TFC CONFLICT IN VISUAL CONDITIONS BTWN A HELI AND SMA ACFT.

Narrative

I HAD JUST LEVELED OFF AT TOC DEPARTING BFL DIRECT FAT. MY CRUISE ALT WAS 2700 FT MSL. I WAS STAYING BELOW CLOUD BASES (3400 FT BROKEN). I LOOKED DOWN AT MY ENG GAUGES FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS; THEN LOOKED UP FOR VISUAL SCAN. I SAW LARGE HELI (POSSIBLY EX-MIL TYPE) AT MY 12 O'CLOCK POS HDG TOWARDS ME APPROX 100 FT BELOW ME. HE THEN TURNED W STAYING LEVEL. I TURNED IMMEDIATELY SHARP TO E AND CLBING. THIS PUT ME 400 FT HIGHER AND QUITE NEARLY INTO THE CLOUD BASE. LOOKING BEHIND ME; I COULD NOT SEE HIM. I THINK HE MAY HAVE BEEN MANEUVERING OR PERHAPS HOVERING BECAUSE I DID NOT DETECT ANY FORWARD SPD OF HIS ACFT. I HAD HEARD FROM PLT GROUP; FLYING MGMNT AND OTHERS THAT AN ALT AT ODD ALTS (LESS THAN 3000 FT MSL) ARE BEST BECAUSE MOST PLTS FLY AT 500 FT INTERVALS. HENCE; 2700 FT MSL WOULD BE A GOOD CHOICE BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE SEPARATION WITH TFC AT 1500 FT; 2000 FT; 2500 FT; 3000 FT; ETC. PERHAPS I SHOULD RETHINK THIS. YET; MY FLT WAS TAKING ME N INTO DSNDING BASES; SO I LET THIS INFLUENCE MY CHOICE OF CRUISE ALT. I DIDN'T WANT TO GET STUCK ON TOP AT MY DEST. I DON'T KNOW HOW I DIDN'T SEE HIM AS HE WAS BRIGHTLY PAINTED IN YELLOW AND GREEN AGAINST A MONOTONE LIGHT BROWN LANDSCAPE. ALSO; HIS ROTOR BLADES WERE ALTERNATING WHITE/BLACK STRIPES. THIS ALSO CAUSES ME TO BELIEVE HE WAS HOVERING. I DID NOT FEEL FATIGUED OR OVERWHELMED WITH THE FLT OR WX. ALL EQUIP ON MY ACFT WAS FUNCTIONING NORMALLY SO I WAS NOT PREOCCUPIED. OTHER THAN INCREASED ATTN TO SEE AND AVOID WHILE VFR; I DON'T KNOW OF ANY RESOLUTION FOR THIS INCIDENT. THE REST OF MY FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL.