged as instrumental tools in police work, fire fighting, news reporting, rescue, and even the escorted tour for the ambitious visitor. As a side note, the original KTLA Telecopter sure looks a lot like the one in MASH!
Sunset
Sunset Boulevard is a street in the western part of Los Angeles County, California, that stretches from Figueroa Street in downtown Los Angeles to thePacific Coast Highway at the Pacific Ocean in the Pacific Palisades. The street is an icon of Hollywood celebrity culture and the phrase “Sunset Boulevard” is an enduring shorthand for the glamor associated with Tinseltown. Approximately 22 miles (35 km) in length, the famous boulevard passes through or near Echo Park, Silver Lake, Los Feliz, Hollywood, West Hollywood,Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills, Bel-Air, Brentwood, and Pacific Palisades. It also passes through the neighborhood of Little Armenia on the East side of Sunset Boulevard. Other than West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, which are independent incorporated cities, the places named above are all districts and neighborhoods in the City of Los Angeles. In the Bel-Air district of Los Angeles, Sunset Boulevard runs along the northern boundary of the UCLA Westwood campus.
The boulevard is winding and treacherous in some areas. It is at least four lanes in width for all of its route. Car accidents are not uncommon due to its numerous hairpin curves and blind crests, and the lack of a center divider on most sections. Sunset (along with Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards) is frequently congested with traffic loads far beyond its design capacity. As a result, it is also notorious for cracks and potholes. Traffic on Sunset is often slow-moving, with bumper-to-bumper congestion not infrequent during rush hour in both directions, and is also a frequently traveled path for guided tours. However, when traffic is mild or nonexistent, Sunset is an extremely fast thoroughfare as it encounters few (and short timed) traffic lights west of Doheny Drive. Even at rush hours, traffic generally flows well through the Holmby Hills and Bel Air, west of Whittier in Beverly Hills, as the lights are very well spaced and timed.
New Perspectives on a Dazzling Locale
Although it’s possible to savor a day of sightseeing in L.A. from right here on the ground, one still misses out on the unique perspective afforded by an aerial view. The greater Los Angeles area is flush with gorgeous vistas and landmarks both natural and man-made. There’s the Hollywood sign itself and of course the scenic Pacific shoreline, and who could forget about all of the modern buildings located downtown?
In order to truly appreciate a panoramic view of Southern California’s bountiful metropolis, one simply must indulge in Hollywood helicopter tours. You’ll be able to see familiar landscapes in an entirely new light because of the major shift in perspective. Gaze down at the miniaturized terrain from dizzying heights and notice details that had always alluded you from ground level.
Go See a Movie
When visiting LA, or any place far from home, perhaps the last thing on the agenda would be to go out and see a movie. Yet, let me be the first to tell you that Grauman’s Chinese Theater has been around since 1927 and practically ever celebrity since then has sat in this theater for a movie premiere. If the walls could talk they would have a lot to say!
Typically on visitors are attracted to the famous hand prints of the stars in the courtyard. 365 days a year, you will find crowds there at almost any time of the day and night. LA tours are always stopping at the famous theater, but over the years I have learned that most do not actually enjoy a movie there. Do it I say! The interior and exterior of this landmark is worth your full attention.