Helicopter
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 32; Flight Crew Total 7034; Flight Crew Type 921
Conflict NMAC; Inflight Event / Encounter Object
Environment - Non Weather Related
The following incident was reported to my company in October. During cruise flight at 1;300 FT MSL (900 FT AGL) passenger called out another aircraft; 'no; a kite at nearly our altitude.' The pilot turned left to make visual contact while passenger maintained visual contact and guided the pilot to avoid collision. Sure enough; a kite with a span of approximately 10 FT was flying at nearly 900 FT AGL. With the overcast conditions; the tether could not be seen but based on wind conditions it appeared to be based out of a farmers field or the back yard of a home just northeast of the town of Ewchland; PA. No one could be seen in the area. Pilot marked the position for reporting purposes and continued with the flight. The kite had passed within 50 FT below and to the left of the aircraft in the pilot's blind spot. I have seen many kites while flying during my career usually during approach at less than 200 FT. I believe this kite was large enough to pose a significant collision hazard and far too large to be held down by a single human being. I am guessing that it is tethered by a reel system that we could not readily see and could not spend the time searching for. I could easily have flown through the tether if I had been any lower than I was.Since this report was filed I have had the opportunity to drive to the area and have located the kite. It was still flying days later and from the ground appeared to be between 600 to 1;000 FT high. The kite appears to be on an automated weathervaning reel system mounted on the roof of a home. I took several photos. No one was home at the time I was there. It is apparent that this kite is flown for days at a time; 24 hours a day and at an altitude that poses significant hazard to manned aircraft flight. It is unlit though brightly colored and does not stand out when the sky is overcast. The tether is virtually invisible. Note; the reel system can be seen on Google Earth.
The reporter states that he is aware of helicopters being brought down by cotton kite string.  This kite was likely tethered by a wire.
Helicopter pilot reports a NMAC with a large kite at 900 FT AGL in rural eastern Pennsylvania.