Narrative:

At pbi; the typical shoreline transition is handled by a north or south approach controller; then handed off to the other as you pass abeam the airport. Occasionally; tower will handle the entire transition for you. In the incident I'm reporting; I was northbound along the shoreline; in contact with the south approach controller. Just prior to reaching abeam; I was pointing out some scenery to my passenger and was distracted for 10 to 15 seconds. When I looked up; I saw another helicopter at my altitude heading in the opposite direction. We each moved to the right and easily avoided each other but with only 15 to 20 seconds until we would have hit each other. As we passed each other; I was advised by the controller 'traffic ahead; another helicopter; same altitude; opposite direction.' I thanked him and noted that it was no longer a factor. I fully accept my responsibility as PIC to always see and avoid; but I never thought I would come that close to hitting another aircraft in controlled airspace. I write this not to criticize the controller; but the system of handing off north to south or south to north. It doesn't allow the pilot to hear for himself the other traffic that may be a factor. I regularly fly through fll airspace and they utilize tower for shoreline transitions. I always know when someone may be oncoming or behind me and how far behind they may be. I've never liked the system at pbi and now feel it to be unsafe for the reason I've outlined. I would request that shoreline transitions at pbi be handled on a single frequency be it tower or the global approach frequency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HELI PLT RPTS A NEAR MISS WITH ANOTHER HELI IN THE PBI VFR FLT ADVISORY CORRIDOR WHEN ESTABLISHED PROCS CREATED LATE TFC NOTIFICATIONS.

Narrative: AT PBI; THE TYPICAL SHORELINE TRANSITION IS HANDLED BY A N OR S APCH CTLR; THEN HANDED OFF TO THE OTHER AS YOU PASS ABEAM THE ARPT. OCCASIONALLY; TWR WILL HANDLE THE ENTIRE TRANSITION FOR YOU. IN THE INCIDENT I'M RPTING; I WAS NBOUND ALONG THE SHORELINE; IN CONTACT WITH THE S APCH CTLR. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING ABEAM; I WAS POINTING OUT SOME SCENERY TO MY PAX AND WAS DISTRACTED FOR 10 TO 15 SECONDS. WHEN I LOOKED UP; I SAW ANOTHER HELI AT MY ALT HEADING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. WE EACH MOVED TO THE RIGHT AND EASILY AVOIDED EACH OTHER BUT WITH ONLY 15 TO 20 SECONDS UNTIL WE WOULD HAVE HIT EACH OTHER. AS WE PASSED EACH OTHER; I WAS ADVISED BY THE CTLR 'TRAFFIC AHEAD; ANOTHER HELI; SAME ALTITUDE; OPPOSITE DIRECTION.' I THANKED HIM AND NOTED THAT IT WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR. I FULLY ACCEPT MY RESPONSIBILITY AS PIC TO ALWAYS SEE AND AVOID; BUT I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD COME THAT CLOSE TO HITTING ANOTHER ACFT IN CONTROLLED AIRSPACE. I WRITE THIS NOT TO CRITICIZE THE CTLR; BUT THE SYSTEM OF HANDING OFF N TO S OR S TO N. IT DOESN'T ALLOW THE PLT TO HEAR FOR HIMSELF THE OTHER TFC THAT MAY BE A FACTOR. I REGULARLY FLY THROUGH FLL AIRSPACE AND THEY UTILIZE TWR FOR SHORELINE TRANSITIONS. I ALWAYS KNOW WHEN SOMEONE MAY BE ONCOMING OR BEHIND ME AND HOW FAR BEHIND THEY MAY BE. I'VE NEVER LIKED THE SYSTEM AT PBI AND NOW FEEL IT TO BE UNSAFE FOR THE REASON I'VE OUTLINED. I WOULD REQUEST THAT SHORELINE TRANSITIONS AT PBI BE HANDLED ON A SINGLE FREQUENCY BE IT TWR OR THE GLOBAL APCH FREQUENCY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.