Narrative:

Air carrier X during takeoff roll on runway 24L at approximately V1 or vr I noticed 4 helicopters accelerate out in front of our aircraft on the left side. The helicopters apparently had overtaken us on the left wing from the rear at approximately 400-500 ft AGL as they proceeded west down the parallel 'U' taxiway. I was startled and distracted to say the least at their sudden appearance. I initiated 10-15 degree turn to the right to increase our lateral separation and thus increase our room to maneuver. I was reluctant to turn further right due to possible traffic operating from runway 24R. We quickly accelerated and climbed through their altitude at 400-500 ft AGL with 100-200 ft lateral separation. As we passed abeam I noticed that one of the helicopters was in 'military 1' colors that really got my attention. Due to the distraction and evasive turn we were several hundred ft late in raising the landing. Upon arrival in sea I talked with lax tower on the telephone regarding the incident and learned the following information: 1) lax has had a previous incident with the same group. 2) helicopters were using a different frequency than lax north tower. 3) apparently there are no hard and fast separation rules for fixed and rotary aircraft in the takeoff and landing area. 4) also noted that our TCAS system failed to give us any warning or alert. Correction actions: I believe the tower at a min should have advised us to expect helicopter traffic off our left side and their intentions. The best plan would have been to simply delay our takeoff another 20-30 seconds, then there wouldn't have been a conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD NMAC WITH MIL HELI.

Narrative: ACR X DURING TKOF ROLL ON RWY 24L AT APPROX V1 OR VR I NOTICED 4 HELIS ACCELERATE OUT IN FRONT OF OUR ACFT ON THE L SIDE. THE HELIS APPARENTLY HAD OVERTAKEN US ON THE L WING FROM THE REAR AT APPROX 400-500 FT AGL AS THEY PROCEEDED W DOWN THE PARALLEL 'U' TAXIWAY. I WAS STARTLED AND DISTRACTED TO SAY THE LEAST AT THEIR SUDDEN APPEARANCE. I INITIATED 10-15 DEG TURN TO THE R TO INCREASE OUR LATERAL SEPARATION AND THUS INCREASE OUR ROOM TO MANEUVER. I WAS RELUCTANT TO TURN FURTHER R DUE TO POSSIBLE TFC OPERATING FROM RWY 24R. WE QUICKLY ACCELERATED AND CLBED THROUGH THEIR ALT AT 400-500 FT AGL WITH 100-200 FT LATERAL SEPARATION. AS WE PASSED ABEAM I NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE HELIS WAS IN 'MIL 1' COLORS THAT REALLY GOT MY ATTN. DUE TO THE DISTR AND EVASIVE TURN WE WERE SEVERAL HUNDRED FT LATE IN RAISING THE LNDG. UPON ARR IN SEA I TALKED WITH LAX TWR ON THE TELEPHONE REGARDING THE INCIDENT AND LEARNED THE FOLLOWING INFO: 1) LAX HAS HAD A PREVIOUS INCIDENT WITH THE SAME GROUP. 2) HELIS WERE USING A DIFFERENT FREQ THAN LAX N TWR. 3) APPARENTLY THERE ARE NO HARD AND FAST SEPARATION RULES FOR FIXED AND ROTARY ACFT IN THE TKOF AND LNDG AREA. 4) ALSO NOTED THAT OUR TCAS SYSTEM FAILED TO GIVE US ANY WARNING OR ALERT. CORRECTION ACTIONS: I BELIEVE THE TWR AT A MIN SHOULD HAVE ADVISED US TO EXPECT HELI TFC OFF OUR L SIDE AND THEIR INTENTIONS. THE BEST PLAN WOULD HAVE BEEN TO SIMPLY DELAY OUR TKOF ANOTHER 20-30 SECONDS, THEN THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A CONFLICT.

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.