Narrative:

Super cub, unoccupied but full fuel, ready for engine start, pilot (me) holding empennage. Aircraft as close to fuel pit as possible. Small black helicopter on approach to a blocked taxiway passed within 50 ft (2 wing spans). Wind was 6-10 KTS reported, and favorable, blowing rotor wash away from fuel pit and parked aircraft. With me holding on, the over 1200 pound super cub was moved less than 6 inches, a non event. What if the wind were from the northwest, and the aircraft was my 725 pound piper J3? Would it have been blown into the fuel pump? There are few restrs on helicopter operations at myf, and seemingly none on how close a helicopter can come to a parked aircraft (or strolling pilot?). I know of two: 1) cross the field at or above 1000 ft and 2) remain south of taxiway H. Depending on your viewpoint that's either a license to do almost anything, or a potential accident. I am sure the foregoing is enough, but I can't resist a few more comments. My aircraft is very much like a helicopter, and with tower concurrence I fly unusual patterns. But I would never be cleared to cross the airport at or above 1000 ft with only the admonition that 'there are aircraft in the pattern.' nor would I overfly a parked aircraft at anything less than 400 ft AGL (except for those in the run-up area). Why, then, would a helicopter be permitted a transit directly through 2 traffic patterns without more than 'see and avoid' separation, and then be permitted to land next to its hangar on an unmarked taxiway, 100 ft downwind from a crowded light plane fuel pit? Am I missing something here? Or am I just old and ornery?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA18 PLT HAD A HELI FLY LOW OVER HIS ACFT WHILE PARKED AT THE FUEL PIT. ROTOR WASH WAS THE PROB.

Narrative: SUPER CUB, UNOCCUPIED BUT FULL FUEL, READY FOR ENG START, PLT (ME) HOLDING EMPENNAGE. ACFT AS CLOSE TO FUEL PIT AS POSSIBLE. SMALL BLACK HELI ON APCH TO A BLOCKED TXWY PASSED WITHIN 50 FT (2 WING SPANS). WIND WAS 6-10 KTS RPTED, AND FAVORABLE, BLOWING ROTOR WASH AWAY FROM FUEL PIT AND PARKED ACFT. WITH ME HOLDING ON, THE OVER 1200 LB SUPER CUB WAS MOVED LESS THAN 6 INCHES, A NON EVENT. WHAT IF THE WIND WERE FROM THE NW, AND THE ACFT WAS MY 725 LB PIPER J3? WOULD IT HAVE BEEN BLOWN INTO THE FUEL PUMP? THERE ARE FEW RESTRS ON HELI OPS AT MYF, AND SEEMINGLY NONE ON HOW CLOSE A HELI CAN COME TO A PARKED ACFT (OR STROLLING PLT?). I KNOW OF TWO: 1) CROSS THE FIELD AT OR ABOVE 1000 FT AND 2) REMAIN S OF TXWY H. DEPENDING ON YOUR VIEWPOINT THAT'S EITHER A LICENSE TO DO ALMOST ANYTHING, OR A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT. I AM SURE THE FOREGOING IS ENOUGH, BUT I CAN'T RESIST A FEW MORE COMMENTS. MY ACFT IS VERY MUCH LIKE A HELI, AND WITH TWR CONCURRENCE I FLY UNUSUAL PATTERNS. BUT I WOULD NEVER BE CLRED TO CROSS THE ARPT AT OR ABOVE 1000 FT WITH ONLY THE ADMONITION THAT 'THERE ARE ACFT IN THE PATTERN.' NOR WOULD I OVERFLY A PARKED ACFT AT ANYTHING LESS THAN 400 FT AGL (EXCEPT FOR THOSE IN THE RUN-UP AREA). WHY, THEN, WOULD A HELI BE PERMITTED A TRANSIT DIRECTLY THROUGH 2 TFC PATTERNS WITHOUT MORE THAN 'SEE AND AVOID' SEPARATION, AND THEN BE PERMITTED TO LAND NEXT TO ITS HANGAR ON AN UNMARKED TXWY, 100 FT DOWNWIND FROM A CROWDED LIGHT PLANE FUEL PIT? AM I MISSING SOMETHING HERE? OR AM I JUST OLD AND ORNERY?

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.