Heliport VFR Airspace Design Based on Helicopter Performance

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Heliport VFR Airspace Design Based on Helicopter Performance

R. K. Anoll / E. D. McConkey / R. J. Hawley / M. B. Renton

This document presents results of the efforts to classify helicopters and heliports based on the performance capabilities of a given rotorcraft and the protected ground and airspace available at a given heliport. Current VFR heliport protected airspace requirements are not broad enough to cover the wide range of helicopter models and conditions in which they operate. Additionally, they do not always provide an adequate margin of safety from allowable obstructions near heliports with regard to the performance capabilities of the helicopters using those heliports. A recommendation is made to replace the single heliport imaginary surface with a system of surfaces which allow use of the heliport based on helicopter performance and also provides a safety margin between obstructions and rotorcraft climb capability. Another recommendation encourages helicopter manufacturers to include necessary performance data in their helicopter flight manuals to inform pilots of their aircraft's capability for operations at a confined area heliport or landing site. This is one of a series of five reports that addressed helicopter performance profiles and their relationship to the VFR protected imaginary surfaces of approach and departure airspace at heliports.