Narrative:

While waiting for departure I was watching and listening as 2 training helicopters and another aircraft that were in the pattern. The helicopter involved was on downwind and there was a piper warrior on base. As the warrior turned final; the helicopter on downwind called 'making right 360 for spacing.' after the warrior landed; I called 'position and hold' thinking the helicopter was still on downwind. I could not see the helicopter; since they (the choppers that are there now) always fly a very low pattern. I had heard no other calls from the helicopter. As soon as I taxied onto the runway (after a careful look) the helicopter called 'helicopter X; on short final.' thinking I was well ahead of him still; I made a departure call. To my surprise; the helicopter descended and landed directly in front of me. I understand that the landing aircraft has the right of way; and I made a mistake. I was furious; shaken; and felt incredibly surprised that the helicopter; which had a professional instructor and student on board; which must have seen me and heard my call; elected to land in my path. How I can avoid this: 1) wait until I can gain sight of the helicopter in the pattern. 2) call the helicopter and ask his position. On another note; these 2 helicopters make a rather annoying habit of tying up the pattern. They fly very low; very tight patterns; and they coordinate their approachs; ie; one will land and remain on the runway until the other helicopter calls for a final; then will depart; leaving almost no room for a fixed wing aircraft to land or depart. They fly a very tight pattern; turning a short crosswind; then fly a very tight downwind; then turn a very short base and final. I understand that pilots need to train; but I feel that incessant pattern training by multiple helicopters at the same airport can lead to frustration and accidents.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C210 TAXIED INTO POSITION AT EYQ AND BEGAN A TKOF ROLL; WHEN A HELICOPTER LANDED IN FRONT OF IT FORCING A REJECTED TKOF.

Narrative: WHILE WAITING FOR DEP I WAS WATCHING AND LISTENING AS 2 TRAINING HELIS AND ANOTHER ACFT THAT WERE IN THE PATTERN. THE HELI INVOLVED WAS ON DOWNWIND AND THERE WAS A PIPER WARRIOR ON BASE. AS THE WARRIOR TURNED FINAL; THE HELI ON DOWNWIND CALLED 'MAKING R 360 FOR SPACING.' AFTER THE WARRIOR LANDED; I CALLED 'POS AND HOLD' THINKING THE HELI WAS STILL ON DOWNWIND. I COULD NOT SEE THE HELI; SINCE THEY (THE CHOPPERS THAT ARE THERE NOW) ALWAYS FLY A VERY LOW PATTERN. I HAD HEARD NO OTHER CALLS FROM THE HELI. AS SOON AS I TAXIED ONTO THE RWY (AFTER A CAREFUL LOOK) THE HELI CALLED 'HELI X; ON SHORT FINAL.' THINKING I WAS WELL AHEAD OF HIM STILL; I MADE A DEP CALL. TO MY SURPRISE; THE HELI DSNDED AND LANDED DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE LNDG ACFT HAS THE RIGHT OF WAY; AND I MADE A MISTAKE. I WAS FURIOUS; SHAKEN; AND FELT INCREDIBLY SURPRISED THAT THE HELI; WHICH HAD A PROFESSIONAL INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT ON BOARD; WHICH MUST HAVE SEEN ME AND HEARD MY CALL; ELECTED TO LAND IN MY PATH. HOW I CAN AVOID THIS: 1) WAIT UNTIL I CAN GAIN SIGHT OF THE HELI IN THE PATTERN. 2) CALL THE HELI AND ASK HIS POS. ON ANOTHER NOTE; THESE 2 HELIS MAKE A RATHER ANNOYING HABIT OF TYING UP THE PATTERN. THEY FLY VERY LOW; VERY TIGHT PATTERNS; AND THEY COORDINATE THEIR APCHS; IE; ONE WILL LAND AND REMAIN ON THE RWY UNTIL THE OTHER HELI CALLS FOR A FINAL; THEN WILL DEPART; LEAVING ALMOST NO ROOM FOR A FIXED WING ACFT TO LAND OR DEPART. THEY FLY A VERY TIGHT PATTERN; TURNING A SHORT XWIND; THEN FLY A VERY TIGHT DOWNWIND; THEN TURN A VERY SHORT BASE AND FINAL. I UNDERSTAND THAT PLTS NEED TO TRAIN; BUT I FEEL THAT INCESSANT PATTERN TRAINING BY MULTIPLE HELIS AT THE SAME ARPT CAN LEAD TO FRUSTRATION AND ACCIDENTS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.