Narrative:

IFR flight plan was filed by operations to depart a hospital helipad and proceed IFR to my destination. I called xyz FSS to pick up my IFR clearance. Xyz FSS radio requested a clarification on my departure location. I informed xyz radio that I would be departing from a hospital helipad located in ZZZ, and the geographical location was filed in the form of latitude/longitude coordinates in the flight plan. Also, I gave an estimate of DME and direction from ab county airport, XXX, us. Xyz FSS relayed the following short range clearance, 'ATC clears EMS helicopter direct to XXX NDB, climb and maintain 4000 ft, contact xxz approach on 119.2, squawk XXXX, clearance void if not off by AB40.' time now AB16. I repeated the clearance to xyz radio. I contacted xxz approach on departure and was immediately queried on my departure point. IFR flight was completed without incident. Upon landing, I received phone calls from xyz radio and xxz approach concerning the confusion over my departure point. Evidently, the clearance was obtained and issued based on an IFR departure from ab county airport which is controled by xxz approach. The actual departure point was ZZZ, which is controled by center. My clearance never mentioned a departure location. I should have clarified the missing departure point in my readback. The ability of helicopters to depart from locations other than airports seems to have created a source of confusion among various ATC facilities. With an increasing number of GPS approachs being approved into hospital helipads and the ability of helicopters to depart remote locations would indicate a strong need for the aviation community to address this issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS ROTARY WINGED OP FLIES IFR DIRECT TO DEST ARPT'S NDB AND IS INVOLVED IN AN UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN WAS FILED BY OPS TO DEPART A HOSPITAL HELIPAD AND PROCEED IFR TO MY DEST. I CALLED XYZ FSS TO PICK UP MY IFR CLRNC. XYZ FSS RADIO REQUESTED A CLARIFICATION ON MY DEP LOCATION. I INFORMED XYZ RADIO THAT I WOULD BE DEPARTING FROM A HOSPITAL HELIPAD LOCATED IN ZZZ, AND THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION WAS FILED IN THE FORM OF LATITUDE/LONGITUDE COORDINATES IN THE FLT PLAN. ALSO, I GAVE AN ESTIMATE OF DME AND DIRECTION FROM AB COUNTY ARPT, XXX, US. XYZ FSS RELAYED THE FOLLOWING SHORT RANGE CLRNC, 'ATC CLRS EMS HELI DIRECT TO XXX NDB, CLB AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT, CONTACT XXZ APCH ON 119.2, SQUAWK XXXX, CLRNC VOID IF NOT OFF BY AB40.' TIME NOW AB16. I REPEATED THE CLRNC TO XYZ RADIO. I CONTACTED XXZ APCH ON DEP AND WAS IMMEDIATELY QUERIED ON MY DEP POINT. IFR FLT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON LNDG, I RECEIVED PHONE CALLS FROM XYZ RADIO AND XXZ APCH CONCERNING THE CONFUSION OVER MY DEP POINT. EVIDENTLY, THE CLRNC WAS OBTAINED AND ISSUED BASED ON AN IFR DEP FROM AB COUNTY ARPT WHICH IS CTLED BY XXZ APCH. THE ACTUAL DEP POINT WAS ZZZ, WHICH IS CTLED BY CTR. MY CLRNC NEVER MENTIONED A DEP LOCATION. I SHOULD HAVE CLARIFIED THE MISSING DEP POINT IN MY READBACK. THE ABILITY OF HELIS TO DEPART FROM LOCATIONS OTHER THAN ARPTS SEEMS TO HAVE CREATED A SOURCE OF CONFUSION AMONG VARIOUS ATC FACILITIES. WITH AN INCREASING NUMBER OF GPS APCHS BEING APPROVED INTO HOSPITAL HELIPADS AND THE ABILITY OF HELIS TO DEPART REMOTE LOCATIONS WOULD INDICATE A STRONG NEED FOR THE AVIATION COMMUNITY TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

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.