Helicopter
Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Procedure; Human Factors; Aircraft; Airport
I was parked at hospital helipad and attempted to contact Charleston tower on 125.7 to get a Class C departure clearance to reposition for fuel. I tried 2 times with no answer over the radio. This has happened many times over the years flying into all of the Charleston area hospital helipads. After no contact was made I made sure all radios were tuned correctly and volumes were appropriate; which they were. I then lifted off the helipad and at 100 feet above the helipad I could hear the Tower talking to another aircraft. Once that communication was complete; I immediately called the Tower and asked to depart the helipad to land at a nearby airport FBO for fuel. I was then asked if I had departed I said yes because I was flying above the helipad. Departing; which I later learned from one person in the tower is as they defined; being greater than 200 feet above the helipad elevation; which I was not when two way radio communication was established. So I guess I should have said I lifted and not have said I had departed. After I was given my clearance and actually did depart; I was asked to call a number to speak with the Tower. I was flying the aircraft and asked the tower to standby until I landed to give me the number. Once I called the number I was immediately talked to in an aggressive and unprofessional manner! I introduced myself but the same was not done until I had to ask who I was taking to; I was told the initials of the two who were on duty but that's beside the point. The point is from time to time tower cannot be heard from these hospital helipads. I do not take additional risk or disregard ATC instructions. I guess the Tower could hear me on the helipad and told me to standby because of other helicopter traffic but like I stated earlier I could not hear the Tower. Hopefully something can be done to improve the communications at these hospital helipads.
A helicopter pilot preparing to depart a Charleston area hospital helipad attempted clearance into CRW Class C; but could not hear ATC and so hovered at 100 feet until cleared. ATC was upset that he took off; but communications from area hospital helipads is poor.