EMS atx helicopter pilot failed to obtain takeoff clearance.

Attributes
ACN	280137
Time
Date	199408
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz
State Reference	US
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : zzz tower : pit
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : takeoff descent : holding ground : holding
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	280137
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : clearance delivery
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After starting engines at FBO for departure, contacted clearance delivery and requested a ssw departure. Clearance responded with 'proceed on course' and gave me a transponder code and departure control frequency. I completed takeoff with transponder code and immediately contacted departure control. Departure advised to contact tower whereupon I was informed that I had not been given 'takeoff clearance.' for helicopters, this is very confusing as many ground controls handle helicopter traffic given their departure characteristics and limited ability to change frequencys while hovering. Aim paragraph 4-63d addresses this problem. To prevent future problems, departure should remind pilot to contact tower for departure clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EMS ATX HELI PLT FAILED TO OBTAIN TKOF CLRNC.

Narrative: AFTER STARTING ENGS AT FBO FOR DEP, CONTACTED CLRNC DELIVERY AND REQUESTED A SSW DEP. CLRNC RESPONDED WITH 'PROCEED ON COURSE' AND GAVE ME A XPONDER CODE AND DEP CTL FREQ. I COMPLETED TKOF WITH XPONDER CODE AND IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED DEP CTL. DEP ADVISED TO CONTACT TWR WHEREUPON I WAS INFORMED THAT I HAD NOT BEEN GIVEN 'TKOF CLRNC.' FOR HELIS, THIS IS VERY CONFUSING AS MANY GND CTLS HANDLE HELI TFC GIVEN THEIR DEP CHARACTERISTICS AND LIMITED ABILITY TO CHANGE FREQS WHILE HOVERING. AIM PARAGRAPH 4-63D ADDRESSES THIS PROB. TO PREVENT FUTURE PROBS, DEP SHOULD REMIND PLT TO CONTACT TWR FOR DEP CLRNC.

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.