Narrative:

During a night taxi of small aircraft X with a left seat INS rated private pilot and a right seat USAF pilot and instrument providing a night chkout of a military flying club aircraft and member. Only 1 aircraft was heard on the radio to land and taxi clear the active runway (tipton aaf runway 28). Following the ground cabin check and engine run-up, but prior to taking the active runway, I transmitted on CTAF that I was taking the active for departure. No other aircraft were sighted by either pilot and nothing was heard on the radio CTAF. At takeoff rotation we sighted a red rotating beacon at 1 O'clock and took immediate evasive action to the left and turned on our strobe lights, all other navigation lights were on and I was using 25 degree flaps. Also during rotation a military helicopter call sign mlt helicopter Y transmitted, 'mlt Y, 28 main field, closed.' what I evaded was a military helicopter that had been on extended hover and not periodically announcing his position or intentions. His lighting was not distinguishable among the numerous other airport and runway lights and strobes. Following evasion, the helicopter called for my tail # and to ask if I had seen him. I replied with my call sign and negative visibility sighting. While I practice 3 night lndgs, the helicopter also practiced several approachs and hovers, all with minimal communications and non standard phraseology. The problem was caused by poor communications, both visibility and aural. Also civilian pilots trained for standard phraseology operated with military pilots using military jargon. These problems are common at tipton aaf which now does not have an operating control tower. Our best action was to act quickly and 'continue flying the aircraft.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BETWEEN CIVIL SMA X AND MLT HELICOPTER Y AT NIGHT AT FME.

Narrative: DURING A NIGHT TAXI OF SMA X WITH A LEFT SEAT INS RATED PVT PLT AND A RIGHT SEAT USAF PLT AND INSTR PROVIDING A NIGHT CHKOUT OF A MIL FLYING CLUB ACFT AND MEMBER. ONLY 1 ACFT WAS HEARD ON THE RADIO TO LAND AND TAXI CLR THE ACTIVE RWY (TIPTON AAF RWY 28). FOLLOWING THE GND CABIN CHK AND ENG RUN-UP, BUT PRIOR TO TAKING THE ACTIVE RWY, I XMITTED ON CTAF THAT I WAS TAKING THE ACTIVE FOR DEP. NO OTHER ACFT WERE SIGHTED BY EITHER PLT AND NOTHING WAS HEARD ON THE RADIO CTAF. AT TKOF ROTATION WE SIGHTED A RED ROTATING BEACON AT 1 O'CLOCK AND TOOK IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION TO THE LEFT AND TURNED ON OUR STROBE LIGHTS, ALL OTHER NAV LIGHTS WERE ON AND I WAS USING 25 DEG FLAPS. ALSO DURING ROTATION A MIL HELI CALL SIGN MLT HELI Y XMITTED, 'MLT Y, 28 MAIN FIELD, CLOSED.' WHAT I EVADED WAS A MIL HELI THAT HAD BEEN ON EXTENDED HOVER AND NOT PERIODICALLY ANNOUNCING HIS POS OR INTENTIONS. HIS LIGHTING WAS NOT DISTINGUISHABLE AMONG THE NUMEROUS OTHER ARPT AND RWY LIGHTS AND STROBES. FOLLOWING EVASION, THE HELI CALLED FOR MY TAIL # AND TO ASK IF I HAD SEEN HIM. I REPLIED WITH MY CALL SIGN AND NEGATIVE VIS SIGHTING. WHILE I PRACTICE 3 NIGHT LNDGS, THE HELI ALSO PRACTICED SEVERAL APCHS AND HOVERS, ALL WITH MINIMAL COMS AND NON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY. THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY POOR COMS, BOTH VIS AND AURAL. ALSO CIVILIAN PLTS TRAINED FOR STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY OPERATED WITH MIL PLTS USING MIL JARGON. THESE PROBS ARE COMMON AT TIPTON AAF WHICH NOW DOES NOT HAVE AN OPERATING CTL TWR. OUR BEST ACTION WAS TO ACT QUICKLY AND 'CONTINUE FLYING THE ACFT.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.