Phl local controller described opposite direction operation; helicopter cleared ILS runway 17 and a ...

Attributes
ACN	858101
Time
Date	200910
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	PHL.Airport
State Reference	PA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Route In Use	Visual Approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Military 5 Air Traffic Control Radar 6 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (mon) 5 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 2
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Narrative:

Helicopter was cleared for an ILS approach to runway 17 and at a 3 mile final the pilot would execute a left turn off of the final to line up to land on a taxiway on the airport. At the same time there was another aircraft on final that was cleared for a visual approach to runway 35 which was opposite direction of the helicopter. This is not a standard procedure and as the local east controller; I questioned the maneuver and was told that the opposite direction regional jet would land before the helicopter would be any factor; but this operation did not protect for either aircraft in case the regional jet had to go around and not be able to execute the approach for any reason. If the regional jet had to go around the two aircraft would have the potential to converge. I believe this practice was very unsafe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHL Local Controller described opposite direction operation; helicopter cleared ILS Runway 17 and a jet cleared for an ILS Runway 35; voicing concern regarding potential unprotected go around possibilities.

Narrative: Helicopter was cleared for an ILS Approach to Runway 17 and at a 3 mile final the pilot would execute a left turn off of the final to line up to land on a taxiway on the airport. At the same time there was another aircraft on final that was cleared for a visual approach to Runway 35 which was opposite direction of the helicopter. This is not a standard procedure and as the local east controller; I questioned the maneuver and was told that the opposite direction regional jet would land before the helicopter would be any factor; but this operation did not protect for either aircraft in case the regional jet had to go around and not be able to execute the approach for any reason. If the regional jet had to go around the two aircraft would have the potential to converge. I believe this practice was very unsafe.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Phl local controller described opposite direction operation; helicopter cleared ILS runway 17 and a jet cleared for an ILS runway 35; voicing concern regarding potential unprotected go around possibilities.