Narrative:

On mar/tue/96 at XA45 local, I had what I consider a small but significant incident on a taxiway with a coast guard helicopter. It happened at isla grande airport (san juan, pr) at the south taxiway, runway 9. At this time of the day the airport is uncontrolled and I was reporting my intentions to taxi (from the ramp to the runway) in the blind on 121.7 (ground frequency). There are only 2 exits or intxns at the end of the south taxiway available in order to use runway 9. To my surprise there was a coast guard helicopter blocking (in the middle of the taxiway heading east) blocking the end intersection and leaving a tight space of around 100 ft for fixed wing aircraft to enter the other intersection. This room to taxi was judged by me as safe and I radioed my intentions again in 121.7 along with both of my landing lights on. My wingtip cleared the helicopter's rotor area by more than 40 ft. I taxied very slow and off to the side of the taxiway to avoid any direct conflict with the helicopter. Suddenly a voice called me on 121.7 telling me to contact the coast guard helicopter on 118.7. The helicopter's crew asked me if I thought I was a little close to them. I told them I had no other choice and what I did was with the highest caution. Their reply on the frequency was bulls___. My next action was not to continue an argument and to proceed with a takeoff on runway 9 without any further problem. I believe there was a communication problem. I was on a ground frequency 121.7 transmitting my intentions at all times but the helicopter was in the 'air' on tower frequency on 118.7 and still the airport was uncontrolled. But my question is why the helicopter was parked in the taxiway blocking fixed wing aircraft with so much available grass/ramp area to taxi by?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A COAST GUARD HELI WAS BLOCKING THE RPTR'S TAXI RTE TO THE END OF THE RWY. THE RPTR WAS USING THE GND CTL FREQ TO TAXI OUT WHEN THE TWR CLOSED RATHER THAN THE CTAF. WHEN THE RPTR SQUEEZED BY THE HELI TO TAXI ONTO THE RWY AT AN INTXN THE HELI PLT ASKED THE RPTR TO COME UP ON THE CTAF FREQ AND COMPLAINED ABOUT HIS TAXIING SO CLOSE TO THE HELI.

Narrative: ON MAR/TUE/96 AT XA45 LCL, I HAD WHAT I CONSIDER A SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT INCIDENT ON A TXWY WITH A COAST GUARD HELI. IT HAPPENED AT ISLA GRANDE ARPT (SAN JUAN, PR) AT THE S TXWY, RWY 9. AT THIS TIME OF THE DAY THE ARPT IS UNCTLED AND I WAS RPTING MY INTENTIONS TO TAXI (FROM THE RAMP TO THE RWY) IN THE BLIND ON 121.7 (GND FREQ). THERE ARE ONLY 2 EXITS OR INTXNS AT THE END OF THE S TXWY AVAILABLE IN ORDER TO USE RWY 9. TO MY SURPRISE THERE WAS A COAST GUARD HELI BLOCKING (IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TXWY HDG E) BLOCKING THE END INTXN AND LEAVING A TIGHT SPACE OF AROUND 100 FT FOR FIXED WING ACFT TO ENTER THE OTHER INTXN. THIS ROOM TO TAXI WAS JUDGED BY ME AS SAFE AND I RADIOED MY INTENTIONS AGAIN IN 121.7 ALONG WITH BOTH OF MY LNDG LIGHTS ON. MY WINGTIP CLRED THE HELI'S ROTOR AREA BY MORE THAN 40 FT. I TAXIED VERY SLOW AND OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE TXWY TO AVOID ANY DIRECT CONFLICT WITH THE HELI. SUDDENLY A VOICE CALLED ME ON 121.7 TELLING ME TO CONTACT THE COAST GUARD HELI ON 118.7. THE HELI'S CREW ASKED ME IF I THOUGHT I WAS A LITTLE CLOSE TO THEM. I TOLD THEM I HAD NO OTHER CHOICE AND WHAT I DID WAS WITH THE HIGHEST CAUTION. THEIR REPLY ON THE FREQ WAS BULLS___. MY NEXT ACTION WAS NOT TO CONTINUE AN ARGUMENT AND TO PROCEED WITH A TKOF ON RWY 9 WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROB. I BELIEVE THERE WAS A COM PROB. I WAS ON A GND FREQ 121.7 XMITTING MY INTENTIONS AT ALL TIMES BUT THE HELI WAS IN THE 'AIR' ON TWR FREQ ON 118.7 AND STILL THE ARPT WAS UNCTLED. BUT MY QUESTION IS WHY THE HELI WAS PARKED IN THE TXWY BLOCKING FIXED WING ACFT WITH SO MUCH AVAILABLE GRASS/RAMP AREA TO TAXI BY?

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.