Narrative:

When departing a public relations event that turned out to also be a small scale air show; the air show coordinator asked if I could make a pass down the parallel taxiway on our way home. The active runway was runway xx with strong winds from the south. The flight down the parallel taxiway would be opposite the flow of traffic. I agreed assuming that the controller would stop normal departures while I was making the run down the parallel taxiway. I departed from the parallel taxiway; to the south and with the normal traffic flow for a helicopter at an uncontrolled airport; and made all the appropriate radio calls on the unicom frequency. After proceeding approximately 1 mi south of the airport; I reversed course and made the appropriate announcement giving my intentions to fly over the parallel taxiway. I was in constant radio contact with the coordinator throughout the maneuver and did not hear anyone preparing to take off from the runway. As I was lining up for the northbound flight over the parallel taxiway; I noticed a small single engine airplane begin his takeoff run. To avoid a possible opposite direction conflict; I turned away from the departing fixed wing and it turned away from our helicopter. Though there was never a threat that we would collide; this does offer an opportunity to reiterate the importance of making the appropriate radio calls when operating at an uncontrolled airport. Also; it's important to never assume anything in regards to the intentions of another aircraft that is operating in close proximity to your own aircraft. We all know that 'assume' can 'make an ass out of you and me.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A109 PILOT MAKING LOW PASS REPORTS CONFLICT WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION GA ACFT ON TKOF ROLL.

Narrative: WHEN DEPARTING A PUBLIC RELATIONS EVENT THAT TURNED OUT TO ALSO BE A SMALL SCALE AIR SHOW; THE AIR SHOW COORDINATOR ASKED IF I COULD MAKE A PASS DOWN THE PARALLEL TXWY ON OUR WAY HOME. THE ACTIVE RWY WAS RWY XX WITH STRONG WINDS FROM THE S. THE FLT DOWN THE PARALLEL TXWY WOULD BE OPPOSITE THE FLOW OF TFC. I AGREED ASSUMING THAT THE CTLR WOULD STOP NORMAL DEPS WHILE I WAS MAKING THE RUN DOWN THE PARALLEL TXWY. I DEPARTED FROM THE PARALLEL TXWY; TO THE S AND WITH THE NORMAL TFC FLOW FOR A HELI AT AN UNCTLED ARPT; AND MADE ALL THE APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS ON THE UNICOM FREQ. AFTER PROCEEDING APPROX 1 MI S OF THE ARPT; I REVERSED COURSE AND MADE THE APPROPRIATE ANNOUNCEMENT GIVING MY INTENTIONS TO FLY OVER THE PARALLEL TXWY. I WAS IN CONSTANT RADIO CONTACT WITH THE COORDINATOR THROUGHOUT THE MANEUVER AND DID NOT HEAR ANYONE PREPARING TO TAKE OFF FROM THE RWY. AS I WAS LINING UP FOR THE NBOUND FLT OVER THE PARALLEL TXWY; I NOTICED A SMALL SINGLE ENG AIRPLANE BEGIN HIS TKOF RUN. TO AVOID A POSSIBLE OPPOSITE DIRECTION CONFLICT; I TURNED AWAY FROM THE DEPARTING FIXED WING AND IT TURNED AWAY FROM OUR HELI. THOUGH THERE WAS NEVER A THREAT THAT WE WOULD COLLIDE; THIS DOES OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY TO REITERATE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING THE APPROPRIATE RADIO CALLS WHEN OPERATING AT AN UNCTLED ARPT. ALSO; IT'S IMPORTANT TO NEVER ASSUME ANYTHING IN REGARDS TO THE INTENTIONS OF ANOTHER ACFT THAT IS OPERATING IN CLOSE PROX TO YOUR OWN ACFT. WE ALL KNOW THAT 'ASSUME' CAN 'MAKE AN ASS OUT OF YOU AND ME.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.