The London Heliport, London’s
only licensed heliport, handled 11,900 total movements (including exempted
movements) in 2017, representing a 5% increase in activity, slightly less than
2016.
The trend toward medium to large
twin-engined executive helicopter movements also continued into 2017 with types
like the Leonardo AW169 recently becoming available for public charter for the
first time (with Halo and Starspeed).
Interlining with business jets
activity accounted for 20% of traffic during the year with the likes of Castle
Air, Capital, Atlas, Halo Aviation and Starspeed departing London Biggin Hill,
Luton, London Oxford Airport, Farnborough and Stansted Airports. The London
Helicopter sightseeing flight company, based at Battersea and Redhill and now
under the ownership and AOC of A2B Aero is into its sixth year. Its offering
continues to be popular, especially among overseas visitors or for those looking
for that special occasion.
|
Halo Aviation’s Leonardo
AW169 available for charter. |
London Heliport is undergoing a
major investment to upgrade its communications equipment, including a new
transmitter and receivers to meet the new 8.33 mHz spacing regulations for VHF
Ground-Air communications. New voice-switch and recording equipment is part of
the upgrade which is due for completion by the end of April.
Early this year a partnership
agreement was ratified with the Meteorological Office to upgrade available
sensor equipment enabling the London Heliport to disseminate METAR data widely
to the aviation community and make official forecasting available for the first
time in history using skilled qualified met. observers within the heliport ATC
team. Preparatory work is complete and installation of new sensor equipment is
expected to commence this month, with regulatory approval from the CAA
anticipated following a three-month trial to prove the reliability of
observations and the data produced. This will result in a significant
enhancement of weather information available to air crew of conditions when
entering the challenging airspace and operating environment of the London heli-route
system.
Work also continues with the
regulator and airspace manager to secure the future of the London Heliport as
the airspace and operating/regulatory environment evolves and new helicopter
types and technologies emerge.
Representatives from the
London Heliport will be at EBACE, co-hosted with sister company London Oxford
Airport on fuel provider Air BP’s Stand B29.
|