My front two windows are quite expensive to replace. They are brand new and scratch free. A knick deep enough to render them unairworthy (pressurized) could end up getting expensive. Why take the risk?

Standing at the FBO desk, I listened as the clerk explained to an R44 pilot that they were changing a tire on the fuel truck, and that it would be a few minutes before he could be refueled.

"That's OK," the helo dude said, "we'll just taxi over to it."

I determined that I'd really like to watch that, but from a safe distance.

No, you weren't out of line.

+1

And if they do it again try to get it on video (even if it's with your cell phone) and show that to the owner.

+1

And if they do it again try to get it on video (even if it's with your cell phone) and show that to the owner.

I just talked to the Chief Pilot owner, He said they follow the procedure dictated to them by the FBO, and nobody else has complained. "And there you are". So I had a visit with the FBO manager and was told they are suppose to stay in their designated ramp area also it turns out everyone has complained, and that they had nothing nice to say about the schools operator, I told the FBO maybe we should meet with the airport manager, or the city office and submit the procedures they are suppose to follow in writing. Doubt it will do any good the owner was an Ass. Also a Citation pilot was wound up because they lifted from the ramp and turned right over the Jet.

Time for the video camera, and a notice to student pilots that they will be held responsible - as well as the company. If all you say is accurate, the guy is just asking for trouble.

Incidents like this at our airport escalated into a mechanic throwing rocks at a helicopter while it was hover-taxiing. He was in the wrong, however, he just lost it after watching the local choppers sandblast his customer's planes day after day while thumbing their nose at his request to stay clear. Don't let it go....

The original poster was at Fort Collins, and I fly in to that airport every week or so it seems. The helicopter training continues apace there. I was taxiing a 182, or my client was after a landing from a practice ILS appch, and ahead of us fifty yards or so a helicopter descended to hover over the taxiway. We stopped, of course, and they fooled around doing whatever practice they were engaged in for at least ten minutes. Up and down, side to side over the taxiway. I got on the radio and asked them to move off and let us continue our taxi. The response was, I suppose from the CFI, that they were almost done and would be out of there in a few more minutes.

Jerks. Of course, they could have let us taxi past the area first, but they had to descend right in front of us.

If this were me I would be filling out an ASRS report and sending it in (after all this is a big safety issue). I have seen ASRS reports get more attention than t phone call to a FSDO.

Maybe if I was in a good mood I would send a copy to the helicopter school. In thinking about this I would be asking other are pilots to do the same.

Use the system.

When I started rotor training this was one of the first subjects covered. Unreal.

ASRS, FSDO, city council, whatever you do is very much in line.

Wow. That's a class act for you. Sounds like you have a good plan.

+ 1.

This is really hard to believe!

But guys like this need to be out of business. i hope your complaints will move him along. "and there you have it"!

Sounds like those guys were idiots. I fly helicopters to supply the beechcraft addiction. Here is what I noticed. Alot of guys are getting trained by CFIs that didnt know what a rotor blade was 13 months prior. They just are not teaching them the little things like courtesy on the ramp because the inexperienced instructor before him didnt teach it. When I go to an unfamiliar airport in the helicopter the first thing I plan is to set down at the corners of the ramp away from other aircraft. Some of this stuff is common sense.

“Common sense is not so common.”
― Voltaire

"if common sense was common everyone would have it"
-- ummm. I forgot.

Tim