B47J pilot contends that surface class east airspace at ues is unsafe for helicopter operations.

Attributes
ACN	629919
Time
Date	200409
Day	Mon
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ues.airport
State Reference	WI
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Special VFR
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ues.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Bell 47
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	629919
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Weather ATC Facility Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure
Situations
Airspace Structure	class e : ues.e

Narrative:

Newly created surface class east airspace is unsafe for helicopter operations. At 500 ft or less radar coverage is not available. At 500 ft or less tower or any ATC communication is marginal or not available. No WX reporting is available in the newly created surface class east airspace, conditions vary considerably from those in ues class D airspace. Helicopter requirements were never considered when this new surface class east airspace was created. Utility helicopter operations are conducted 12 months out of the year in and through this area. Utility helicopter operations are conducted at low level and when WX is less than 1000 ft and 3 miles. For special VFR operations, reliable communications and WX reporting are very important. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that he operates an far part 135 helicopter operation which conducts power line patrol and wildlife survey flight within the area encompassed by the surface class east airspace. Reporter states that the area only presents a problem when the WX is below VFR and it becomes necessary to communication with ues tower to obtain special VFR clearance. Reporter stated that he believes ues is located in terrain depression which causes communication disruption in the surface class east area.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B47J PLT CONTENDS THAT SURFACE CLASS E AIRSPACE AT UES IS UNSAFE FOR HELI OPS.

Narrative: NEWLY CREATED SURFACE CLASS E AIRSPACE IS UNSAFE FOR HELI OPS. AT 500 FT OR LESS RADAR COVERAGE IS NOT AVAILABLE. AT 500 FT OR LESS TWR OR ANY ATC COM IS MARGINAL OR NOT AVAILABLE. NO WX RPTING IS AVAILABLE IN THE NEWLY CREATED SURFACE CLASS E AIRSPACE, CONDITIONS VARY CONSIDERABLY FROM THOSE IN UES CLASS D AIRSPACE. HELI REQUIREMENTS WERE NEVER CONSIDERED WHEN THIS NEW SURFACE CLASS E AIRSPACE WAS CREATED. UTILITY HELI OPS ARE CONDUCTED 12 MONTHS OUT OF THE YEAR IN AND THROUGH THIS AREA. UTILITY HELI OPS ARE CONDUCTED AT LOW LEVEL AND WHEN WX IS LESS THAN 1000 FT AND 3 MILES. FOR SPECIAL VFR OPS, RELIABLE COMS AND WX RPTING ARE VERY IMPORTANT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT HE OPERATES AN FAR PART 135 HELI OPERATION WHICH CONDUCTS POWER LINE PATROL AND WILDLIFE SURVEY FLT WITHIN THE AREA ENCOMPASSED BY THE SURFACE CLASS E AIRSPACE. RPTR STATES THAT THE AREA ONLY PRESENTS A PROB WHEN THE WX IS BELOW VFR AND IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO COM WITH UES TWR TO OBTAIN SPECIAL VFR CLRNC. RPTR STATED THAT HE BELIEVES UES IS LOCATED IN TERRAIN DEPRESSION WHICH CAUSES COM DISRUPTION IN THE SURFACE CLASS E AREA.

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.