Heliports: 25 Frequently Asked Questions & Answers

1. What are HELIPORTS & VERTIPORTS?

Heliports & Vertiports are designated landing areas designed to accommodate aircraft such as Helicopters and Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) aircraft capable of taking off and landing vertically. They range from simple unprepared open grass fields and parking lots to elaborate locations that support high volume transportation air services, complete with hangars, fuel systems, charging systems, and aircraft maintenance facilities. Over 90% of current facilities are designed to be a simple single landing and takeoff site with no fuel, recharging, aircraft storage, aircraft parking, or aircraft maintenance services.

2. What’s the difference between Heliports & Vertiports versus Helistops & Vertistops?

As it pertains to Heliports vs. Helistops and Vertiports vs. Vertistops the geometry and approach/departure surfaces are identical. The key difference is that helistops and vertistops do not provide fueling, recharging, maintenance, repairs, or aircraft storage.

3. What are the sizes of typical Heliport & Vertiport facilities?

All international standards have space requirements (both for a site’s physical footprint and it’s supporting airspace) for an obstacle-free environment in order for the aircraft to land, takeoff and maneuver safely. The standards for Touchdown Liftoff (TLOF) area sizes (the pad itself) are generally predicated on the size of the largest aircraft landing gear footprint or a multiplier of its controlling dimension (the largest of either the aircraft’s overall length or overall width) also referred to as the aircraft’s “D-Value”. The obstacle-clear areas surrounding the TLOF, which include the Final Approach and Takeoff (FATO) area and the Safety Area, are also generally determined by a multiplier of the design aircraft’s controlling dimension. This open area can vary from as little as 64′ x 64′ for a small two-seat aircraft to 145′ x 145′ for a larger twin-engine aircraft and up to several acres for facilities serving multiple aircraft.

Both heliports and vertiport are required to have at least one unobstructed approach and departure surface as defined in the Code of Federal Regulations Title 14 § 77.23 Heliport imaginary surfaces for facility access. These airspace standards are generally based on the size of the largest aircraft using the facility.

4. What are the different types of Heliports & Vertiports?

The type of Heliport & Vertiport is determined by its usage. The most typical:

A. Public-Use General Aviation (GA) facilities are by definition, available for use by the general public without a requirement for prior approval of the owner or operator and may be a combination of privately and publicly owned properties. Public-Use facilities account for approximately 1% of all the vertical flight infrastructure sites in the U.S. If the location has been funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Airport Improvement Program (AIP), the facility is obligated to meet all published FAA standards. The Airport Improvement Program (AIP) provides grants to public agencies — and, in some cases, to private owners and entities — for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). GA facilities may vary from supporting a single ship aircraft to an elaborate location designed for a multitude of different types of VTOL aircraft with multiple parking locations and intermodal links to light or heavy rail systems, ferries, highways and airports. Many locations form part of a hub and spoke system of aircraft that serve as feeders from major cities to airports, suburban to urban areas, and city-center to city-center locations.

B. Private-Use facilities (also referred to as Prior Permission Required PPR) means available for use by the owner only or by the owner and other persons authorized by the owner. They are privately funded, located on private/corporate property and not open to the general public. This category of Use-Case currently accounts for 99% of all existing vertical flight infrastructure in the U.S.

C. Transport facilities are locations designed to accommodate air carriers providing scheduled service on large aircraft (aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight greater than 12,500 lbs. (5,670 kg)). These facilities are envisioned to have extensive airside and landside infrastructure to accommodate passengers and to enable operations in instrument meteorological conditions. The design of Transport facilities generally includes intermodal considerations, passenger waiting and ticketing areas and provisions for the higher security associated with direct linking of aircraft to major air carriers at airports. Currently there are no vertical flight transport facilities listed in the FAA airport master record database.

D. Hospital facilities are generally located on or near a hospital campus and can be ground level, elevated, or on a rooftop. In addition to the normal provisioning for site specific operational requirements, patient handling and care considerations are critical factors in the facility design. Proximity to a hospital’s trauma/emergency areas, ambulance drop-off and pick-up points, and specialized patient care areas must be considered. All hospitals in the U.S. are identified as private-use facilities and aircraft access is generally restricted to Air Ambulance and military Medical Evacuation (Medevac) operations. The minimum TLOF size for a hospital heliport as recommended by the FAA is no less than 40’ X 40’.

E. Official-Use facilities are for police, fire and sheriff departments, as well as various Federal, State and local governmental agencies. These sites are generally identified as public-owned, private-use facilities requiring special permission for aircraft other than the owner or invited official guests.

F. Medical Emergency Sites are defined as an unprepared site at or near the scene of an accident or similar medical emergency, on which an aircraft may land to pick up a patient to provide emergency medical transport. The FAA does not consider a medical emergency site to be a vertiport or a heliport. Criteria for these sites can be found in the FAA Aeronautical Information Manual Chapter 10 Section-2, Special Operations. Additional criteria for these types of sites may also be found in the FAA Part-135 certificate holders operational specifications. These sites, due to their nature of usage, are typically not subject to formal regulatory review and oversight.

G. Pre-designated emergency landing areas (PELAs) are clear and level areas near the scene of an accident or incident that the local emergency response team has designated as a place where the air ambulance aircraft may be directed to land to transport an injured person to a hospital. Such sites may be provided in various locations within a jurisdiction to support fast response to medical emergencies and accidents. Pre-designating these areas provides the opportunity to inspect potential sites in advance and to select sites that have adequate clear approach/departure airspace and adequate clear ground space to support safe operations.

H. Emergency Evacuation Facilities are intended for use in the event of an emergency, to facilitate bringing emergency personnel on site and may be comprised of rooftop emergency facilities or medical emergency sites but are not for routine aircraft operations. Local building codes may require buildings that are over a predetermined height to provide for a rooftop area with sufficient size and strength to support a VTOL aircraft. Some building owners have constructed private heliports on their buildings that both service the travel needs of the building occupants and meet evacuation requirements.

I. Temporary facilities refer only to the Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) Part 157. The FAA does not require notification of intent to construct or activate any intermittent-use, Visual Flight Rules- (VFR) only site which is used or intended to be used for less than one year. Intermittent use means use or intention to use for no more than three days in any one week and no more than 10 operations in any one day.

Keep in mind that this does not override any state or local jurisdiction, regulation, or ordinance, which in many areas requires permission, licensing and/or permitting for any landings. This typically excludes medical and public safety emergencies.

5. Where can this type of infrastructure be located?

The versatility of vertical-flight aircraft allows these areas to be located almost anywhere there is sufficient space. For instance, they may be located at ground-level; elevated on buildings, parking garages, canopies, bridges, or over freeways and interstates; on docks, piers, barges, boats, offshore oil/gas rigs, or portable deck systems in jungles/mountains/marshes; and even on water for aircraft equipped with floats.

The location depends predominately on the availability of unobstructed clear airspace, real estate priorities, exact departure points/destinations of the passengers. or where services are required. For example, hospitals generally want the heliport as close as possible to the emergency treatment area for incoming patients. Corporate clients are interested in getting to and from their meetings/conferences or connections to longer-range aircraft. Forest/Exploration/Utility crews desire direct access to those areas in which they routinely operate.

Facilities may be located in cities, suburbs, rural areas or forests and are only limited by the availability of the necessary clear open area and unobstructed airspace in conjunction with a way of supporting the weight of the aircraft.

6. What materials are used to construct this type of infrastructure?

The most common heliport material for ground level sites is turf or supplemented turf (grass pavers, PSP, mixed gravel, shells, coral…). For more elaborate sites or for elevated structures concrete, concrete and steel, aluminum, wood (that meets non-combustible standards) and composites may be used. Composites include fiberglass, Kevlar, carbon fiber and numerous other fibers epoxied together and formed into high-strength structural members. Composite materials may also be used as a suitable replacement to iron core rebar used to reinforce concrete structures to reduce the potential of magnetic interference with aircraft navigation systems.

7. What are the pros and cons of these construction materials?

A. Concrete

Concrete is the least expensive, most durable, non-combustible material which provides excellent vibration and noise attenuation and can be finished as needed. However, it is heavy, non-portable, challenging to expand upon, and difficult to retrofit with deicing and anti-icing systems.

B. Aluminum

Aluminum is lightweight, easily transportable for installation, lends itself to pad relocation, easily adapted to de-icing equipment, is weather resistant, and virtually maintenance free. However, it is more expensive than concrete, provides less vibration and noise attenuation, and will melt at temperatures associated with most fuel-involved fires.

C. Composite

Composite pads are the lightest in weight of all the lading facilities in the industry. They’re strong, portable, and with the appropriate ceramic surface treatments can provide for a non-combustible surface. Additionally, they can be manufactured as a modular system that is fully customizable to accommodate any location’s specific needs while being completely relocatable. However, this versatility comes with a cost as they are the most expensive and there are currently few suppliers.

D. Turf

While turf is by far the least expensive alternative when installing VTOL infrastructure it does come with some drawbacks. Turf areas should be enhanced with some sort of aggregate for stability. This is discussed in FAA Advisory Circular 150/5370-10, Standard Specifications for Construction of Airports. Environmental conditions such as snow and rain may restrict operational usability during certain months of the year and the moving of aircraft and passengers may be hindered in some ways.

8. Who regulates these types of facilities?

In the U.S. and its territories and possessions it is the FAA who develops and publishes federally accepted heliport and vertiport standards. However, as it pertains to the oversite and enforcement of these standards the FAA has only been granted legal authority by congress over Public-Use facilities. As it pertains to Private-Use facilities, the FAA has gone on record in stating that to the extent that they choose to do so, the design of private-use vertical flight infrastructure is regulated, NOT by the FAA but by the 50 States. State, regional, and local governments will be involved with the licensing and permitting based on the land-use regulations and state laws that have been enacted by their legislative bodies. As it relates to international regulations and oversite it can vary quite significantly from country to country.

9. Is this type of infrastructure covered by most zoning codes?

The good news is that in 2024 the FAA classified Vertiports as a type of heliport with distinct specific requirements similar to hospital or prior permission required (PPR) heliports and many municipalities have specific references to Heliports and Helistops in their land-use regulations. However, there are still those municipalities that have yet to add this type of aviation infrastructure to their ordinances. Many authorities have included and permitted these landing areas as accessory uses of a primary land use. Yet others require a Conditional Use Permit to operate a heliport, which is a permitting process similar to receiving a building permit. There are those municipalities who have enacted zoning codes which restrict and, in some cases, even prohibit such facilities. The starting point is obtaining and understanding the regulations from the authority having jurisdiction in the area your potential facility will be located.

10. What are the benefits of such infrastructure?

A. Economic

A Heliport and/or Vertiport can help attract and keep businesses that use all sorts of VTOL aircraft. A great majority of the largest U.S. and international corporations own, lease or charter helicopters today for the safe, secure, reliable, and dependable transportation of their top executives and clients and most are looking to adopt newer VTOL aircraft in the future.

B. Emergency/Disaster Relief

A system of strategically placed facilities can provide, in addition to the daily business and private sector benefits, an emergency system of landing and staging areas for safe operations. In the event of a local or regional natural or man-made disaster (i.e., hurricane, fire, earthquakes, flood terrorism or industrial accident), these facilities can be immediately available for saving lives and property.

C. Medical Use

The use of helicopters as aerial ambulances has made the inclusion of a vertical flight infrastructure at trauma centers a requirement in many states and countries. Hospitals around the world consider this type of infrastructure an essential part of the total patient-care system, which has resulted in millions of lives saved.

D. Public Service-Disaster Relief

Many public safety agencies (i.e., fire, law enforcement, government, wildlife, and resource management authorities) use helicopters and associated infrastructure. Many such agencies credit their use of helicopters with the very ability to do their missions effectively.

E. News Gathering/Reporting, Traffic and Safety

Many network and local TV and radio stations are using helicopters and the local vertical flight infrastructure for their support to provide up-to-the second news, traffic reports and, in some cases, lifesaving information to the public.

F. Utility, Forest and Resource Management

A large number of vertical flight infrastructure sites support helicopters that patrol and repair critical power transmission lines, fight forest fires, manage national forests, and survey vast areas without the need for disturbing the environment

11. What equipment is needed for this type of infrastructure?

Equipment requirements are based upon the mission of the facility. A simple daylight-only VFR (Visual Flight Rules) ground-based location will need only a wind indicator and some markings. Current National Fire Protection Association standards do not require any fire equipment for an unattended facility. Attended ground-level facilities require portable fire extinguishers of an appropriate type and size based on the aircraft’s Controlling Dimension, and most elevated locations over occupied structures will require specialized foam-dispensing systems and equipment.

If the location is to be utilized at night, the windsock must be illuminated and simple perimeter and obstruction lighting, meeting FAA criteria, is generally all that is required. If the site is to support satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) Point-in-Space (PinS) instrument approach and departure procedures to accommodate Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operations more extensive lighting and ground equipment may be required.

Fueling, servicing, and automatic weather reporting would all require equipment appropriate to the needs of the operator and the operations to be conducted.

12. Should I have an instrument approach to my facility?

In the case of scheduled commuter or airline services, or on-demand passenger transport, all-weather capability is essential to providing a transportation system capable of operations under multiple weather conditions in support of these business models.

If an IFR demand is present and validated at a private, hospital, or general aviation facility, a feasibility analysis for adding this type of capability should be performed. That analysis should include factoring of the site’s obstacles for determining the applicable minimums. If there are elevated obstacles in the immediate vicinity of the facility, the IFR minimums may be so high as not to be practical. Other issues to be considered are the interface with the current surrounding airspace, air traffic control challenges and the amount of additional equipment that would be required, such as lights, differential global positioning system (DGPS) transmitters, and automated weather observation systems (AWOSs). Additional factors that should also be considered would be aircraft equipage, pilot training and pilot currency requirements.

13. Can an instrument approach to a facility be developed and approved?

Yes. In the U.S., the FAA, both independently and in collaboration with designated 3rd party Performance Evaluation Pilots (PEPs) have approved satellite-based GPS non-precision PinS approach and departure procedures to thousands of aviation facilities. There are a number of options to consider as to what type of instrument procedure is best suited for a specific location which includes site specific criteria, obstructions, existing airspace, aircraft equipage, pilot certification, pilot training, and budgetary constraints. A Satellite Based Augmentation System (SBAS) is required to be able to carry out approaches to the lowest possible decision heights. One type of approach is called Localizer Performance with Vertical Guidance (LPV). These types of approaches require that the pilot be able to identify the landing environment to continue to land, i.e. proceed visually. The other type of approach is known as a “proceed VFR” approach where once the pilot has achieved flight into Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) they may proceed under VFR rules to the landing area.

14. Are these facilities expensive?

The greatest majority of domestic vertical flight infrastructure sites are simple, inexpensive facilities. A day-time VFR only facility can be established for less than a few hundred dollars with minimum markings and a windsock. Nighttime operations will require lighting which can range from as little as a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars depending upon the source of electricity and type of lighting used. The cost of larger facilities are in direct proportion to the real estate costs, and type and number of enhancements. Normal construction materials and techniques work very well for vertical flight infrastructure development. A full-service facility with hangars, fuel, services and offices would cost no more than the same facilities being used for cars, trucks or other vehicles.

15. Are there lights specifically designed for these type of facilities?

The great majority of today’s facilities use lights that were designed for airports and adapted to the needs of vertical flight infrastructure over time. The obstruction lights, perimeter lights, windsock lights, and floodlights available today reflect this heritage. Most major aviation lighting manufacturers have heliport lighting “packages” that meet the guidelines spelled out by the FAA in their advisory circulars and engineering briefs. There are numerous lighting systems that use conventional incandescent, electro-luminescent, fiber optic, light bar, LED, laser and cold cathode tube technologies. There are a number of good battery-powered lighting systems for temporary sites or sites isolated from a normal electrical power source. One consideration to consider when selecting lighting is whether or not the aircraft that will operate at the site will employ night vision devices. Certain light wavelengths associated with incandescent lighting can interfere with night vision systems while certain LED color combinations may be invisible.

16. Where are preferred vertical flight infrastructure locations?

The facility should be located and designed according to the needs of the users. Hospitals generally like to have their landing facility as close as practical to the emergency/trauma area for ease of patient transport. Corporate heliports are sometimes within walking distance of their offices or actually on the passenger’s destination building. City center intermodal facilities and convention centers are natural locations for the inclusion of a landing facility and lend themselves to providing for a true multimodal facility. Landing facilities at major airports are predominately in the general aviation area, which allows for direct access to corporate/charter aircraft, as well as direct interlining with airlines with appropriate air-side security measures in place.

Strategically located infrastructure can form a system that provides the needed link in city-center to city-center transportation, airport links and service to and from the passenger’s origination points and destinations.

17. Are these facilities quiet?

The sound levels of conventional VTOL aircraft such as helicopters are far below that of many accepted noise-producers in today’s environment. Trains, lawnmowers, vacuum cleaners, hairdryers, motorcycles, jet planes, buses, trucks, boats and cars all regularly produce noise levels higher than that which the average person would perceive from a helicopter. Electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft promise to have an even lower noise signature. The relative distance, nature and intensity of the noise generated, height above the ground, model of the aircraft and sound attenuation factors of the terrain between the source and the receptor are all factors in how an individual will perceive the sound. Older, heavier military helicopters are very different from the modern, light, efficient and much quieter civil helicopters utilized in the vast majority of corporate and executive helicopter aviation fleets today.

It must be kept in mind that the typical activity during an approach or departure to and from vertical flight infrastructure produces a fairly transitory sound. The entire sound event generally lasts for less than approximately 45 seconds during landing or takeoff. At any one point along the flight route, providing the observer is close enough to hear or notice it, the helicopter will typically be heard for only about 20 seconds or less. This compares very favorably to sounds already found in most neighborhoods. This is quite unlike other transportation systems located on streets, highways, interstate road systems, commuter and freight railroads and certain waterways, where the sound production is almost constant in many circumstances.

Special attention should be given to citing vertical flight infrastructure in areas or corridors where the sound inherently produced by other sources provides for a shielding or muffling effect upon the sounds of the helicopters. Heavily industrialized areas, especially large industrial/commercial campuses, make good sites for potential landing areas, owing to the ambient sounds generated by the land uses and the lack of sensitive receptors generally found in residential areas.

In essentially all metropolitan transportation systems there are clearly defined corridors of motor vehicle, train and waterborne traffic that allow for excellent ingress and egress routes. These freeways, highways, railroads, and waterways, in addition to providing enough ambient sound to shield aircraft noise, also offer an area of relatively unobstructed airspace that is likely to be long-lived that will help ensure obsolescence is not a factor.

The operators of the aircraft can also reduce the sounds of the aircraft significantly by the use of developed sound-reduction flight techniques developed by essentially all the aircraft manufacturers. This guidance documentation has been widely distributed and promoted as part of the Vertical Aviation International (VAI) “Fly Neighborly” program. Additional details on this program can be obtained from the VAI website.

Government, industry and academic research and development programs are continuing to design and manufacture even quieter aircraft. The electric distributed lift aircraft currently under development such as those classified as eVTOL or powered lift aircraft show significant promise in reducing the noise level of vertical flight aircraft significantly.

18. What are the exhaust emissions from vertical flight aircraft?

VTOL aircraft powered by gas turbine engines produce few pollutants. Much of this is due to the engine’s high combustion temperatures and its ability to burn fuel very efficiently. The type of fuel utilized by these engines is high-quality jet fuel. Properly stored, dispensed and used, it meets the high Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards for the use of such fuels. Those aircraft that are gasoline powered produce emissions that are very comparable to other similarly powered vehicles (i.e., cars, trucks and boats). Electrically driven aircraft, except those classified as hybrids, have little to no emissions.

19. How safe are these types of facilities?

Nothing is more important to the residents of any community than the safety of themselves, their families and their property. The FAA, using its own data and that of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), looked at the relative risk a community in relationship to a VTOL landing area. Based on historical information for helicopters, the results of that study calculated that the risk of a helicopter accident occurring in a neighborhood in the vicinity of a specific heliport is an extremely rare event and that the likelihood of an accident near a heliport that has 400 annual helicopter operations is about 1 accident every 495 years. That information and the historical data reveal that typical vertical flight infrastructure facilities have an almost perfect safety record relative to any deaths or injuries to the general public.

The FAA and many of the state and local governments are very proactive when it comes to vertical flight infrastructure safety and the aircraft that land there. FAA regulations are extremely strict when it comes to unsafe actions by pilots and operators.

20. Do these facilities impact property values for adjacent or nearby properties?

Historical studies as well as real estate appraisal guidelines indicate that property values are not affected due to the proximity of these facilities. One of the highest per capita income areas in the country, Somerset County, New Jersey, has a large number of private and corporate facilities within some of the finest and costliest estates in the county. In some cases, it has been observed that vertical flight infrastructure has had a positive impact on the desirability of consumers to live there.

21. Are there any means for obtaining U.S. government funding for my facility?

Yes, however, there are two specific requirements that your facility must first meet to be eligible for direct federal funding. Under current regulations, facilities must be public use, and they must also be listed in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). To date only nine of the 54 public-use heliports on record in the U.S. are listed in the NPIAS. If your facility is fortunate enough to clear these two hurdles it may be eligible to participate in the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) federal grant program. Facility sponsors who accept a grant offer are also accepting conditions and obligations associated with the grant assurances. These include obligations to operate and maintain the airport in a safe and serviceable condition, not grant exclusive rights, mitigate hazards to airspace, and use airport revenue properly. Some states do offer “block grant” FAA AIP funds which are earmarked under “Discretionary Funds” in addition to their own monies for such development/improvements on publicly accessible landing sites. Many economic development agencies are also a source of potential funding. For additional information on eligibility and application for AIP funding contact your local state Department of Transportation (DOT) aviation office, many of which can be found on the National Association of State Aviation Officials (NASAO) website (https://nasao.org ). You will also want to contact your regional FAA Airport District Office (ADO), and your local Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) for assistance.

22. What are the steps to develop a Vertical Flight Facility?

The process for establishing a vertical flight facility varies from place to place. This is primarily due to the vast differences between state and local governments and how they manage these types of property use classifications. However, one thing will always be the same, and that is the need to apply for and receive a favorable FAA airspace study. The easiest way to accomplish this is to submit a request to the FAA using their Airport Data and Information Portal (ADIP) website at https://adip.faa.gov. For additional assistance you can contact the FAA ADO that has oversight over your area. They can supply you with copies of the most current versions of applicable standards as well as a copy of FAA Form 7480, Notice for Construction, Alteration and Deactivation of Airports, which may also be downloaded from the FAA website at https://www.faa.gov. A copy of FAA Form-7480 is also often required for filing with the State DOT and sometimes the municipality.

State D.O.T. aeronautical authorities vary dramatically in the amount of assistance and oversight that they can and are capable of providing. A phone call to the appropriate state authority will provide you with that information. Some states require that you apply for a permit or license from the state for your facility while others do not. Calling the state office will help you prepare for the process.

Most cities, municipalities, and unincorporated counties have requirements. Contact your local zoning and planning department and inquire about the code and zoning criteria for where you plan to build your facility. They will tell you the rules, process, and what you must do, if anything, to meet local regulations.

The development process is an endeavor requiring knowledge and understanding of the process and the ability to address the numerous issues presented. A combination of sound technical planning and effective public involvement is essential for the success of a facility application. Many such applications fail due to improper presentation, inadequate transparency, failure to follow prescribed application processes, and major defects in or lack of planning.

23. What developmental issues might I face?

Numerous surveys, extensive field experience and case studies that were performed for the FAA and outlined in “Heliport/Vertiport Implementation Process-Case Studies” (DOT/FAA/ND-96/1) and “Six Heliport Case Studies” (DOT/FAA/ND-97/1) indicate:

A. The critical factor in heliport development is local government approval of the project. Almost all failed applications occur at this level irrespective of the type of heliport.

B. Local governments are highly influenced by voters, and the primary concerns voiced by citizens, as they pertain to these types of facilities are safety, noise, pollution, property value and quality of life. To achieve a positive outcome these issues, need to be fully addressed from the very beginning of any project. The planning, community impact, mitigation strategies, and public education process must be an integral part of the developmental process.

C. While there is no guarantee of success for a professionally prepared vertical flight facility application, many failed applications had fatal errors in either their planning, design, safety, presentation, and in some cases all three.

24. What are the challenges to finding help with my facility?

There are relatively few aviation professionals in the vertical flight infrastructure industry who offer truly objective consulting services without also selling related products. To ensure the best fit for your needs, it’s worth taking the time to interview potential consultants and understand their approach.  Some companies that offer turnkey heliport packages also manufacture their own equipment, which may lead to higher costs than necessary. To avoid unexpected expenses, consider requesting transparent, good faith quotes along with a clear commitment that all work will comply with Federal Aviation Administration and National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards, state regulations, and local ordinances and codes. HeliExperts has observed cases where critical guidelines—such as those from the FAA, NFPA, Building Code, and Fire Code—were not fully followed which resulted in cost overruns, delays, and upset communities. In some instances, packages included equipment that may not have been essential to the project’s success. Choosing a consultant with strong aeronautical expertise, experience, and the ability to communicate effectively with local officials and community members is crucial to a successful heliport project. The right consultant will not only guide your project through the regulatory hurdles but will also represent you in public meetings, planning sessions, and other key discussions as required.

25. Where can I turn for assistance in this process?

The authors of this general information guidelines, Raymond A. Syms and Rex J. Alexander of HeliExperts International can provide real-life and hands-on assistance with any or all of the typical heliport development on a professional basis and can be contacted at (732) 870-8883 or ray@heliexp.com