M-20 B/C Ranger
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 30; Flight Crew Total 2100; Flight Crew Type 2100
Conflict Ground Conflict; Critical; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Event / Encounter Other / Unknown
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged
Airport; Human Factors; Procedure
After conducting an instrument proficiency flight we parked on the ramp and were having lunch at the on airport restaurant. At approximately XA15 a turbine powered helicopter hover taxied; landed; and departed behind my aircraft that was parked as directed by ground [control]. The distance from my aircraft to the helicopter was less than 50 feet and the flight control surfaces of my aircraft were being fully deflected in both directions for perhaps 45 seconds. This represented an unsafe situation with the potential to significantly damage my aircraft. Ground [control] should have required the helicopter to hover taxi and land a safe distance away from my aircraft and others parked in the vicinity. The helicopter pilot should have; in the absence of direction from the tower; hover taxied and landed much further away from parked light aircraft. There is plenty of open ramp space at [the airport] and the irresponsibility demonstrated by both the controller in the tower and the helicopter pilot should not be dismissed. As you can probably tell; I am more than a little angry over this incident.
A Mooney Pilot reported that a Helicopter did a hover taxi less that 50 feet behind his aircraft.