Narrative:

The tower controller cleared us for takeoff on runway 24 with a left turn to depart the area to the east. At the end of the runway I noticed an aircraft ahead and slightly above my altitude. Upon reaching 500 ft AGL (600 ft MSL), I realized the traffic was closing when the student started to turn to the left to depart the pattern on course. At that time I stopped the student and made a shallow turn to the right to avoid the incoming traffic. I kept this turn very shallow since I was in the right seat and wanted to maintain visual contact until the traffic passed. The helicopter passed to our left, we were both 700 ft MSL. Afterward, when the frequency was silent, I queried the tower. The comment I made was, 'when I take off on runway 24, and someone is coming in on the back course, that I would appreciate a 'heads up' for oncoming traffic.' I was told that the controller saw the traffic about the same time as I, that the traffic was VFR and not on the back course, and that it was no factor. Additionally the controller offered the telephone number for the tower which I declined since it is available at the school. Time: XA50. After we returned, I attempted to call the tower manager. There was no answer. I was a little surprised that there was not an answer machine or voice mail when the phone was not attended. At that time I called the tower in an attempt to leave a message for the tower manager. The controller who answered wanted to resolve any problem then and there. I attempted to leave a message for the tower manager and asked who it was. Each attempt was rebuffed and I was asked what the problem was. I said that I was concerned about not being notified of head-on traffic in the traffic pattern. I was told, the traffic was no factor, what is the problem? At this point I stated that I would rather speak to the facility manager. I then repeatedly asked for the identify of the current pne facility manager. Each response to the question was 'no one.' at this time I was told that I must be 'dense,' there is no facility manager at pne. I then said that if he would not provide that information, that I knew where to obtain it. The controller took this as a threat and berated me for threatening him over the phone. At this time I stated that I would like a copy of the tower tape and the telephone tape to take to the FSDO. I thanked him for his attention to the matter and hung up.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AA-1C INSTRUCTOR PLT HAS A PROB WITH THE TWR PROC AT PNE WHEN TA NOT GIVEN.

Narrative: THE TWR CTLR CLRED US FOR TKOF ON RWY 24 WITH A L TURN TO DEPART THE AREA TO THE E. AT THE END OF THE RWY I NOTICED AN ACFT AHEAD AND SLIGHTLY ABOVE MY ALT. UPON REACHING 500 FT AGL (600 FT MSL), I REALIZED THE TFC WAS CLOSING WHEN THE STUDENT STARTED TO TURN TO THE L TO DEPART THE PATTERN ON COURSE. AT THAT TIME I STOPPED THE STUDENT AND MADE A SHALLOW TURN TO THE R TO AVOID THE INCOMING TFC. I KEPT THIS TURN VERY SHALLOW SINCE I WAS IN THE R SEAT AND WANTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT UNTIL THE TFC PASSED. THE HELI PASSED TO OUR L, WE WERE BOTH 700 FT MSL. AFTERWARD, WHEN THE FREQ WAS SILENT, I QUERIED THE TWR. THE COMMENT I MADE WAS, 'WHEN I TAKE OFF ON RWY 24, AND SOMEONE IS COMING IN ON THE BACK COURSE, THAT I WOULD APPRECIATE A 'HEADS UP' FOR ONCOMING TFC.' I WAS TOLD THAT THE CTLR SAW THE TFC ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS I, THAT THE TFC WAS VFR AND NOT ON THE BACK COURSE, AND THAT IT WAS NO FACTOR. ADDITIONALLY THE CTLR OFFERED THE TELEPHONE NUMBER FOR THE TWR WHICH I DECLINED SINCE IT IS AVAILABLE AT THE SCHOOL. TIME: XA50. AFTER WE RETURNED, I ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE TWR MGR. THERE WAS NO ANSWER. I WAS A LITTLE SURPRISED THAT THERE WAS NOT AN ANSWER MACHINE OR VOICE MAIL WHEN THE PHONE WAS NOT ATTENDED. AT THAT TIME I CALLED THE TWR IN AN ATTEMPT TO LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE TWR MGR. THE CTLR WHO ANSWERED WANTED TO RESOLVE ANY PROB THEN AND THERE. I ATTEMPTED TO LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR THE TWR MGR AND ASKED WHO IT WAS. EACH ATTEMPT WAS REBUFFED AND I WAS ASKED WHAT THE PROB WAS. I SAID THAT I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT NOT BEING NOTIFIED OF HEAD-ON TFC IN THE TFC PATTERN. I WAS TOLD, THE TFC WAS NO FACTOR, WHAT IS THE PROB? AT THIS POINT I STATED THAT I WOULD RATHER SPEAK TO THE FACILITY MGR. I THEN REPEATEDLY ASKED FOR THE IDENT OF THE CURRENT PNE FACILITY MGR. EACH RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION WAS 'NO ONE.' AT THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THAT I MUST BE 'DENSE,' THERE IS NO FACILITY MGR AT PNE. I THEN SAID THAT IF HE WOULD NOT PROVIDE THAT INFO, THAT I KNEW WHERE TO OBTAIN IT. THE CTLR TOOK THIS AS A THREAT AND BERATED ME FOR THREATENING HIM OVER THE PHONE. AT THIS TIME I STATED THAT I WOULD LIKE A COPY OF THE TWR TAPE AND THE TELEPHONE TAPE TO TAKE TO THE FSDO. I THANKED HIM FOR HIS ATTN TO THE MATTER AND HUNG UP.

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.