Overview
airsight's expertise comprises manifold aspects related to the design and operation of heliports (surface-level and elevated), helipads/helidecks and winching areas in compliance with international and national regulations, i.e. EASA, ICAO, UK CAP and other national regulations.
Our offered services covers a wide range of planning and consultancy service related to the above-mentioned facilities and its daily operation and maintenance: Clients worldwide like heliport operators, civil aviation authorities, specialist planners, shipping and other companies from the offshore sector and renewable energies rely on airsight’s specific know-how and practical project experience.
For Vertiport related service, please visit our subpage here.
Heliport/Helipad Planning & Design
Conceptual and detailed layout planning of infrastructures and installations
As basic principle, any heliport, helipad or helideck should always be designed based on current and future users’ requirements, i.e. helicopter characteristics, performance, operations (IFR/VFR, day/night), type of take-off and landing procedures (helipad / clear / short field / confined heliport) as well as expected traffic volumes. Whereas a heliport/helideck is often requested to be situated near existing infrastructures or on top of these facilities, such as terminal buildings, hospitals, or offshore-facilities, it shall at the same time comply with numerous requirements and regulations on its infrastructure and operation.
As well-established and accepted planning company, airsight provides numerous design services, such as:
- Feasibility studies and master planning,
- site/location searches, usability studies,
- obstacle assessments,
- conceptual / detailed layout design and approval planning (airside facilities) according to EASA CS, ICAO Annex 14, Volume II, UK CAP and national regulations.
airsight especially gained experience with the planning of helicopter infrastructure located at aerodromes, which poses specific challenges when it comes to simultaneous operation of helicopters and aeroplanes.
Heliport/Helipad Certification Services
Provision of all required documentation to initiate application for approval
Looking for a reliable partner to get your new or changed heliport / helideck certified and operated? Our team of well-experienced certification experts, auditors and inspectors are looking forward to support your project and to provide you with all the relevant documentation needed to apply for approval at your authorities. Our services include e.g.:
- Drafting of approval plans and designs
- Creation of suitabilities reports
- Ongoing consultancy services to support the approval process
- Development of expert opinions on specific topics
- Conduction of compliance checks and audits
airsight especially gained experience with the approval and certification processes for helicopter infrastructure located at aerodromes.
Audit and Inspection Services
Expert inspections and audits around helicopter operating facilities
airsight and its partners have specialised on various helideck inspections as well as audits and provides its services at client’s facilities e.g. in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and worldwide. The bandwidth of relevant services includes the following (excerpt):
- Inspections of heliports, helidecks and winching areas (i.e. on wind turbines)
- Initial facility acceptance (FAT) or site acceptance (SAT) inspections
- Ongoing / recurrent inspections (WKP) according to regulations for on- & offshore facilities
- Audit of helicopter operators
- Audits and review of handbooks and procedures for helicopter operations
- Execution of Audits of suppliers for helicopter operations
- Evaluation of rescue exercises and grip tests for helideck operators
For more details see:
Helicopter Flight Procedure Design
High-class flight procedure planning and charting services - designed to your needs
It is one thing to design a new heliport and its facilities, the other one is to create safe and efficient procedures to operate there with various helicopter types. One main aspect here is the proper design of flight procedures, which considers specific needs e.g., in terms of airspace integration, local constraints (weather, topography) and the relevant regulatory framework. airsight’s certified flight procedure design department has extensive practical project experience and is more than able to support its clients in tasks like:
- Lateral and vertical design of flight routes (VFR, IFR)
- Detailed approach procedures design, i.e. PinS (point in space)
- Take-off procedure design
- Helicopter infrastructure located at aerodromes
- Airspace integration
- Flight routes optimisation, charting and documentation
Safety Assessments
Evaluate deviations or planned changes of heliport infrastructures or helicopter operations
Although it is an overriding goal to design all heliport infrastructures and helicopter operations to be compliant at all times, it is a common fact that a deviation may occur, for example, in the event of subsequent changes in the helicopter fleet mix, the surrounding conditions (obstacles, airflow altering influences etc.) or flight paths.
In such cases, and according to the regulations, an aeronautical study or safety assessment is the right choice to verify and assess related impacts on flight safety. airsight’s safety and compliance experts belong to the leading minds worldwide to adress such issues based on vast experiences from more than 700 safety related aviation projects. The comprehensive services include:
- Aeronautical studies, i.e. to assess any deviations from regulations or as part of change management policy
- Safety and risk analysis according to international guidelines (ICAO, Eurocontrol and others)
- Impact assessments, e.g., to assess the effect of new constructions or Installations on helicopter flight safety (obstacles, glint and glare, CNS impacts, airflow analysis, third party risks, …)
- Derivation and discussion of mitigation measures
Helicopter Noise and Emissions Assessments
Reliable expertise to minimise negative impacts on our environment and populated areas
Helicopter traffic is among the modes of transport that frequently operate in urban areas with high population density, e.g., for connecting hospitals, transporting patients, surveying tasks but also for tourist purposes. In such cases it’s crucial to minimise negative impacts like helicopter noise or emissions on the residents or other population located nearby. airsight’s department for sustainable aviation supports its clients in identification and determination of such effects as well as in finding suitable solutions. In more detail, our services comprise:
- Noise calculations (current and future helicopter traffic)
- Determination of local CO2, NOX and other emissions of helicopter traffic
For more details, visit our subpage Sustainable Aviation
