Narrative:

We were on a southwest flow departing runway 22R at our airport. To increase departure capacity our propellers were issued a non standard climb out of turn right and advised the cba controller that propellers were on non standard headings, as had the cabin attendant coordinator. I took a point out from the cba controller of helicopter on a published VFR route that brings him within a mi of the west side of the airport. According to our facility SOP, after cba issues a pointout they are to maintain separation with lcls, departures, and arrs. As a local controller I want to make sure an aircraft's departure course is free of traffic. Since I was about to launch a commuter propeller I checked the d-brite scope and observed no traffic, I looked out the window and observed no traffic, although my view was partially obstructed by our supervisor who was standing at his desk. So I cleared the aircraft (propeller) for takeoff then I cleared an air carrier (jet) for takeoff and advised him the previous departure was in a wbound turn, no factor. I put the next aircraft into position then told the commuter aircraft to contact departure, as I unkeyed and looked out the window, I saw a helicopter over the airport terminals and the pilot replied that he would contact departure but he wanted to let me know he missed the helicopter by about 1000 ft. It is my belief that cba had the helicopter maintaining visual separation. Factors: helicopter off the published route, close enough to be lost in the 'main bang' of d-brite scope. Cba should advise local helicopter maintaining visual separation. To avoid these sits, when propellers are on non standard clbouts the west side VFR route should be avoided.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFLICTING TFC SIT.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A SW FLOW DEPARTING RWY 22R AT OUR ARPT. TO INCREASE DEP CAPACITY OUR PROPS WERE ISSUED A NON STANDARD CLBOUT OF TURN R AND ADVISED THE CBA CTLR THAT PROPS WERE ON NON STANDARD HDGS, AS HAD THE CAB COORDINATOR. I TOOK A POINT OUT FROM THE CBA CTLR OF HELI ON A PUBLISHED VFR RTE THAT BRINGS HIM WITHIN A MI OF THE W SIDE OF THE ARPT. ACCORDING TO OUR FACILITY SOP, AFTER CBA ISSUES A POINTOUT THEY ARE TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION WITH LCLS, DEPS, AND ARRS. AS A LCL CTLR I WANT TO MAKE SURE AN ACFT'S DEP COURSE IS FREE OF TFC. SINCE I WAS ABOUT TO LAUNCH A COMMUTER PROP I CHKED THE D-BRITE SCOPE AND OBSERVED NO TFC, I LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND OBSERVED NO TFC, ALTHOUGH MY VIEW WAS PARTIALLY OBSTRUCTED BY OUR SUPVR WHO WAS STANDING AT HIS DESK. SO I CLRED THE ACFT (PROP) FOR TKOF THEN I CLRED AN ACR (JET) FOR TKOF AND ADVISED HIM THE PREVIOUS DEP WAS IN A WBOUND TURN, NO FACTOR. I PUT THE NEXT ACFT INTO POS THEN TOLD THE COMMUTER ACFT TO CONTACT DEP, AS I UNKEYED AND LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW, I SAW A HELI OVER THE ARPT TERMINALS AND THE PLT REPLIED THAT HE WOULD CONTACT DEP BUT HE WANTED TO LET ME KNOW HE MISSED THE HELI BY ABOUT 1000 FT. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT CBA HAD THE HELI MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION. FACTORS: HELI OFF THE PUBLISHED RTE, CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE LOST IN THE 'MAIN BANG' OF D-BRITE SCOPE. CBA SHOULD ADVISE LCL HELI MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION. TO AVOID THESE SITS, WHEN PROPS ARE ON NON STANDARD CLBOUTS THE W SIDE VFR RTE SHOULD BE AVOIDED.

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.