Narrative:

Initiated a takeoff from the departure end of runway 8R in the C172S. After checking for traffic and making the appropriate unicom announcement; mr X performed a normal crosswind takeoff. Nearly 1/2 way down the runway; the cessna was airborne; crabbing slightly to the left and climbing through about 100 ft AGL at speed close to 74 KIAS (vy). I then noticed a robinson R22 helicopter approaching quickly from the left (north) at an altitude just above the cessna and traveling in a southerly direction that would take it across the centerline of runway 8R and directly into their flight path. Assuming control; I reduced power momentarily to idle and performed an aggressive diving right turn to a southeast heading and an altitude of approximately 50 ft. Rolling the airplane back to wings level; the helicopter; now apparently aware of the cessna; was observed for a moment to have slowed slightly and to be turning hard to the left to a now more parallel course just above and approximately 50-80 ft to the left of the airplane. Losing sight of the much slower moving helicopter above the left wing; I powered up again and began a shallow left turn back toward the centerline of the runway. Once assured that the helicopter was no longer a factor; I initiated a climb to clear the trees at the departure end of the runway and; at a safe altitude; returned the airplane's flight controls to mr X. No identify of the helicopter was made other than the colors of the aircraft. The cause of the incident was probably the failure of the helicopter pilot(south) to monitor flight activity at the airport and/or to remain clear of the in-use runway. F45 has become a relatively busy; non-towered airport with 2 fixed wing and 2 helicopter training operations. Procedures in use at the field now often find these 2 dissimilar aircraft operating in close proximity. Numerous solutions have been entertained to help alleviate this congestion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT EXPERIENCE AN NMAC WITH A HELICOPTER WHILE IN THE PATTERN AT F45; FL.

Narrative: INITIATED A TKOF FROM THE DEP END OF RWY 8R IN THE C172S. AFTER CHKING FOR TFC AND MAKING THE APPROPRIATE UNICOM ANNOUNCEMENT; MR X PERFORMED A NORMAL XWIND TKOF. NEARLY 1/2 WAY DOWN THE RWY; THE CESSNA WAS AIRBORNE; CRABBING SLIGHTLY TO THE L AND CLBING THROUGH ABOUT 100 FT AGL AT SPD CLOSE TO 74 KIAS (VY). I THEN NOTICED A ROBINSON R22 HELI APCHING QUICKLY FROM THE L (N) AT AN ALT JUST ABOVE THE CESSNA AND TRAVELING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION THAT WOULD TAKE IT ACROSS THE CTRLINE OF RWY 8R AND DIRECTLY INTO THEIR FLT PATH. ASSUMING CTL; I REDUCED PWR MOMENTARILY TO IDLE AND PERFORMED AN AGGRESSIVE DIVING R TURN TO A SE HDG AND AN ALT OF APPROX 50 FT. ROLLING THE AIRPLANE BACK TO WINGS LEVEL; THE HELI; NOW APPARENTLY AWARE OF THE CESSNA; WAS OBSERVED FOR A MOMENT TO HAVE SLOWED SLIGHTLY AND TO BE TURNING HARD TO THE L TO A NOW MORE PARALLEL COURSE JUST ABOVE AND APPROX 50-80 FT TO THE L OF THE AIRPLANE. LOSING SIGHT OF THE MUCH SLOWER MOVING HELI ABOVE THE L WING; I POWERED UP AGAIN AND BEGAN A SHALLOW L TURN BACK TOWARD THE CTRLINE OF THE RWY. ONCE ASSURED THAT THE HELI WAS NO LONGER A FACTOR; I INITIATED A CLB TO CLR THE TREES AT THE DEP END OF THE RWY AND; AT A SAFE ALT; RETURNED THE AIRPLANE'S FLT CTLS TO MR X. NO IDENT OF THE HELI WAS MADE OTHER THAN THE COLORS OF THE ACFT. THE CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS PROBABLY THE FAILURE OF THE HELI PLT(S) TO MONITOR FLT ACTIVITY AT THE ARPT AND/OR TO REMAIN CLR OF THE IN-USE RWY. F45 HAS BECOME A RELATIVELY BUSY; NON-TOWERED ARPT WITH 2 FIXED WING AND 2 HELI TRAINING OPS. PROCS IN USE AT THE FIELD NOW OFTEN FIND THESE 2 DISSIMILAR ACFT OPERATING IN CLOSE PROX. NUMEROUS SOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ENTERTAINED TO HELP ALLEVIATE THIS CONGESTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.