Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Flight Engineer; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Sea; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 100; Flight Crew Total 20000; Flight Crew Type 300
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure
This encounter is a normal setup and an ongoing problem. The fixed wing pattern for MYF Runway 28L; using AIM criteria; coupled with the standard arrival for helicopters to a landing roughly 200 ft south of that runway; [results in] a conflict point for both when a fixed wing aircraft is on base leg. The tower is not required to separate helicopters from fixed-wing aircraft. Occasionally they will attempt some separation; usually by altering the course of the fixed-wing to avoid the 'flow' of helicopter traffic; but in this particular scenario; the tower simply attempted to alert us - we got the call when on downwind: 'traffic 12 o'clock one-half mile'. This was not what I would call a 'near miss' - we saw him in time to avoid a collision; thanks to the alert from the tower. It is just a situation begging for an accident.The way to fix this is to treat helicopters as if they were fixed wings. Normally the tower will not let us turn base until we have the preceding fixed wing in sight. They should do this for helicopters as well - the potential for a fatal midair is actually higher with a helicopter. Most helicopters are painted black or dark red. These aircraft; when they are lower; are almost impossible to see. This reporter has tried to discuss these issues with helicopter operators. He has been met with sufficient hostility that such discussions are now an impossibility. There has to be a better way to mix helicopters and fixed wings than to simply allow helicopters to go where they want.
PA-18 pilot reported numerous airborne conflicts with helicopters at MYF.