Narrative:

The tower cleared us for takeoff on runway 23L with a turn to a heading of 190 degree and a climb to 3000'. At the time we were told to contact departure, we noticed 4 helicopters in formation approximately 1/2 mi southeast of the departure end of runway 23L. The controller working local control failed to inform us of the position of these helicopters or was unaware of their position. The departure controller was aware of the position of the helicopters and had assumed that the tower had informed us of their position. We did not notice the helicopters until we were airborne. If we had not taken evasive action by stopping our turn, a collision would have occurred. The departure controller advised us that he would inform his supervisor of the situation. There is a national guard base on the east side of the field.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX COMMUTER LTT MIL HELICOPTERS CROSSING THE TKOF END OF THE ARPT AT RDU.

Narrative: THE TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF ON RWY 23L WITH A TURN TO A HDG OF 190 DEG AND A CLIMB TO 3000'. AT THE TIME WE WERE TOLD TO CONTACT DEP, WE NOTICED 4 HELICOPTERS IN FORMATION APPROX 1/2 MI SE OF THE DEP END OF RWY 23L. THE CTLR WORKING LCL CTL FAILED TO INFORM US OF THE POSITION OF THESE HELICOPTERS OR WAS UNAWARE OF THEIR POSITION. THE DEP CTLR WAS AWARE OF THE POSITION OF THE HELICOPTERS AND HAD ASSUMED THAT THE TWR HAD INFORMED US OF THEIR POSITION. WE DID NOT NOTICE THE HELICOPTERS UNTIL WE WERE AIRBORNE. IF WE HAD NOT TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION BY STOPPING OUR TURN, A COLLISION WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE DEP CTLR ADVISED US THAT HE WOULD INFORM HIS SUPVR OF THE SITUATION. THERE IS A NATIONAL GUARD BASE ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE FIELD.

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.