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samedi 26 juillet 2014

Helipad Lighting Is An Essential Feature All Landing Pads Must Have

By Imelda Reid


Landing pads and platforms provide helicopters with a specific area for them to land. The helipad lighting on any landing pad plays a crucial role in safe and accurate landings. The platforms are clearly marked right on the hard surface so pilots know exactly where to land.

Landing area lighting is usually arranged in a circle or square around the touchdown and lift-off area, known as TLOF. Around this area is another set of lights that encompasses the TLOF. This is overall area is called the final approach and take-off area, or FATO. The International Civil Aviation Organization, along with the Federal Aviation Administration, recommends that all the lights be white. Years ago, lights were standardly yellow or amber, and are often still preferred in certain places.

Jurisdiction and ownership choose the color, but must provide a lighted wind cone as well. Although these lights were once incandescent all around, they are now offered in light-emitting diode form and allow owners to control the brightness levels. More options of lighting, if the owner chooses to implement, includes surface flood lights on the TLOF and FATO areas, and lead-in lights on ground pads.

Although 6.6A direct current power is normal for airports, helipads use AC power to operate their lightings. Another benefit is the automated ground-based controller that allows a pilot to radio control the lights. Visual slope guidance systems like HAPI and PAPI are also recommended, but many helipads don't have them because they are considered too pricey.

Helipads can be located in all sorts of places. They can be on heliports or airports that have fuel, air traffic control, and service facilities. Most helipads, however, are placed in remote areas away from these larger places because of costs and spaces available. Many office towers have them as well on their roofs for air taxi services or for evacuation purposed in case of an emergency. Police departments use dedicated police helipads at heliports as well. Naval structures like ships and oil rigs also often have helipads for quick transport. These are called helidecks.

Trauma patients and patients who live in areas without hospitals or appropriate care all require quick transport to a competent hospital. The MEDEVACs and air ambulances usually bring these patients to hospitals while using the helipads. Most hospitals in urban environments have these landing pads on the roofs.

The U. S. Allows the FAA, ICAO, TC, and IATA to issue certain location identifiers for helipads on top of the large "H" sign. These are issues often, but aren't provided for every single helipad. They can also overlap in terms of helipads, and one helipad may have several identifiers in different names and formats.

A large letter "H" is usually marked inside a circle and placed right in the middle of a helipad. This way, they are visible high up from the air. Helipads, however, aren't always concrete-based, as forest fire fighters will often build temporary timber ones to receive supplies. Helipads can also be built with rig mats, but only if it can withstand situations like ice accumulation. A rooftop helipad will also provide a two-digit number representing the weight limit, and a second number representing the maximum rotor diameter.




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