Narrative:

It is physically impossible to 'see and avoid' in VFR, all aircraft, while I am flying the small transport helicopter. Over norwalk city hall, along imperial highway, I reported my position and altitude to fullerton tower. The tower personnel know my call sign and me, as I paid a 'spirit of cooperation' visit to the tower, in the not too distant past. The tower issued me the altimeter setting and their discrete transponder squawk. About 3 mi into my transition, the tower issued 1 O'clock traffic. I replied 'looking'. As a habit, I always look in the opposite direction. About 1 1/2 feet from my face, to my left, is an overhead switch panel above the magnetic compass and center post. I scanned back to the right, and as I scanned back to the left, an small aircraft emerged from behind the switch panel and compass, only a couple hundred feet above, but 500 to 1000 feet ahead, crossing from left to right, at a right angle. The tower controller never pointed him out to me. No amount of scanning nor craning my neck would have allowed me to see the small aircraft any sooner. I feel the tower controller's workload was too high. I do recall the tower instructing the pilot to make a right downwind entry. I feel the small aircraft pilot's traffic pattern entry was inconsistent with the aim. Speaking with the pilot, I feel he is an inconsiderate, unaware individual, who takes the right-of-way, even if it doesn't belong to him, and is oblivious to any other aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX CPR-HELICOPTER GA-SMA IN FUL ATA.

Narrative: IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO 'SEE AND AVOID' IN VFR, ALL ACFT, WHILE I AM FLYING THE SMT HELI. OVER NORWALK CITY HALL, ALONG IMPERIAL HIGHWAY, I REPORTED MY POSITION AND ALT TO FULLERTON TWR. THE TWR PERSONNEL KNOW MY CALL SIGN AND ME, AS I PAID A 'SPIRIT OF COOPERATION' VISIT TO THE TWR, IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT PAST. THE TWR ISSUED ME THE ALTIMETER SETTING AND THEIR DISCRETE TRANSPONDER SQUAWK. ABOUT 3 MI INTO MY TRANSITION, THE TWR ISSUED 1 O'CLOCK TFC. I REPLIED 'LOOKING'. AS A HABIT, I ALWAYS LOOK IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. ABOUT 1 1/2 FEET FROM MY FACE, TO MY LEFT, IS AN OVERHEAD SWITCH PANEL ABOVE THE MAGNETIC COMPASS AND CENTER POST. I SCANNED BACK TO THE RIGHT, AND AS I SCANNED BACK TO THE LEFT, AN SMA EMERGED FROM BEHIND THE SWITCH PANEL AND COMPASS, ONLY A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET ABOVE, BUT 500 TO 1000 FEET AHEAD, XING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT, AT A RIGHT ANGLE. THE TWR CTLR NEVER POINTED HIM OUT TO ME. NO AMOUNT OF SCANNING NOR CRANING MY NECK WOULD HAVE ALLOWED ME TO SEE THE SMA ANY SOONER. I FEEL THE TWR CTLR'S WORKLOAD WAS TOO HIGH. I DO RECALL THE TWR INSTRUCTING THE PLT TO MAKE A RIGHT DOWNWIND ENTRY. I FEEL THE SMA PLT'S TFC PATTERN ENTRY WAS INCONSISTENT WITH THE AIM. SPEAKING WITH THE PLT, I FEEL HE IS AN INCONSIDERATE, UNAWARE INDIVIDUAL, WHO TAKES THE RIGHT-OF-WAY, EVEN IF IT DOESN'T BELONG TO HIM, AND IS OBLIVIOUS TO ANY OTHER ACFT.

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