Narrative:

On IFR departure from bur in VMC conditions, we were assigned the vny SID, which requires an immediate, as soon as practical, right turn to 210 degree heading after takeoff. The tower cabin attendant also asked us if we saw helicopter's located off the departure end of the runway. We acknowledged 4 hovering helicopter's in sight, spaced evenly from 10 O'clock position to 2 O'clock position, directly off the departure end of runway 15, and at an altitude that put them directly in the departure climb path. The helicopter's were tv news media. We were cleared for takeoff, and instructed to avoid the helicopter's. After gear retraction, at about 200 ft AGL we began an immediate right turn to 210 degree heading, since continuing any further along the extended centerline would have put us among the helicopter's and trying to maneuver between them -- not a comfortable situation. The prompt turn put us clear of the group, with all 4 helicopter's visible out our forward and left window, although somewhat close to the end helicopter in the group. As we continued our climb, the end helicopter closest to our path descended and moved away from our path toward the adjacent helicopter. The tower cabin attendant said 'well, that's one way to get out of here,' and handed us off to socal departure control. Before changing frequencys, we heard someone, presumably the helicopter pilot, key the microphone and mutter 'jerk.' on reflection, I followed instructions and maneuvered so as to avoid the stationary targets hovering off the end of the runway like a flock of birds. Apparently one of the helicopter pilots thought a near miss was developing and moved away slightly, although I was confident of avoiding him, especially with the available escape of turning even further right if necessary. But why did the tower allow these guys to situation there in the first place? Tv owns the airspace?

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A CPR JET FLT CREW TURNS AGGRESSIVELY AFTER DEP TO AVOID HELI'S AND QUESTIONS WHY THE BUR TWR WOULD ALLOW THEM THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

Narrative: ON IFR DEP FROM BUR IN VMC CONDITIONS, WE WERE ASSIGNED THE VNY SID, WHICH REQUIRES AN IMMEDIATE, AS SOON AS PRACTICAL, R TURN TO 210 DEG HDG AFTER TKOF. THE TWR CAB ALSO ASKED US IF WE SAW HELI'S LOCATED OFF THE DEP END OF THE RWY. WE ACKNOWLEDGED 4 HOVERING HELI'S IN SIGHT, SPACED EVENLY FROM 10 O'CLOCK POS TO 2 O'CLOCK POS, DIRECTLY OFF THE DEP END OF RWY 15, AND AT AN ALT THAT PUT THEM DIRECTLY IN THE DEP CLB PATH. THE HELI'S WERE TV NEWS MEDIA. WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF, AND INSTRUCTED TO AVOID THE HELI'S. AFTER GEAR RETRACTION, AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL WE BEGAN AN IMMEDIATE R TURN TO 210 DEG HDG, SINCE CONTINUING ANY FURTHER ALONG THE EXTENDED CTRLINE WOULD HAVE PUT US AMONG THE HELI'S AND TRYING TO MANEUVER BTWN THEM -- NOT A COMFORTABLE SIT. THE PROMPT TURN PUT US CLR OF THE GROUP, WITH ALL 4 HELI'S VISIBLE OUT OUR FORWARD AND L WINDOW, ALTHOUGH SOMEWHAT CLOSE TO THE END HELI IN THE GROUP. AS WE CONTINUED OUR CLB, THE END HELI CLOSEST TO OUR PATH DSNDED AND MOVED AWAY FROM OUR PATH TOWARD THE ADJACENT HELI. THE TWR CAB SAID 'WELL, THAT'S ONE WAY TO GET OUT OF HERE,' AND HANDED US OFF TO SOCAL DEP CTL. BEFORE CHANGING FREQS, WE HEARD SOMEONE, PRESUMABLY THE HELI PLT, KEY THE MIKE AND MUTTER 'JERK.' ON REFLECTION, I FOLLOWED INSTRUCTIONS AND MANEUVERED SO AS TO AVOID THE STATIONARY TARGETS HOVERING OFF THE END OF THE RWY LIKE A FLOCK OF BIRDS. APPARENTLY ONE OF THE HELI PLTS THOUGHT A NEAR MISS WAS DEVELOPING AND MOVED AWAY SLIGHTLY, ALTHOUGH I WAS CONFIDENT OF AVOIDING HIM, ESPECIALLY WITH THE AVAILABLE ESCAPE OF TURNING EVEN FURTHER R IF NECESSARY. BUT WHY DID THE TWR ALLOW THESE GUYS TO SIT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE? TV OWNS THE AIRSPACE?

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.