Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Airspace Violation All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Procedure
Helicopter called me airborne off of [a nearby hospital] inside the Class B. At that time a Large Transport aircraft was rotating off Runway 30 departing. The data tags were overlapped. By the time I identified Helicopter's position I realized that the Large Transport was in close proximity. I called the traffic to Helicopter; he said he had the Large Transport in sight. By that time I could see both aircraft out of the window. I asked Helicopter if they tried calling on the ground and they said yes but they could not reach the Tower. So they said they got airborne and then called. This procedure that allows helicopters to get airborne inside the Class B before calling the Tower needs to be stopped. There is another hospital that is 2 mile final 19R. Helicopters depart these hospitals then call the Tower. Departures and arrivals are often conflicting with them with little to no time to separate them. If the departure had been a heavy or the super; the wake turbulence could have caused a crash.
IAD Tower Controller reported the procedure of allowing air ambulance helicopters to depart nearby hospitals non radar with inability to communicate in Class B creates a collision hazard.