Narrative:

Widebody transport air carrier X was cleared for takeoff on runway 24L. During our takeoff roll, tower cleared copter Y for takeoff with the advisory of a heavy air carrier departing 24L. We were aware of this transmission, but were unaware of the copter's location. As we rotated, the copter appeared just off our left front, slightly south of the 24L parallel. As we broke ground, I started a 5 degree right turn to a 260 degree heading. We went by the copter approximately 200' north and 100' higher than his altitude. I called tower after departure on VHF 3 and was told it was a legal departure as long as the copter remained clear of 24L. Evidently clear means any distance from 24L, 10' or 1000'. It didn't seem to make any difference. If he wanted to depart the helicopter, we should have been held or he should have been held until we were west of his position. In my opinion, this is a very dangerous operation and if this is the regulation, it should be changed as soon as possible. This type of sep happens daily all over the country with rotorcraft and other shuttle aircraft, and it's an accident waiting to happen. Adequate sep should be assured on all departures all the time. No special cases for expedited arrs or departures. Let's not expedite traffic at the expense of safety.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BETWEEN ACR AND GOV COPTER IN VICINITY OF ACR DEP RWY AT FAA TWR ARPT. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: WDB ACR X WAS CLRED FOR TKOF ON RWY 24L. DURING OUR TKOF ROLL, TWR CLRED COPTER Y FOR TKOF WITH THE ADVISORY OF A HEAVY ACR DEPARTING 24L. WE WERE AWARE OF THIS XMISSION, BUT WERE UNAWARE OF THE COPTER'S LOCATION. AS WE ROTATED, THE COPTER APPEARED JUST OFF OUR LEFT FRONT, SLIGHTLY S OF THE 24L PARALLEL. AS WE BROKE GND, I STARTED A 5 DEG RIGHT TURN TO A 260 DEG HDG. WE WENT BY THE COPTER APPROX 200' N AND 100' HIGHER THAN HIS ALT. I CALLED TWR AFTER DEP ON VHF 3 AND WAS TOLD IT WAS A LEGAL DEP AS LONG AS THE COPTER REMAINED CLR OF 24L. EVIDENTLY CLR MEANS ANY DISTANCE FROM 24L, 10' OR 1000'. IT DIDN'T SEEM TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE. IF HE WANTED TO DEPART THE HELI, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD OR HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN HELD UNTIL WE WERE W OF HIS POS. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS OP AND IF THIS IS THE REG, IT SHOULD BE CHANGED ASAP. THIS TYPE OF SEP HAPPENS DAILY ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WITH ROTORCRAFT AND OTHER SHUTTLE ACFT, AND IT'S AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. ADEQUATE SEP SHOULD BE ASSURED ON ALL DEPS ALL THE TIME. NO SPECIAL CASES FOR EXPEDITED ARRS OR DEPS. LET'S NOT EXPEDITE TFC AT THE EXPENSE OF SAFETY.

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