I did most of R22 training at Blackpool where ATC regularly mixed F/W and Heli traffic and were very good at it. The only time I had cause for concern was when a low time fixed wing guy did what he was taught, rather than what he was told and nearly flew straight through me at 50ft AGL when I was cleared to land (he landed and I had to go around from a very unusual attitude).
There a lot of small airfields out there that either don't understand helicopters or (perhaps as in the case or A/G stations) can't do anything with them. We are expected to join as fixed wing traffic would and pretty much get in everyones way, churning up the air as we go.
The places that are most used to Helis generally seperate the two quite well and everyone is happy.
There are obviously some not so switched on operators who are out purley for profit and employ people who don't seem to have any commons sense.
Perhaps I have missed it in previous posts, but would it be wrong to say which airfield your incident occured at (not trying to point the finger) just to give the guys concerned chance to put their case across.
I know when I am operating on airfield I always end up watching landing traffic and actually pointing the nose of the machine at it, just to keep an eye on it; after all what happens if a tyre bursts on landing and half a ton of metal decides to come and hunt you out from behind with no warning (unlikely I know).
I completely agree with the guys who say that wind strength enough to upset a robbo if crosswind to the landing runway would make the f/w pilots task more difficult at that moment.
Cheers
V.
