Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 50; Flight Crew Total 4700; Flight Crew Type 2600
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Workload
Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
While on an ambulance flight; I requested and was granted a clearance for transition though an active restricted area. A squawk code was assigned and placed in the transponder with requested oncourse heading provided to the Controlling Agency. I continued monitoring the required frequency. After a short time it was clear that neither the crew nor I had dealt with the local Fire and EMS handling the call of which we were heading. In addition; the radio frequencies for ground contact were not in our aircraft. After asking the requesting agency to use a common frequency. We were told they were unable. At this time I had a phone patch established with the County Dispatch and had landing zone and patient information relayed to us from the scene. This required quite a few transmissions on other radios in the aircraft with all the chatter that comes with these actions. As we approached Class D airspace next to the special use; I informed the Controlling Agency that I needed to change frequencies to Tower. At this time; I was told that they had tried to call me and I did not respond. I informed them I did not hear a transmission and if there was an issue. The operator stated I had flown over or near ranges that had not confirmed 'checked fire'. I apologized for any problems; but it was my understanding that I had received clearance though the airspace and if there was going to be a problem; I would have just flown around the restricted area. I phoned the Controlling Agency the next day to clear up the issue and learned that a clearance may require some time for the agency to make the necessary radio and phone contact to shut ranges down. An aircraft can rapidly approach those areas faster than they can go cold. In essence; a clearance in itself is not the same as a normal clearance in aviation and may be evolving only as fast as separate ranges are contacted. Although I rarely ever ask to pass though these areas; it is important to remember events on the ground often do not occur at the same rate as events in the air. Radio discipline to anticipate the potential time needed to shutdown activity along the flight path needs to be taken into account. Although a clearance in normal aviation is just that; Special Use Airspace has special events that need to be taken into account even with a clearance.
Bell-206 pilot monitoring transmissions related to a medical mission; missed an ATC advisory regarding range activity in a Restricted Area through which the pilot had previously been cleared.