Narrative:

While taxiing from the glacier park international terminal for takeoff on runway 20, a helicopter was observed approaching the airport center from the west at approximately 25 ft AGL. The helicopter turned sbound over the runway and disappeared from my field of view. Our taxi, takeoff and climb out was normal. While en route I was advised to contact our ramp in kalispell upon arrival to discuss an incident that occurred on the and in kalispell. Ramp personnel advised me that the helicopter that I had observed while taxiing had turned in behind my aircraft and hovered extremely close to the tail section of my large transport. The helicopter then flew directly over the fuselage at about 15 ft above the large transport and hovered to parking. This maneuver was unnecessary and needlessly placed aircraft, passengers, and crew in danger. The incident reflected poor judgement on the part of the helicopter pilot but more importantly operating large airliners into uncontrolled airport a poor FAA policy. Rules allowing these types of operation assumes that all pilots operate with the same caution and professionalism exhibited in the orderly procedures found in a controled environment. This is not reality. Yrs of operating in these uncontrolled airports has taught me to expect the unexpected and realize that a disaster is sure to occur due to operation in this uncontrolled environment. I recommend that the FAA place a control tower at all airports served by part 121 carriers. The passengers pay a ticket tax for and deserve the protection that a controled environment provides.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HELI TAXIING TO PARKING HOVERS 15 FT ABOVE DEPARTING AIR CARRIER.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING FROM THE GLACIER PARK INTL TERMINAL FOR TKOF ON RWY 20, A HELI WAS OBSERVED APCHING THE ARPT CENTER FROM THE W AT APPROX 25 FT AGL. THE HELI TURNED SBOUND OVER THE RWY AND DISAPPEARED FROM MY FIELD OF VIEW. OUR TAXI, TKOF AND CLBOUT WAS NORMAL. WHILE ENRTE I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT OUR RAMP IN KALISPELL UPON ARR TO DISCUSS AN INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED ON THE AND IN KALISPELL. RAMP PERSONNEL ADVISED ME THAT THE HELI THAT I HAD OBSERVED WHILE TAXIING HAD TURNED IN BEHIND MY ACFT AND HOVERED EXTREMELY CLOSE TO THE TAIL SECTION OF MY LGT. THE HELI THEN FLEW DIRECTLY OVER THE FUSELAGE AT ABOUT 15 FT ABOVE THE LGT AND HOVERED TO PARKING. THIS MANEUVER WAS UNNECESSARY AND NEEDLESSLY PLACED ACFT, PAXS, AND CREW IN DANGER. THE INCIDENT REFLECTED POOR JUDGEMENT ON THE PART OF THE HELI PLT BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY OPERATING LARGE AIRLINERS INTO UNCTLED ARPT A POOR FAA POLICY. RULES ALLOWING THESE TYPES OF OPERATION ASSUMES THAT ALL PLTS OPERATE WITH THE SAME CAUTION AND PROFESSIONALISM EXHIBITED IN THE ORDERLY PROCS FOUND IN A CTLED ENVIRONMENT. THIS IS NOT REALITY. YRS OF OPERATING IN THESE UNCTLED ARPTS HAS TAUGHT ME TO EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED AND REALIZE THAT A DISASTER IS SURE TO OCCUR DUE TO OPERATION IN THIS UNCTLED ENVIRONMENT. I RECOMMEND THAT THE FAA PLACE A CTL TWR AT ALL ARPTS SERVED BY PART 121 CARRIERS. THE PAXS PAY A TICKET TAX FOR AND DESERVE THE PROTECTION THAT A CTLED ENVIRONMENT PROVIDES.

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.