** A new guidance leaflet for residents interested in helicopter activity at the London Heliport in Battersea is now available. For a copy of the booklet visit your local library, call 020 8871 7524, email smayner@wandsworth.gov.uk or download below. **
Information and complaints Complaints about military helicopters can be made to the Ministry of Defence on 020 7218 6020 Complaints or requests for information about helicopter activity not associated with the heliport can be made to the Civil Aviation Authority on 020 7453 6524/5 or by email to ian.wrathall@caa.co.uk You can also find figures on helicopter movements across London at www.caa.co.uk
Consultative group All meetings of the group will be open to public. The next meeting of The London Heliport Consultative Group will be 7pm on November 17 at the Town Hall. Meeting of the Consultative Group are open to members of the public to observe. We will publish the agendas for meetings on the this website and have copies in the libraries and at the Town Hall Concourse, about five days prior to the meeting. Movement breakdown
The agenda and minutes of the previous meetings are available here to download.
You can contact the BHCG secretary at fdelima@wandsworth.gov.uk History Battersea Heliport obtained planning permission from central government in 1958 and subsequently operated under a series of permissions from the former GLC until that body was abolished in 1986. The current operators are the Von Essen Group who purchased the heliport from Weston Aviation Limited in early 2007. The site is operated by PremiAir Aviation Group (www.premiair.co.uk). Previous owners include the Harrods organisation and the Westland group of companies. In 1991 proposals to establish a new City of London Heliport on the north bank of the River Thames adjacent to Cannon Street Station were rejected by the then Secretary of State following a lengthy public inquiry. A scheduled helicopter service was established in the early 1980s to provide a direct link between Gatwick and Heathrow airports. This service was however discontinued in 1986 when British Caledonian Airways had its licence to operate this service withdrawn by the CAA on Environmental grounds.
Environmental impact Environmental controls A number of exemptions to the above are however permitted. For example all emergency services flights and those undertaken by Government VIPs are allowed on top of the 12,000 annual movements. In addition up to 1,000 armed forces flights may also take place outside the quota. A further exemption to the quota is given in respect of all flights made in connection with the Farnborough Air Show during the dates of the show. The section 106 agreement also provides some theoretical limit on the numbers of the noisiest types of helicopters permitted to use Battersea. All civilian helicopters are required to pass international noise certification (ICAO) tests. The certification process for helicopters is similar to that adopted for fixed wing aircraft. At Battersea, helicopters that are not able to meet a local noise standard of 81dB(A) at a distance of 150 metres from the take off position are restricted to a maximum of 1,500 movements within the annual 12,000 quota. Most commercial helicopters using Battersea however fall within an automatic approved "A" list which was drawn up by the former Greater London Council. In practice this control now does little to encourage the introduction of newer and less noisy types of helicopter.
Voluntary controls
Operating hours Helicopter routes in London A number of years ago the CAA designated certain routes across London that helicopters were obliged to keep to. Although these routes were originally created to ensure safe separation from increasing Heathrow traffic they also reflected custom and practice at that time which was to ensure so far as possible that helicopters flew either over water or close to open space so that in the event of engine failure it would be theoretically possible for a stricken aircraft to land safely either on water or away from built up areas. Throughout the London Control Zone helicopter pilots are required to follow a "rule of the air" regulation which precludes flying closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel or structure. This requirement by necessity is relaxed when helicopters are taking off and landing and specific inbound / outbound flight procedures apply. Published arrival and departure routes for Battersea require pilots to use the river routes both in easterly and westerly directions. Pilots are normally instructed by ATC that all turns should be made, as far as is practical over the river above 500ft. The proximity of Heathrow flightpaths also limits the maximum height at which helicopters are allowed to fly within the London Control Zone. Generally a minimum vertical separation distance of 1000 ft is required by Air Traffic Control between a fixed wing aircraft and a helicopter flying under. This effectively means the helicopter circuit height is around 1000 ft. and is centred over the river between Chelsea and Putney bridges. You can view helicopter activity over London at www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=1346 Twin engined helicopters Local consultation and stakeholder involvement www.london.gov.uk/assembly/reports/environment/helicopter_noise_report.pdf Concurrently with the GLA investigation the Department for Transport (DfT) announced without consultation that the Minister for Aviation had decided to make an order designating Battersea Heliport under Section 35 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 (as amended). The effect of this designation was put the heliport on the same footing as aerodromes such as Biggin Hill and Shoreham in so far as it now has a legal obligation to consult on matters which are of interest to both local residents and the users of the heliport. |
Battersea Heliport and helicopter noise
