Narrative:

We announced on CTAF that we were taxiing for departure to runway 09 at jka. During our taxi we did not hear any communications being transmitted on CTAF. We did observe a helicopter running as we started our taxi. Upon reaching runway 09; we were ready to depart. Just prior to our announcement that we were departing runway 09 and prior to taxiing onto the runway; we heard a helicopter announce that it was taxiing to taxiway a for a westbound departure. We then announced our intentions to depart runway 09 for a northbound departure. As we turned onto the runway we saw the helicopter that had been running was air taxiing over to taxiway a. Takeoff preceded as normal. No other communication was heard. During the takeoff roll I observed a small steady red light down at the departure end of runway 09 just slightly left of the center-line. Not sure what I was seeing I continued with the takeoff. Shortly after rotation; I observed that the red light that I was seeing was a helicopter that was departing from runway 27. I banked 20 degrees to the right to avoid any conflict and proceeded with the departure. Shortly after the diversion we heard the helicopter we had observed at runway 09 and taxiway a announce his departure. We never heard a transmission from the helicopter departing from runway 27 and taxiway a.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C550 experienced an NMAC with a helicopter departing opposite direction from the same uncontrolled runway at JKA.

Narrative: We announced on CTAF that we were taxiing for departure to Runway 09 at JKA. During our taxi we did not hear any communications being transmitted on CTAF. We did observe a helicopter running as we started our taxi. Upon reaching Runway 09; we were ready to depart. Just prior to our announcement that we were departing Runway 09 and prior to taxiing onto the runway; we heard a helicopter announce that it was taxiing to Taxiway A for a westbound departure. We then announced our intentions to depart Runway 09 for a northbound departure. As we turned onto the runway we saw the helicopter that had been running was air taxiing over to Taxiway A. Takeoff preceded as normal. No other communication was heard. During the takeoff roll I observed a small steady red light down at the departure end of Runway 09 just slightly left of the center-line. Not sure what I was seeing I continued with the takeoff. Shortly after rotation; I observed that the red light that I was seeing was a helicopter that was departing from Runway 27. I banked 20 degrees to the right to avoid any conflict and proceeded with the departure. Shortly after the diversion we heard the helicopter we had observed at Runway 09 and Taxiway A announce his departure. We never heard a transmission from the helicopter departing from Runway 27 and Taxiway A.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.