Last October, London Heliport recorded its 500,000th movement since the riverside facility was established in Battersea. It opened for business in 1959, and was originally owned by helicopter manufacturer Westland. At the end of March this year, the heliport reported 10,500 movements for the previous 12 months, its highest annual activity since 2008. Increases in both business and private use were recorded, and the number of sightseeing trips from the heliport has also grown.
Around 20 percent of the flights are connecting services with business jets operating from London’s business airports. A number of operators fly interlining shuttles, including Castle Air from Biggin Hill, and Capital Air Services from London Oxford, an airport owned by Reuben Brothers, the same company as the Heliport, thus able to offer incentives to clients traveling between the two.
London Heliport has an annual 12,000-movement capacity through its two hardstands, which can accommodate aircraft up to the size of the S-92. There is also parking available for two helicopters. AirBP recently completed a thorough overhaul of the airside fuel facilities.
The heliport operates between 07;00 and 23;00 seven days a week, and during busy events such as the Cheltenham and Ascot race meetings, Goodwood Festival of Speed, Farnborough Air Show and the British Grand Prix can see up to 100 movements a day. The daily record stands at 130, recorded during a Grand Prix weekend.
Since February, the Heliport has brought its VFR local-area traffic control in-house, having previously contracted this service out. The tower coordinates closely with NATS, which provides the wider-area radar coverage over the city.
Of ongoing concern to the heliport is the encroachment of development, not just by high-rise buildings, themselves, but also by the cranes used during construction. A close watch is maintained on local planning applications to safeguard the heliport’s approaches, not only out of self-interest but also in the interests of public-service and military operators, for whom the heliport is a strategic in-city landing location.
The heliport provides a quicker way into central London, for example using Castle Helicopters from London Biggin Hill Airport or even from sites further afield, such as Oxford Airport.