Jet Ranger All Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 91; Flight Crew Total 15316; Flight Crew Type 6200
Distraction; Workload; Communication Breakdown
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Other / Unknown
General None Reported / Taken
Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
I work for a company that provides aerial video for a local TV station. The station was sponsoring a balloon festival and requested video of the event. We had been orbiting for about 45 minutes at 2000 MSL when the station advised that they had sufficient video and to return to base.I initiated a left turn from 180 to 010 when my camera man in the rear left seat exclaimed 'did you see that'? I asked what and he replied a little plane just flew under us; I glanced at the TCAD readout and saw traffic; .1 miles and -200 ft. I never saw the aircraft but we shot video of it and could see later that it was a C-182. I had UNICOM frequencies up for two local airstrips which is where I think the C-182 departed from; I had heard no traffic on those frequencies. I don't believe the high wing Cessna ever saw us.I usually turn down the audio on the TCAD when departing Class C as I find it distracting and in this instance I had not returned the TCAD volume to cruise setting. Also; I had been focused on spacing from the dozen or so balloons that were popping up everywhere below us and was not scanning for traffic. Next year I will ask the balloon event organizer to include orbiting helicopter in the NOTAM.
A Helicopter TV crew reported a near miss at 2;000 feet as they departed a balloon festival after providing aerial coverage.