Narrative:

Since 2/91, I have experienced or observed 3 incidents of helicopter's presenting problems to departing airliners. While departing dca, runway 15, I was informed (near rotation) that a helicopter would be crossing the departure end of runway 15. Although I had a visibility initially, I lost sight of the helicopter as we started our climb. I immediately got an RA on my TCASII to increase my rate of climb. After the resolution cleared, we received a second RA on the same helicopter as it climbed over bolling AFB. All this during a departure turn and after takeoff clean-ups. On departing runway 33R at bwi, a helicopter which I thought was remaining to the left of the runway crossed the centerline 1/4-1/2 mi off the departure end--during my takeoff roll. TCASII not installed. A jet departing runway 18R at clt asked tower if they knew about the helicopter to the left of the runway. The tower replied that they did. The pilot commented that they should have been told of the helicopter's presence as the intruding aircraft startled them. Helicopter's should be kept clear of the departure corridor during a takeoff for several reasons, all of which are related to safety. Even if they are clear of center line, they provide an unneeded distraction to the departing air crew. Although the helicopter crew and maybe the tower personnel know where the helicopter is going, the departing crew most often does not. With TCAS installed, a helicopter close by will trip it off right when the departing crew doesn't need another distraction. Just after liftoff is a critical phase of flight with a high workload, to have to response to an unnecessary RA is dangerous. In event of an emergency, a helicopter on or near the centerline is a real obstacle (just as is a tower, hill, etc). The departing aircraft may not have a good rate of climb and need that airspace and it may not have time to tell the helicopter to move. I am not saying that helicopter's can't use or work around airports, but they should be kept clear of departure and approach areas. Airliners are like cars or buses--they follow set paths while the helicopter's are like off-road veh's--they don't need to follow set rtes. I think the rules are in place to keep the departure corridors clear, but towers are trying to expedite and help the helicopter's and are getting lax about the clearance criteria.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PIC MAKES A CASE FOR NOT HAVING HELICOPTERS NEAR DEP OR ARR CORRIDORS AT LOW ALT AT HIGH DENSITY ARPTS. TCASII NOW AN ADDITIONAL CONCERN.

Narrative: SINCE 2/91, I HAVE EXPERIENCED OR OBSERVED 3 INCIDENTS OF HELI'S PRESENTING PROBS TO DEPARTING AIRLINERS. WHILE DEPARTING DCA, RWY 15, I WAS INFORMED (NEAR ROTATION) THAT A HELI WOULD BE XING THE DEP END OF RWY 15. ALTHOUGH I HAD A VIS INITIALLY, I LOST SIGHT OF THE HELI AS WE STARTED OUR CLB. I IMMEDIATELY GOT AN RA ON MY TCASII TO INCREASE MY RATE OF CLB. AFTER THE RESOLUTION CLRED, WE RECEIVED A SECOND RA ON THE SAME HELI AS IT CLBED OVER BOLLING AFB. ALL THIS DURING A DEP TURN AND AFTER TKOF CLEAN-UPS. ON DEPARTING RWY 33R AT BWI, A HELI WHICH I THOUGHT WAS REMAINING TO THE LEFT OF THE RWY CROSSED THE CENTERLINE 1/4-1/2 MI OFF THE DEP END--DURING MY TKOF ROLL. TCASII NOT INSTALLED. A JET DEPARTING RWY 18R AT CLT ASKED TWR IF THEY KNEW ABOUT THE HELI TO THE LEFT OF THE RWY. THE TWR REPLIED THAT THEY DID. THE PLT COMMENTED THAT THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN TOLD OF THE HELI'S PRESENCE AS THE INTRUDING ACFT STARTLED THEM. HELI'S SHOULD BE KEPT CLR OF THE DEP CORRIDOR DURING A TKOF FOR SEVERAL REASONS, ALL OF WHICH ARE RELATED TO SAFETY. EVEN IF THEY ARE CLR OF CENTER LINE, THEY PROVIDE AN UNNEEDED DISTR TO THE DEPARTING AIR CREW. ALTHOUGH THE HELI CREW AND MAYBE THE TWR PERSONNEL KNOW WHERE THE HELI IS GOING, THE DEPARTING CREW MOST OFTEN DOES NOT. WITH TCAS INSTALLED, A HELI CLOSE BY WILL TRIP IT OFF RIGHT WHEN THE DEPARTING CREW DOESN'T NEED ANOTHER DISTR. JUST AFTER LIFTOFF IS A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT WITH A HIGH WORKLOAD, TO HAVE TO RESPONSE TO AN UNNECESSARY RA IS DANGEROUS. IN EVENT OF AN EMER, A HELI ON OR NEAR THE CENTERLINE IS A REAL OBSTACLE (JUST AS IS A TWR, HILL, ETC). THE DEPARTING ACFT MAY NOT HAVE A GOOD RATE OF CLB AND NEED THAT AIRSPACE AND IT MAY NOT HAVE TIME TO TELL THE HELI TO MOVE. I AM NOT SAYING THAT HELI'S CAN'T USE OR WORK AROUND ARPTS, BUT THEY SHOULD BE KEPT CLR OF DEP AND APCH AREAS. AIRLINERS ARE LIKE CARS OR BUSES--THEY FOLLOW SET PATHS WHILE THE HELI'S ARE LIKE OFF-ROAD VEH'S--THEY DON'T NEED TO FOLLOW SET RTES. I THINK THE RULES ARE IN PLACE TO KEEP THE DEP CORRIDORS CLR, BUT TWRS ARE TRYING TO EXPEDITE AND HELP THE HELI'S AND ARE GETTING LAX ABOUT THE CLRNC CRITERIA.

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.