Why Helicopters Are Critical for Covering LA Breaking News

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at Helinet Aviation’s ENG operation.

Matt Leighton

Wednesday, March 04, 2026 at 12:00 PM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

Helinet provides ENG services for KABC-TV in Los Angeles. This Airbus H125 (formerly formerly known as the Eurocopter AS350) is the main helicopter for KABC-TV. [Credit: Matt Leighton]

Key Takeaways:

Electronic News Gathering (ENG) helicopters are indispensable in the Los Angeles TV market due to severe traffic and a vast coverage area, enabling rapid response to breaking news and high-speed police pursuits.
Helinet Aviation provides ENG services, deploying specialized helicopters with pilots, camera operators, and reporters, equipped with advanced cameras and transmission technology for live broadcasting.
Operating ENG helicopters involves adhering to FAA Part 91 rules, navigating busy airspace, and requires rapid deployment (within 10 minutes of a call), alongside significant coordination with other aircraft, especially during complex events like police chases.

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Los Angeles is notorious for gridlock traffic and known for being what some call the police pursuit capital of the world. In the No. 2 television market in the country, getting to breaking news or those high-speed chases quickly usually involves doing so from the air.

Television stations across the country use ENG (electronic news gathering) helicopters as a tool to capture news live. However, as costs have tightened in newsrooms, the number of helicopters has decreased over the years.