Helipad
A helicopter landing pad (also known as a heliport or helipad ) is an officially approved landing pad for helicopters . In addition, there are unauthorized landing sites, which usually have a small number of flight movements. In contrast to the approved helipads, take-offs and landings at heliports require an outside take-off and landing permit from the responsible aviation authority.
Based on their location, helipads can be divided into helipads, elevated helipads (e.g. on a hospital roof), helicopter landing decks (e.g. on oil rigs) and helicopter airfields (on ships). In the mountains there are usually improvised landing options for rescue or construction purposes ( mountain landing site ).
In order to be able to move the aircraft into a hangar , movable platforms are used on which the helicopter lands.
size
The space required for a helipad is larger than the diameter of the rotor , as the helicopter must be able to maneuver there in hovering flight and there is strong air turbulence from the downdraft . Typically, the size of a helipad is determined according to the manufacturer's instructions in the helicopter's flight manual. The total length of the helicopter is generally not less than everything. The helicopter landing pad is also surrounded by a stable safety area, which is dimensioned depending on the greatest length of the helicopter. The arrival and departure sectors must be free of obstacles. A helicopter always takes off and lands against the wind.
Labelling
Helipads are generally marked with a white H. Helipads at hospitals are marked differently with a red H on a white cross. The H stands for helicopter (helicopter), but was initially an illustration of the runners of the rotary wing aircraft . The boundary of the take-off and landing area is usually marked by a white marking (circle).
Helipads that are approved for night operations are marked with night lights. In addition to glare-free floodlighting, the boundary of the take-off and landing area is usually marked by green edge lights. If a final approach and take-off area is designated, its border is lit in white. To indicate a preferred approach direction, white approach lights arranged in a line can be attached. Visual aids such as VASI or PAPI can be used to provide the pilot with information about the approach angle . If a far-reaching optical guidance of helicopters to the helicopter landing site is necessary, a white identification beacon, which emits the identifier H (4 times short) in Morse code , is attached to the landing site. If structures in the vicinity of helicopter landing pads represent obstacles, they must be marked with day and night identification (the latter only in the case of night flights). Obstacle lights (continuous red light of low intensity) and hazard lights (red flashing light of high intensity) can be used as night lights.
A wind sock is placed near each helipad to indicate the prevailing wind direction to the pilot. At some helicopter landing sites or when landings outside of the country (e.g. when a rescue helicopter is deployed at an accident site), the pilots are instructed by staff by hand signals or by radio.
Helicopter carrier
Helicopter carriers are military ships whose primary use is a helicopter landing / take-off site.
