Small Aircraft; Low Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 15; Flight Crew Total 1837; Flight Crew Type 1523
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Procedure
I was on the Final approach course cleared to land when the tower allowed a helicopter; that I was unaware of; to cross in front of me close to my altitude between me and the end of the runway.  I contacted the tower by Land Line after landing and expressed my outrage. I could not understand why they would have allowed this helicopter to traverse across the final approach course.  The tower operator I spoke with told me that the Helicopter had me in site and could maintain safe distance. The helicopter may have seen me but I was not told of the helicopter and he did NOT maintain safe distance. It was a near miss in my mind. I continued to challenge the tower operator and again asked why the helicopter was allowed to cross the final approach course instead of being made to cross at the numbers or mid field. That would seem to me to be the safe crossing point not directly in front of me when I'm on short final.  I was unaware until I talked to the tower that they did not have radar and that would probably have helped greatly to ensure that the helicopter either passed behind me or over midfield.  However; the fact that the tower does not have radar should inspire an abundances of caution from tower [personnel] in what permissions they hand out. The helicopter should have been instructed to pass behind me; over the numbers at a specified altitude or midfield. Additionally the tower at the least should have required both aircraft to have visual of each other at this point of flight. Had I seen the helicopter prior to him passing directly in front of me I would have abandon the landing and performed a go around. I continue to be mystified as to why the tower felt it was ok to traverse a helicopter across the final approach course of an inbound; cleared to land; flight. All my attention at this point is focused on landing not watching for competing traffic.
A general aviation pilot reported being upset that the Tower Controller allowed an unannounced helicopter to fly directly in front of his aircraft while on short final; at 800 feet and cleared to land.