Hospitals will need to engage suitably qualified and experienced consultants to undertake the provision of specialised technical advice when seeking to establish an EMS helipad and protect the associated flightpaths.
The scope of work to be undertaken by a consultant engaged in the design of an EMS Helipad and Air Ambulance Flightpaths will depend on a number of factors, including those items set out below.
The consultancy may be undertaken at the feasibility, planning, design stages or during the preparation or review of operations of an EMS helipad. The scope of each study may vary accordingly to the particular circumstances, the stage of the Capital Development Process in which the study is undertaken or options to be considered.
The scope of the study should be determined in consultation with the Department of Human Services, the hospital, the Manager-AAV and (where the helipad is not located on hospital land) the landowner.
The outcomes from a Helipad Study shall address the issues indicated in the guideline and include the following:
The Helipad Study outcome should clearly identify the preferred facility development strategy that will enable the healthcare agency to deliver its services in the most effective and cost efficient manner.
Projects associated with the planning, design and operation of EMS helipads will involve numerous steps and stages. The following checklist has been prepared to assist hospitals progress through each stage in a helipad project.
| Service plan completed and includes justification of requirements for helipad? | £ |
| Projected use meets DHS criteria or alternate justification adopted for helipad development | £ |
| Have ‘suitable’ consultants brief been prepared | £ |
| Have ‘suitable’ consultants been engaged | £ |
| Proposal advised to MAS CMB AAV |
£ £ £ |
| Hospital Master Plan includes long term helipad provisions? | £ |
| Access to ED identified | £ |
| Obstacles identified and surveyed | £ |
| Analysis of prevailing wind available | £ |
| Land use zones and potential development heights identified | £ |
| Flightpath options identified | £ |
| Feasibility established, based on location and size of site studied | £ |
| Public access restrictions possible | £ |
| Road ambulance access available | £ |
| Alternate site requirements and location identified | £ |
| Negotiations with off-site helipad landowners and authorities undertaken | £ |
| Planning Scheme amendment prepared. | £ |
| Helipad Manager appointed | £ |
| Normal and Emergency procedures developed | £ |
| Helipad Operations Manual prepared | £ |
| Communications protocols developed | £ |
| Helipad inspection and reporting procedures developed | £ |
| Staff training programs developed | £ |
| Survey of obstacles within flightpath envelopes undertaken within previous 12 months | £ |
| Audit of facility and procedures completed within previous 12 months | £ |
The principal helicopter types currently operating Air Ambulance Victoria flights are the Bell 412EP and the Eurocopter AS365-N3 Dauphine types.
| Model | Bell 412EP |
Eurocopter AS365-N3 |
 |
 |
|
| Operator | Air Ambulance Victoria | Victorian Police Air Wing |
| Length Overall | 17.1 m | 13.73 m |
| Main Rotor Diameter | 14.0 m | 11.94 m |
| Skid Length x width | 3.7 m x 2.8 m | NA |
| Wheelbase x Wheel track | NA | 3.64 m x 2.03 m |
| Flight Manual FATO Size | 26.5m x 22.9m plus 7.6m clear area around helipad in the take-off direction | 25 m diameter |
| Adopted FATO | 35m diameter | 35m diameter |
| CDP Height for Helipad | 80-130 ft | 130 ft |
| LDP elevation | 80-130 ft | 100 ft |
| Power plant | Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6T-3D Turbo Twin-Pac rated at 1,342 kW (1800 shp) for take-off. | 2 FADEC equipped Turbomeca Arriel 2C turbine engines each rated at 635 kW (851 shp) for take-off. |
| Maximum Takeoff Weight | 5,398 kg | 4,300 kg |
| Category A take-off and landing limit Ground level helipad | ISA @ SL 4,950 kgISA +20 @ SL 4,630 kg | ISA @ SL 4,110 kgISA +20 @ SL 3,820 kg |
| Source | Bell Helicopter Product Specifications, April 2002 |
Eurocopter AS365N3 Technical Data (365 N3 20.101.01 E) |
The development of these guidelines has required the identification and analysis of facility requirements and performance criteria for a range of air ambulance helicopters.
The guidelines have been written intentionally with technical details of these matters kept to a minimum. This appendix to the guidelines presents a summary listing of the acronyms and definitions of terms used as well as a listing of reference documents for readers and users of the guidelines who may seek a more detailed understanding of the concepts and parameters involved.
The aeronautical aspects of these guidelines have been prepared for the DHS by AOS Airport Consulting Pty Ltd and further details can also be obtained from that organisation:
www.aosairportconsulting.com.au
Tel 02 6262 6590
Fax 02 6262 6595
aos_canberra@bigpond.com
The following acronyms have been used in these guidelines:
AAV Air Ambulance Victoria
CASA Civil Aviation Safety Authority
CASR Civil Aviation Safety Regulation
CDP Critical Decision Point
CMB Capital Management Branch
DDO Design and Development Overlay
DHS Department of Human Services
EMS Emergency Medical Services
FATO Final Approach and Take-Off Area
GPS Global Positioning Satellite
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
IFR Instrument Flight Rules
IMC Instrument Meteorological Conditions
LDP Landing Decision Point
LLA Landing and Liftoff Area
MAS Metropolitan Ambulance Service
MOS Manual of Operational Standards
OEI One Engine Inoperative
TAPM The Air Pollution Model
TDP Take-off Decision Point
VMC Visual Meteorological Conditions
Unless indicated otherwise, the following definitions have been extracted from the working draft of the proposed Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Part 133 – Commercial Air Transport Operations – Rotorcraft.
The list of definitions is not intended to be exhaustive in relation to the topics raised in these guidelines and further details and information can be found by reference to the following documents. (CASR 133.002)
means operations by organizations established for the purpose of providing the following services with rotorcraft:
a) air ambulance;
b) medical retrieval;
c) search and rescue
means a place that is suitable for use as an aerodrome for the purposes of landing or taking off of rotorcraft; and, having regard to all the circumstances of the proposed landing or take off, the rotorcraft can land at, or take off from, the place in safety.
A heliport that is at least 3m above the surrounding surface.
An aerodrome or a defined area of land, water or a structure used or intended to be used wholly or in part for the arrival, departure and surface movement of rotorcraft. (The term “Heliport” is an ICAO term)
in relation to an HLS, means an area of land or water over which the final phase of the approach to a hover or landing is completed and from which the take off manoeuvre is commenced. (ICAO, Annex 14-II)
A defined area on a heliport surrounding the FATO that is free of obstacles, other than those required for air navigation purposes, and intended to reduce the risk of damage to helicopters accidentally diverging from the FATO. (CASR 133.480)
with respect to rotorcraft means multi-engine rotorcraft designed with engine and system isolation features specified in Parts 27/29 of the FARs or equivalent and Flight Manual performance information based on a critical engine failure concept which assures adequate designated surface area and adequate performance capability for continued safe flight in the event of an engine failure.
with respect to rotorcraft means single-engine or multi-engine rotorcraft which do not fully meet all Category A standards. Category B rotorcraft have no guaranteed stay-up ability in the event of engine failure and an unscheduled landing is assumed.
Refers to the condition in which the rotorcraft is operated with the critical power unit inoperative.
The point used in determining landing performance from which, a power-unit failure having been recognised at this point, the landing may be safely continued or a baulked landing initiated.
All fixed (whether temporary or permanent) and mobile objects, or parts thereof, that are located on an area intended for the surface movement of rotorcraft or that extend above the defined surface intended to protect the rotorcraft in flight.
Any natural terrain feature or fixed (whether temporary or permanent) or mobile object, or parts thereof, which has vertical significance in relation to adjacent or surrounding features and which is considered a potential hazard to the safe passage of rotorcraft for a particular type of rotorcraft operation.
Surface of the earth containing naturally occurring relief features such as mountains, hills, ridges, valleys, etc.
Performance Class 1 operations are those with performance such that, in the event of failure of the critical power-unit, the rotorcraft is able to land within the rejected take-off distance available or safely continue the flight to an appropriate landing area, depending on when the failure occur.
Performance Class 2 operations are those operations such that, in the event of critical power-unit failure, performance is available to enable the rotorcraft to safely continue the flight, except when the failure occurs early during the take-off manoeuvre or late in the landing manoeuvre, in which cases a forced landing may be required.
Performance Class 3 operations are those operations such that, in the event of a power-unit failure at any time during the flight, a forced landing may be required in a multi-engined rotorcraft but will be required in a single engine rotorcraft.
Unavoidable landing or ditching with a reasonable expectancy of no injuries to persons in the rotorcraft or on the surface.
The point used in determining take-off performance from which, a power unit failure having been recognised at this point, either a rejected take-off may be made or a take-off safely continued.
A load bearing area on which a rotorcraft may touch down or lift off.
(CASR 133.485).
An operator shall ensure that rotorcraft operated in Performance Class 1 is certificated in Category A.
(CASR 133.495)
An operator shall ensure that the OEI take-off flight path clears significant obstacles by a vertical margin of not less than 35ft in VFR.
(CASR 133.515)
An operator shall ensure that rotorcraft operated in Performance Class 2 is certificated in Category A.
(CASR 133.525)
An operator shall ensure that the OEI take-off flight path clears significant obstacles by a vertical distance of not less than 35ft in VFR.
(CASR 133.540)
An operator shall ensure that rotorcraft operated in Performance Class 3 are certificated in either Category A or B.
Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Part 133 – Commercial Air Transport Operations – Rotorcraft.