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:

In gridlocked Los Angeles, Electronic News Gathering (ENG) helicopters are essential for TV stations to cover breaking news and high-speed chases rapidly across a vast geographical area.
Helinet Aviation provides these critical ENG services, operating specialized helicopters with a pilot, camera operator, and reporter, requiring quick deployment and complex coordination in busy airspace under FAA Part 91 rules.
The demanding job involves advanced camera and transmission technology, extensive multitasking, and precise coordination, ensuring timely, live aerial coverage for vital stories in Southern California.

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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.