Narrative:

Aircraft was on traffic watch as small aircraft X transponder code XXX under control of O'hare tower. Helicopter was cleared from the woodfield reporting point inbound on the woodfield route, hold short of 22L. We were advised of small transport traffic inbound on 14, however we did not receive advisories of 2 medium large transport on approach. Visual contact was made with the first medium large transport, however, the second medium large transport was behind and to the left. Contact was made when I started a slow right hand turn to circle on the woodfield while waiting turn to talk to O'hare. Medium large transport reported us as beneath them to tower at the time I made visual contact with medium large transport off to my left side. Tower stated that actual woodfield route was east of highway 90, however the route was charted over the highway which I was following. Problem lies in fact that aircrew using the helicopter route chart and not familiar with the area will follow the route as depicted. Secondly, I was not advised of the traffic off to my left rear. Circle was made in attempt to remain west of centerline which carried me further south off of what tower showed as the woodfield route. Conflict would not have taken place had the route been properly depicted on the helicopter route chart and we had been advised of traffic. While in the military assigned to the defense mapping agency I chaired the committee tasked to design the helicopter route chart specifications. At that time the decision was made to show the actual rtes so as not to add to confusion and reduce the controller's workload. At the time there was no definite time for reprint of the charts. Updates were to be made when significant changes occurred. If changes have been made that are addressed in letters of agreement this does not help the out of town pilot stay in his airspace. I would recommend the chart be revised when such changes exist.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC WATCH RPTR IN HELI HAD CONFLICT WITH TFC APCHING ORD ARPT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS ON TFC WATCH AS SMA X TRANSPONDER CODE XXX UNDER CTL OF O'HARE TWR. HELI WAS CLRED FROM THE WOODFIELD RPTING POINT INBOUND ON THE WOODFIELD RTE, HOLD SHORT OF 22L. WE WERE ADVISED OF SMT TFC INBOUND ON 14, HOWEVER WE DID NOT RECEIVE ADVISORIES OF 2 MLG ON APCH. VISUAL CONTACT WAS MADE WITH THE FIRST MLG, HOWEVER, THE SECOND MLG WAS BEHIND AND TO THE L. CONTACT WAS MADE WHEN I STARTED A SLOW R HAND TURN TO CIRCLE ON THE WOODFIELD WHILE WAITING TURN TO TALK TO O'HARE. MLG RPTED US AS BENEATH THEM TO TWR AT THE TIME I MADE VISUAL CONTACT WITH MLG OFF TO MY L SIDE. TWR STATED THAT ACTUAL WOODFIELD RTE WAS E OF HIGHWAY 90, HOWEVER THE RTE WAS CHARTED OVER THE HIGHWAY WHICH I WAS FOLLOWING. PROBLEM LIES IN FACT THAT AIRCREW USING THE HELI RTE CHART AND NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA WILL FOLLOW THE RTE AS DEPICTED. SECONDLY, I WAS NOT ADVISED OF THE TFC OFF TO MY L REAR. CIRCLE WAS MADE IN ATTEMPT TO REMAIN W OF CENTERLINE WHICH CARRIED ME FURTHER S OFF OF WHAT TWR SHOWED AS THE WOODFIELD RTE. CONFLICT WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE HAD THE RTE BEEN PROPERLY DEPICTED ON THE HELI RTE CHART AND WE HAD BEEN ADVISED OF TFC. WHILE IN THE MIL ASSIGNED TO THE DEFENSE MAPPING AGENCY I CHAIRED THE COMMITTEE TASKED TO DESIGN THE HELI RTE CHART SPECS. AT THAT TIME THE DECISION WAS MADE TO SHOW THE ACTUAL RTES SO AS NOT TO ADD TO CONFUSION AND REDUCE THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD. AT THE TIME THERE WAS NO DEFINITE TIME FOR REPRINT OF THE CHARTS. UPDATES WERE TO BE MADE WHEN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES OCCURRED. IF CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE THAT ARE ADDRESSED IN LETTERS OF AGREEMENT THIS DOES NOT HELP THE OUT OF TOWN PLT STAY IN HIS AIRSPACE. I WOULD RECOMMEND THE CHART BE REVISED WHEN SUCH CHANGES EXIST.

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.