CIVIL AVIATION REQUIREMENTS

CIVIL AVIATION REQUIREMENTS
SECTION-4, AERODROME STANDARDS
AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES
SERIES ‘B’, PART III
28th AUGUST, 2006 EFFECTIVE: FORTHWITH
Subject: HELIPORTS
INTRODUCTION
Article 28 and 37 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation requires each contracting State to provide, in its territory, airports and other navigation facilities and services in
accordance with the standards and practice recommended or established from time to time, pursuant to this convention.

This Civil Aviation Requirements lays down requirements for heliports covering all aspects of heliport planning, infrastructure including taxiways, Aprons, markings, aeronautical lightings, emergency services, maintenance standards, physical characteristics and obstacle limitation surfaces to be provided for a heliport. When designing a heliport, the critical design helicopter, having the largest set of dimensions and the greatest maximum take-off mass (MTOM) the heliport is intended to serve, would need to be considered..These requirements also apply to areas for the exclusive use of helicopters at an aerodrome primarily meant for the use of aeroplanes.
This CAR is issued in accordance with Rule 29C and under Sub-rule 1 of Rule 83 and Rule 133A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.

Declared distances — heliports.
a) Take-off distance available (TODAH). The length of the final approach and take-off area plus the length of helicopter clearway (if provided) declared available and suitable for helicopters to complete the take-off.
b) Rejected take-off distance available (RTODAH). The length of the final approach and take-off area declared available and suitable for helicopters operated in performance class 1 to complete a rejected take-off.
c) Landing distance available (LDAH). The length of the final approach and take-off area plus any additional area declared available and suitable for helicopters to complete the landing manoeuvre from a defined height.

Elevated heliport. A heliport located on a raised structure on land.

Final approach and take-off area (FATO). A defined area over which the final phase of the approach manoeuvre to hover or landing is completed and from which the take-off manoeuvre is commenced. Where the FATO is to be used by helicopters operated in performance class 1, the defined area includes the rejected take-off area available.

Helideck. A heliport located on an off-shore structure such as an exploration or Production platform used for the exploitation of oil or gas.

Heliport. An aerodrome or a defined area on a structure intended to be used wholly or in part for the arrival, departure and surface movement of helicopters.

Touchdown and lift-off area (TLOF). A load bearing area on which a helicopter may touch down or lift off.

Final approach and take-off areas
A surface-level heliport shall be provided with at least one FATO..
A FATO shall be obstacle free.
The dimensions of a FATO shall be:
a) where intended to be used by helicopters operated in performance class 1, as prescribed in the helicopter flight manual (HFM) except that, in the absence of width specifications, the width shall be not less than the greatest overall dimension (D) of the largest helicopter the FATO is intended to serve;
b) Where intended to be used by helicopters operated in performance class 2 or 3, of sufficient size and shape to contain an area within which can be drawn a circle of diameter not less than; 1D of the largest helicopter.
Note. — Where the term FATO is not used in the helicopter flight manual (HFM), the minimum landing/takeoff area specified in the HFM for the
appropriate flight profile is used.
Note. — Local conditions, such as elevation and temperature, may need to be considered when determining the size of a FATO. Guidance is given in the ICAO Heliport Manual.
The mean slope in any direction on the FATO shall not exceed 3 per cent.
No portion of a FATO shall have a local slope exceeding:
a) 5 per cent where the heliport is intended to be used by helicopters operated in performance class 1; and
b) 7 per cent where the heliport is intended to be used by helicopters operated in performance class 2 or 3.

The surface of the FATO shall:
a) be resistant to the effects of rotor downwash;
b) be free of irregularities that would adversely affect the take-off or landing of helicopters; and
c) have bearing strength sufficient to accommodate a rejected take-off helicopters operated in performance class 1.

The surface of a FATO surrounding a TLOF intended for use by helicopters operated in performance classes 2 and 3, shall be static load bearing.

Helicopter clearways
When a helicopter clearway is provided, it shall be located beyond the end of the rejected take-off area available.
The width of a helicopter clearway shall not be less than that of the associated safety area.
The ground in a helicopter clearway shall not project above a plane having an upward slope of 3 per cent, the lower limit of this plane being a horizontal line which is located on the periphery of the FATO.
An object situated on a helicopter clearway which may endanger helicopters in the air shall be regarded as an obstacle and shall be removed.

Touchdown and lift-off areas
At least one touchdown and lift-off area (TLOF) shall be provided at a heliport.
Note 1. — TLOF may or may not be located within the FATO.
Note 2. – Additional TLOF may be collocated with helicopter stands.
The TLOF shall be of sufficient size to contain a circle of diameter of at least 0.83D of the largest helicopter the area is intended to serve.
Note.— TLOF may be any shape.
Slopes on a TLOF shall be sufficient to prevent accumulation of water on the surface of the area, but shall not exceed 2 per cent in any direction.
Where the TLOF is within the FATO the TLOF shall be dynamic load bearing.
Where a TLOF is collocated with a helicopter stand, the TLOF shall be static load bearing and be capable of withstanding the traffic of helicopters that the area is intended to serve. Where the TLOF is within the FATO, the centre of the TLOF shall be located not less than 0.5 D from the edge of the FATO.

Safety areas.

A FATO shall be surrounded by a safety area which need not be solid. A safety area surrounding a FATO intended to be used by helicopters operated in performance class 1, in visual meteorological conditions (VMC)
shall extend outwards from the periphery of the FATO for a distance of at least 3 m or 0.25 D, whichever is greater, of the largest helicopter the FATO area is intended to serve, and :
a) Each external side of the safety area shall be at least 2 D where the FATO is quadrilateral; or
b) The outer diameter of the safety area shall at least 2D where FATO is circular. A safety area surrounding a FATO intended to be used by helicopters operated in performance class 2 or 3 in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) shall extend outwards from the periphery of the FATO for a distance of at least 3 m or 0.5 D, whichever is the greater, of the largest helicopter the FATO is intended to serve, and:
a) each external side of the safety area shall be at least 2 D where the FATO is quadrilateral; or
b) the outer diameter of the safety area shall be at least 2 D where the FATO is circular. There shall be a protected side slope rising at 45° from the edge of the safety area to a distance of 10 meters, whose surface shall not be penetrated by obstacles; except that when obstacles are located to one side of the FATO only, they may be permitted to penetrate the side slope surface.
A safety area surrounding a FATO intended to be used by helicopter operations in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) shall extend:
a) laterally to a distance of at least 45 m on each side of the centre line; and
b) longitudinally to a distance of at least 60 m beyond the ends of the FATO.
No fixed object shall be permitted on a safety area, except for frangible objects, which, because of their function, must be located on the area. No mobile object shall be permitted on a safety area during helicopter operations. Objects whose functions require them to be located on the safety area shall not exceed a height of 25 cm when located along the edge of the FATO nor penetrate a plane originating at a height of 25 cm above the edge of the FATO and sloping upwards and outwards from the edge of the FATO at a gradient of 5 per cent. In the case of a FATO of diameter less than 1D, the maximum height of the objects whose functions require them to be located on the safety area
should not exceed a height of 5 cm.
The surface of the safety area when solid shall not exceed an upward slope of 4 per cent outwards from the edge of the FATO.
Where applicable, the surface of the safety area shall be treated to prevent flying debris caused by rotor downwash.
The surface of the safety area abutting the FATO shall be continuous with the FATO.

VISUAL AIDS
Indicators
Wind direction indicators
Application
heliport shall be equipped with at least one wind direction indicator.
Location
A wind direction indicator shall be located so as to indicate the wind conditions over FATO and in such a way as to be free from the effects of airflow disturbances caused by nearby objects or rotor downwash. It shall be visible from a helicopter in flight, in a hover or on the movement area. Where a TLOF may be subject to a disturbed air flow, then additional wind direction indicators located close to the area shall be provided to indicate the surface wind on the area.
Note.— Guidance on the location of wind direction indicators is given in the ICAO Heliport Manual.
A wind direction indicator shall be constructed so that it gives a clear indication of the direction of the wind and a general indication of the wind speed. An indicator shall be a truncated cone made of lightweight fabric and shall have
the following minimum dimensions:
Surface level Elevated heliports
heliports and helidecks
Length 2.4 m 1.2 m
Diameter 0.6 m 0.3 m
(larger end)
Diameter 0.3 m 0.15 m
(smaller end)
The colour of the wind direction indicator shall be so selected as to make it clearly visible and understandable from a height of at least 200 m (650 ft) above the heliport, having regard to background. Where practicable, a single colour, preferably white or orange, shall be used. Where a combination of two colours is required to give adequate conspicuity against changing backgrounds, they shall preferably be orange and white, red and white, or black and white, and shall be arranged in five alternate bands the first and last band being the darker colour. A wind direction indicator at a heliport intended for use at night shall be illuminated.

Heliport identification marking
Application
A heliport identification marking shall be provided at a heliport. A heliport identification marking shall be located within the final approach and take-off area, at or near the centre of the area or when used in conjunction with
runway designation markings at each end of the area.
Characteristics
A heliport identification marking, except for a heliport at a hospital, shall consist of a letter H, white in colour. The dimensions of the marking shall be no less than those shown in Figure 5-1 and where the marking is used in conjunction with FATO designation marking specified in 5.2.5 its dimensions shall be increased by a factor of 3.A heliport identification marking for a heliport at a hospital shall consist of a letter H, red in colour, on a white cross made of squares adjacent to each of the sides of a square containing the H as shown in Figure 5-1.
A heliport identification marking shall be oriented with the cross arm of the H at right angles to the preferred final approach direction. For a helideck the cross arm shall be on or parallel to the bisector of the obstacle-free sector. On a helideck, the size of the heliport identification ‘H’ marking should have a height of 4 m with an overall width not exceeding 3 m and a stroke width not exceeding 0.75 m. Identification marking for helicopter landing area built on highrise building to meet emergency requirement of safety services shall consist of H, red in colour and shall be surrounded by a white circle of TLOF marking.