Private Heliport

[grymmskull]

Hello,

I am a newly rated commercial rotor craft pilot, i also hold fixed wing ratings. This is my first post here, i am sure this gets asked from time to time, but i need advice on setting up my own Heliport.

 

It will be located in rural PA and i am pretty sure most of my neighbors are heli friendly. I have contacted my local flight service office and they e-mailed me a form for the FAA application and said they needed to survey the site sometime.

 

has anyone gone through the process of setting up a heliport?

should i get the FAA paperwork aproved before contacting the township? should i level out the pad area before the FAA survey team looks it over?

i really want this process to go as smoothly as possible so i want to do things in the right order, any help would be greatly apreciated.

 

thanks

have a safe day

[67november]

there is some info in this thread that may be of use to you

 

http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.c...amp;hl=heliport

[grymmskull]

thanks,

Anyone out there located in PA that has gone through the whole process?

it will be located on my brothers farm, he is one of the local volunteer fire officers and thought we could list the location as an emergency landing site for air ambulance or something, maybe that would make the neighbors friendlier, that and offering them free rides

[Bootcamp]

thanks,

Anyone out there located in PA that has gone through the whole process?

it will be located on my brothers farm, he is one of the local volunteer fire officers and thought we could list the location as an emergency landing site for air ambulance or something, maybe that would make the neighbors friendlier, that and offering them free rides

 

Where in PA are you located? About a year ago I was teaching an R44 owner who stashed his ship in his backyard just south of Allentown. As far as I know, the site wasn't registered as a heliport - but since it was private property, and far enough away from any neighbors, there weren't any complaints.

[rick1128]

Hello,

I am a newly rated commercial rotor craft pilot, i also hold fixed wing ratings. This is my first post here, i am sure this gets asked from time to time, but i need advice on setting up my own Heliport.

 

It will be located in rural PA and i am pretty sure most of my neighbors are heli friendly. I have contacted my local flight service office and they e-mailed me a form for the FAA application and said they needed to survey the site sometime.

 

has anyone gone through the process of setting up a heliport?

should i get the FAA paperwork aproved before contacting the township? should i level out the pad area before the FAA survey team looks it over?

i really want this process to go as smoothly as possible so i want to do things in the right order, any help would be greatly apreciated.

 

thanks

have a safe day

 

Is there any particular reason why you want to set up a heliport? FAA regulations do not require you to operate out of an airport/heliport. It is a helicopter after all. I could see if insurance and local regulations require it. Plus there are zoning issues to consider. I have witnessed town meetings about airports/heliports and they can turn into a zoo. Talk of hourly 747 flights and so on.

 

Also you might have insurance issues with a heliport, as in having to have airport insurance. Keep in mind that when you do the FAA paperwork, you heliport will be on the Sectional charts, even if it is listed as Private or Restricted, you will have people landing on it.

 

If you are far enough out of town, you might be better off, just working with your neighbors and forgetting about the FAA paperwork.

[Scarab]

As I understand it if the heliport is approved by the FAA and then the neighbors start to complain, you were there first. sort of If the neighbors continue long enough and loud enough you could get shut down either way. I've used a rural pad for about 5 years with no complaints. Nearest neighbor is right next door. Maybe 300' from the pad. He never hears me come and go said the mower makes more noise cause it gets lots closer. Lucky to have an open field in three directions so I can take off away from all the buildings with at least a quarter mile of open land. When I was going to move the heli to that location I went around and chatted with the neighbors and of course offered rides too. They all thought that would be cool but no one has ever taken me up on it although I do mention it whenever I see them. If your in an area that could be over taken by local development you might want to do the paperwork to get it registered.

[Inferno]

We had a situation here where a pilot wanted to get his rural landing pad where he flew his hiller from certified into a heliport.

 

It made it to the county planning office before it got shot down. The reason? A "neighbor" who lived miles away and wouldn't have been affected complained. He had been flying in and out of there for months without a complaint. His neighbors (the real kind that live next door) had no problem with it. But after county got involved, he couldn't fly into that spot anymore.

 

My parents have had to deal with "neighbors" at county planning office for years when they did expansions to their self storage business. Some people just love to complain. Maybe its jealousy or hatred of people with more than them. Maybe they just like to make others lives as bad as their own. I'm not sure. Just be warned. Talk with your close neighbors. If they are OK with it, an there are no city or county ordinances outlawing using your property for helo ops without a heliport being set up, I'd say avoid the whole process....

[grymmskull]

I am located not far from Allentown, its out in the middle of no where really, maybe i am better off just landing there, and avoiding the whole zoning thing entirely. My thinking behind the heliport rout, was that if anyone does complain i can tell them it is FAA certified, and that might make them stop worrying about it. i don't want to annoy neighbors, or anyone really, i just want to cover myself in case people do complain.

thanks everyone

[Goldy]

My thinking behind the heliport rout, was that if anyone does complain i can tell them it is FAA certified,

 

You could also tell them that landing there is allowed by the federal regulations (assuming you do it safely). You can always set up a large area with a good approach into the wind, and a US flag flapping nearby (so you know wind direction) and let all the local fire/ems/pd ships know its ok to set down there. Especially if the area has some sort of fence or separation from people passing by.

 

Its a toss up, but in many cases, a lot of pilots just land. We have a local pilot (don't worry Larry I wont tell them who you are) that owns a few of the local ENG ships for the networks. He lives in a VERY populated area and lands in his back yard all the time.

 

Be safe about it, be nice to your neighbors, have a nice departure away from homes, and you'll probably be ok.

 

my 2 c

 

Goldy

[yzchopper]

My neighbors do not care when I land in my backyard.

 

Steve

[deanathpc]

My neighbors do not care when I land in my backyard.

 

Steve

 

Nice bird Steve.... Do you give the neighbors a ride ever? They are close enough that it would seem that they would at least hear you....

[yzchopper]

Thanks but it is not mine, I wish it was. I was leasing it for my flight school.

Yeah I have given them rides before. They are okay with it. I have only landed there a handeful of times, not a lot. The nearest neighbor is right next door at about 25ft, otherwise across the street or 2acres away on the otherside of those trees in front of the helicopter. My takeoff and landing route is across that field and then following that street. I live 19NM north of town. My neighborhood is is out in the sticks, surrounded by farm land. The neighbors are used to the noise of the helicopter because of the local helicopter cropduster that is less than a mile away. I also have lots of room in all directions to land incase of an emergency so that is not an issue.

 

Steve

[ironranger]

As I understand it if the heliport is approved by the FAA and then the neighbors start to complain, you were there first. sort of If the neighbors continue long enough and loud enough you could get shut down either way. I've used a rural pad for about 5 years with no complaints. Nearest neighbor is right next door. Maybe 300' from the pad. He never hears me come and go said the mower makes more noise cause it gets lots closer. Lucky to have an open field in three directions so I can take off away from all the buildings with at least a quarter mile of open land. When I was going to move the heli to that location I went around and chatted with the neighbors and of course offered rides too. They all thought that would be cool but no one has ever taken me up on it although I do mention it whenever I see them. If your in an area that could be over taken by local development you might want to do the paperwork to get it registered.

 

 

I agree with Scarab and wouldn't monkey around with an official heliport, I keep my R22 in the garage at home and haven't had any issues with neighbors. Usually you are only overflying someones property once per flight provided the wind doesn't change. I still have to fulfill a couple of IOU's for rides tho. The local airport is only a couple miles away so if I do give rides I'll have people meet me at the airport.

 

IR

[jeff.f]

Hi, you can call me 607 621 7482. jeff freyre. we have a spot in our field that the faa came to look at and we have filed and done all paperwork. reminds me, i need to check back and see when it will show up on a map. we live in owego ny. about what 5 miles or so from PA

Edited January 9, 2010 by jeff.f

[grymmskull]

thanks guys, if there any one else out there that has gone through the private helipad process, or just parks a heli in the back yard, could you let me know how often you fly and if there are specific ordanaces in your area about frequency of flights.

 

thanks a bunch.

[LAMAHORSE / SA-315B]

Yeah,

I guess when you fly off a country side farm field you have better chance

to not have any complain from your next door farmer. Just watch not to hover close to the farm horses and and such animal. As at time it can come down to a issues with the farmer that makes his living out of them. Stress animal's are a lost of income for a farmer.

 

Keep this in your mind,,,

 

And as your flying path approach goes,

come in towards your helipad where you have the most open free area field with out houses,

farm , animal area and such,,, that way you should be clear of any disturbing sharing with your next door farmer.

 

I fly off with heli's in such place at time in our country farm area where I live.

And second, I come from a farm,,, so I know how farmer think when it comes to there farm.

 

Best of luck on your new private heliport facilities acces.

[grymmskull]

owega is 3 ish hours away by car...but thanks if i'm in the area i'll give a call..

 

thanks evryone

[grymmskull]

so far so good. I've just been landing, at my brothers with 0 complaints,

i guess i won't bother going the certified rout