Chopper landing sites - legal or not
Discussion
That is the beauty of helicopters, they can land almost anywhere.
However, there are strict rules and restrictions about landing in, or close to, built up areas - in some cases 'twins' are permitted but not 'singles' and CAA consent is required. Also, within the proximity of certain events with a gathering of 1000 people or more.
Of course, common sense and caution are the priority - several pilots have made fools of themselves by trying to land in a site that that was clearly unsuitable - https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+heli... - no one hurt but a first class candidate for a Darwin Award
However, there are strict rules and restrictions about landing in, or close to, built up areas - in some cases 'twins' are permitted but not 'singles' and CAA consent is required. Also, within the proximity of certain events with a gathering of 1000 people or more.
Of course, common sense and caution are the priority - several pilots have made fools of themselves by trying to land in a site that that was clearly unsuitable - https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+heli... - no one hurt but a first class candidate for a Darwin Award
Geneve said:
That is the beauty of helicopters, they can land almost anywhere.
However, there are strict rules and restrictions about landing in, or close to, built up areas - in some cases 'twins' are permitted but not 'singles' and CAA consent is required. Also, within the proximity of certain events with a gathering of 1000 people or more.
Of course, common sense and caution are the priority - several pilots have made fools of themselves by trying to land in a site that that was clearly unsuitable - https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+heli... - no one hurt but a first class candidate for a Darwin Award
I knew it was going to be that one. Bellend pilotHowever, there are strict rules and restrictions about landing in, or close to, built up areas - in some cases 'twins' are permitted but not 'singles' and CAA consent is required. Also, within the proximity of certain events with a gathering of 1000 people or more.
Of course, common sense and caution are the priority - several pilots have made fools of themselves by trying to land in a site that that was clearly unsuitable - https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=you+tube+heli... - no one hurt but a first class candidate for a Darwin Award
The posts above have covered private land. This is public land, people need no permission to have picnics, walk their dogs etc. An hour before the copter landed, there was a children's crèche style gathering there, all in hi vis vests etc but gone before the craft set down.
The reason I ask... If I used an off road vehicle on public land, I would be nicked. Seems strange that a chopper can land with long whirly sharp thing going round really fast ready to chop up members of the public who can share that land. Seems a bit more dangerous than my grass tracker.
The reason I ask... If I used an off road vehicle on public land, I would be nicked. Seems strange that a chopper can land with long whirly sharp thing going round really fast ready to chop up members of the public who can share that land. Seems a bit more dangerous than my grass tracker.
On the mighty Wokka (other lesser helicopters also available) we used to do fairly regular 9/11 7/7 type exercise call outs which invariably involved a trip to a major hospital. Where they didn't have a dedicated HLS as per London HEMS etc, the specified site was usually the nearest local park.
So we'd rock up in 12 tonnes of Boeing magnificence and make everyone's day. Local Plod would be notified at -24hrs and might send a couple of PCSOs or a community copper on his bike just to make sure nothing kicked off.
Thing is, at some sites every man and his dog would gather round to get a selfie or catch a fleeting glimpse of the dashing aircrew within, to the extent that some sites became unworkable with dogs, squirrels, small children, ice cream vans and anything else not nailed down being sent flying in 80mph of downwash. (That bit may be a little exaggerated - never actually saw any squirrels).
After a few close calls too many, a lot of "open" hospital HLS became "genuine emergency use only" or words to that effect.
Can't remember the exact regs but I'm pretty sure they'd be more, not less, stringent for Joe Civvy in his clapped out R22.
Thing is, like any hobby, rotary flying is getting cheaper and more accessible all the time meaning more and more
people can have a bash at it.
You can probably figure out the rest.....it's along the lines of "Looks alright to me and no one said we can't, I mean there'd be a sign or something wouldn't there?"
On the other hand, they may have had some sort of minor emergency to deal with, not in a Daily Mail terror-in-the-skies way, more like they dropped a pen on to the cockpit floor just out of reach and needed to retrieve it before it rattled away somewhere critical in which case diving in to the nearest almost-empty bit of green would probably be seen a ok-ish.
Of greater concern is what you're up to, living in a public field at a local marina......
So we'd rock up in 12 tonnes of Boeing magnificence and make everyone's day. Local Plod would be notified at -24hrs and might send a couple of PCSOs or a community copper on his bike just to make sure nothing kicked off.
Thing is, at some sites every man and his dog would gather round to get a selfie or catch a fleeting glimpse of the dashing aircrew within, to the extent that some sites became unworkable with dogs, squirrels, small children, ice cream vans and anything else not nailed down being sent flying in 80mph of downwash. (That bit may be a little exaggerated - never actually saw any squirrels).
After a few close calls too many, a lot of "open" hospital HLS became "genuine emergency use only" or words to that effect.
Can't remember the exact regs but I'm pretty sure they'd be more, not less, stringent for Joe Civvy in his clapped out R22.
Thing is, like any hobby, rotary flying is getting cheaper and more accessible all the time meaning more and more
people can have a bash at it.
You can probably figure out the rest.....it's along the lines of "Looks alright to me and no one said we can't, I mean there'd be a sign or something wouldn't there?"
On the other hand, they may have had some sort of minor emergency to deal with, not in a Daily Mail terror-in-the-skies way, more like they dropped a pen on to the cockpit floor just out of reach and needed to retrieve it before it rattled away somewhere critical in which case diving in to the nearest almost-empty bit of green would probably be seen a ok-ish.
Of greater concern is what you're up to, living in a public field at a local marina......
SeeFive said:
We just had a chopper land at the marina where I live in a public field.
Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 7th May 07:12
Across the uk you have approved landing sites from just normal landing sites like military barracks (for the military it's contained in HLS Uk), hospitals, most are fields close to hospitals (hospital HLS UK) and those with small HLS sites at the hospital generally have an alternate down the road for larger aircraft. And then you also have an approved civil sites like hotels and the like (there's a good online guide if I remember the name.
A good example is Brighton hospital its landing site is some playing fields next to the fire station. You call the police they give you a reference number and that's it. If the coppers curious he may send his wife and kids to view it but that's about the only support
after that its pilots discretion if people don't move out the way he won't land.
Victoria park in London the wardens go out and try to move people but some are stubborn until they're picnic gets blown away and they move.
A good example is Brighton hospital its landing site is some playing fields next to the fire station. You call the police they give you a reference number and that's it. If the coppers curious he may send his wife and kids to view it but that's about the only support
after that its pilots discretion if people don't move out the way he won't land.Victoria park in London the wardens go out and try to move people but some are stubborn until they're picnic gets blown away and they move.
wolfracesonic said:
Cab? Derisory name for a type of helicopter other than a Chinook?
All helos referred to as cab as they're just a glorified taxi. I'm sure crossflow will be along shortly with a different reason. But certainly even chinooks we call cabs. Except 1 pilot who preferred to call it an aeroplane 
wolfracesonic said:
Cab? Derisory name for a type of helicopter other than a Chinook?
Quite the opposite in fact. It's easy to spot the Walts on PH when they spin dits about how they were the first man on the balcony of the Wokka.
Wokka is what senior officers call them in an effort to find common ground whith troops and sound a bit operational, or spotters at air shows, or mums and dads etc.
Cab is where it's at.
A guy I used to work with was headed for home one night at speed in his Sierra Cosworth. He was well tanked up with booze and other - ahem - substances.
He lost control at one point near a hotel and ended up in a field, but just kept going and left more conventionally via an open gate.
The next day when sober he was driving by the same location and noticed his tyre tracks from the night before passing within a few feet of a hotel guests parked up helicopter!
He lost control at one point near a hotel and ended up in a field, but just kept going and left more conventionally via an open gate.
The next day when sober he was driving by the same location and noticed his tyre tracks from the night before passing within a few feet of a hotel guests parked up helicopter!
Wife is a nurse and always used to give me a heads up when there was a training exercise with the Sea King landing near to Ipswich Hospital. It used the school playing field next door and I swear the pilot got closer to the boundary fence every time, I'd often take the kids for a snout and the look of awe on my daughters face was one to behold , especially when the pilot would wave back.
Alas I haven't seen it for years now, but the East Anglian Air ambulance has been known to drop in. I've also heard it mentioned that the EAAA has landed on the quayside at Felixstowe docks before, apparently they move the ship to shore cranes out of the way and then drop in onto an empty portion of the quay.
Alas I haven't seen it for years now, but the East Anglian Air ambulance has been known to drop in. I've also heard it mentioned that the EAAA has landed on the quayside at Felixstowe docks before, apparently they move the ship to shore cranes out of the way and then drop in onto an empty portion of the quay.
texaxile said:
the East Anglian Air ambulance has been known to drop in. I've also heard it mentioned that the EAAA has landed on the quayside at Felixstowe docks before
It landed on a school playing field 100 yards from here once. Makes sense to me - if it can't land it can't do much!Had an air ambulance land in the tennis courts near my parents house when I was a a youngster to attend a suicide. To be honest it was a tight squeeze what with the trees and wire fencing around the courts although they did get someone to put the tennis nets down. It took about 45 minutes to get it on the ground, I'm guessing due to all the obstructions and getting someone to clear the courts\nets so it came down VERY slowly.
It was dead exciting as it was the first time I'd seen a helicopter up close but the local hospital is only 15 minutes away, even as a nipper I worked out it would have been quicker to get the patient there by normal ambulance. As it was I reckon the helicopter guy had committed so it was too late to turn back. Needless to say the suicidee didn't make it. Full props to the pilot for pulling off what must have been a very tricky landing though. I reckon he had a couple of metres to spare on each side to the tennis court fences.
It was dead exciting as it was the first time I'd seen a helicopter up close but the local hospital is only 15 minutes away, even as a nipper I worked out it would have been quicker to get the patient there by normal ambulance. As it was I reckon the helicopter guy had committed so it was too late to turn back. Needless to say the suicidee didn't make it. Full props to the pilot for pulling off what must have been a very tricky landing though. I reckon he had a couple of metres to spare on each side to the tennis court fences.
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