Hospital Helipads

[bobscheel53]

You could try but it is probably privately owned and there is typically limited info. You could try finding out from the hospital who is responsible for helicopter flight operations. It could even be a third party service.

Most hospitals have no control over helicopters other than allowing them to land. The pilots of each aircraft are responsible for coordinating with each other if there is more than one in the area. I was responsible for relocation of a helipad at a hospital I worked at in Missouri in the 90's. The engineering department would station an employee with a wheeled extinguisher there for take offs and landings but mostly the communication was between the ER and the medical team on the aircraft. FAA, FEMA, and a few independent air ambulance outfits were the ones I dealt with.

 

[JoeBoy]

I've noticed a pattern in landing approaches for several of these hospitals on ADSB flight trackers, so I completely get what you're saying. Do you think this is the kind of thing I should ask the FAA about these typical approach procedures?

They will have a practised departure and approach circuit for the helipad which they use routinely, but unlike a fixed wing aircraft this will change depending on wind direction. Often you would approach in the usual way and then change direction at a very low altitude depending on the wind.

 

[DroningOn]

If you live or fly that close to a hospital, why don't you just fly low and carefully, and pay attention. Any time a medivac helicopter gets down to the 400' range, they are very easy to hear coming in and getting very close to the hospital. Hospitals have many different things going on and really don't need to be bothered by someone who wants to fly his drone in his backyard. I think if you stir the hive, you're likely to get stung, and all the other drone operators in your area may pay the price as well. All you need to do is annoy the wrong person and have them go to the city council. These councils tend to listen to these folks and on any evening can make an ordinance to shut down you and all the other drone operators in any radius they feel like, regardless of what the FAA rules are. My advice, fly keeping it reasonable and use good situational awareness. Stating rules and regulations to these folks, will only lead to additional rules and regulations.

Didn’t you get the memo? Common sense isn’t allowed in the drone world to keep people and property safe. We aren’t smart enough to do that on our own. The only thing that can do that are “rules” and the endless interpretations of said rules.

 

[DoomMeister]

I don’t understand why people have the impression that flying near a helipad is bad if conducted in a safe and responsible manner. There are not constant flights in/out of these even at a Level1 trauma center. My impression of the OP is that he/she is a responsible sUAS pilot and is trying to make the situation even safer, not less safe. Again, I applaud your efforts.

In my own case, I am well aware of a helicopter on its way to/from the hospital. They are loud and have their own distinctive sound. Very rarely would I be at their altitude to begin with, but would rather be on the ground as they approach or depart so there is no question in the heli pilot’s mind about being safe.

 

[BigAl07]

Whew a lot of information has been posted and some of it not 100% accurate.

I'll give you my real-world experience in coordinating with a local MediVac program (2 heli).

• A) As noted the hospital "usually" has no real contact other than the "Incoming" notification to the ER so they can start getting ready.
• B) Most are operated by a 3rd party and they usually have a base/office somewhere far away from your actual hospital. It's usually at another much larger hospital in a larger city that you wouldn't want to fly near anyway.
• C) Finding the contact information for this 3rd party can be an exercise in "chasing your tail". Don't give up and get discouraged.
• D) It took us weeks to track down the right person(s) to talk with about local MediVac operations. Once we had the right people we made an appointment and had a face to face. We explained our operations (Commercial 333/107) and often times operating within sight of the hospital. The problem is they don't have a lot of time to chit-chat when things get busy so we worked out a system that wasn't cumbersome to us but also wasn't a time waste for them.
• E) There are no "Designated" approach paths for a MediVac usually unless terrain/structures etc are a factor. They could be arriving from any direction and just about any altitude depending on how far out the pickup was. Don't rely on knowing where they come from because it changes.

We established a routine to place a phone call their "Flight Watch" when we are operating within a certain distance from the helipad. Outside of that distance we just stay extra vigilant and are always ready to ditch the drone if needed.

Process:
We call Flight Watch 30 minutes before the flights commence. We have our exact location (in proximity to the heli pad), our intended flight altitude MAX, estimated flight duration, and # of aircraft being operated. We give that information, my name and a call back number to them. We also tell them we will call at the end of the flight sessions when we are clear of the area. We make a note on our logs of this conversation, time and their name. We also make sure we call back to let them know we are clear of the area and no longer a concern.

We've been doing this since (IIRC) 2014 or so and it's worked splendidly. They have contacted us half a dozen times to let us know that MAMA (1 or 2) is inbound to our location and 1 time to let us know MAMA (1 or 2) was going to be landing near our location due to an accident. Every time they gave us ETA and we ceased operations until "she" had landed or cleared the area.

Keep in mind this isn't daily "hobby" flights but Commercial Ops in the area that are in close proximity to the heli pad. For daily hobby flights they may ask for something different or just say "Keep and eye out for us". You won't know until you contact them.

Good luck and KUDOS for trying to go the extra mile for safety. The whole industry should be thrilled to have Safety Conscious operators in the group.

 

[pmshop]

When I've called hospitals with helipads to discuss my nearby drone ops, I've repeatedly been told, "but you can't fly within 5 miles."

The rule was changed. Does anyone know exactly what part of the FAR relates to this? I want to be able to cite the exact new, more relaxed regulation regarding helipads.

Thanks -
Eric

You just ask them if they are expecting any traffic in the next 30 minutes

 

[Bekanne]

When I've called hospitals with helipads to discuss my nearby drone ops, I've repeatedly been told, "but you can't fly within 5 miles."

The rule was changed. Does anyone know exactly what part of the FAR relates to this? I want to be able to cite the exact new, more relaxed regulation regarding helipads.

Thanks -
Eric

Just wondering how far are you flying from the hospital that makes you call them to discuss it?

 

[DroningOn]

Whew a lot of information has been posted and some of it not 100% accurate.

I'll give you my real-world experience in coordinating with a local MediVac program (2 heli).

• A) As noted the hospital "usually" has no real contact other than the "Incoming" notification to the ER so they can start getting ready.
• B) Most are operated by a 3rd party and they usually have a base/office somewhere far away from your actual hospital. It's usually at another much larger hospital in a larger city that you wouldn't want to fly near anyway.
• C) Finding the contact information for this 3rd party can be an exercise in "chasing your tail". Don't give up and get discouraged.
• D) It took us weeks to track down the right person(s) to talk with about local MediVac operations. Once we had the right people we made an appointment and had a face to face. We explained our operations (Commercial 333/107) and often times operating within sight of the hospital. The problem is they don't have a lot of time to chit-chat when things get busy so we worked out a system that wasn't cumbersome to us but also wasn't a time waste for them.
• E) There are no "Designated" approach paths for a MediVac usually unless terrain/structures etc are a factor. They could be arriving from any direction and just about any altitude depending on how far out the pickup was. Don't rely on knowing where they come from because it changes.

We established a routine to place a phone call their "Flight Watch" when we are operating within a certain distance from the helipad. Outside of that distance we just stay extra vigilant and are always ready to ditch the drone if needed.

Process:
We call Flight Watch 30 minutes before the flights commence. We have our exact location (in proximity to the heli pad), our intended flight altitude MAX, estimated flight duration, and # of aircraft being operated. We give that information, my name and a call back number to them. We also tell them we will call at the end of the flight sessions when we are clear of the area. We make a note on our logs of this conversation, time and their name. We also make sure we call back to let them know we are clear of the area and no longer a concern.

We've been doing this since (IIRC) 2014 or so and it's worked splendidly. They have contacted us half a dozen times to let us know that MAMA (1 or 2) is inbound to our location and 1 time to let us know MAMA (1 or 2) was going to be landing near our location due to an accident. Every time they gave us ETA and we ceased operations until "she" had landed or cleared the area.

Keep in mind this isn't daily "hobby" flights but Commercial Ops in the area that are in close proximity to the heli pad. For daily hobby flights they may ask for something different or just say "Keep and eye out for us". You won't know until you contact them.

Good luck and KUDOS for trying to go the extra mile for safety. The whole industry should be thrilled to have Safety Conscious operators in the group.

I very carefully read your post three times (I even printed it out for the 2nd and 3rd read). Please correct me if I’m wrong but as I read it, you took it upon yourself to invent a process. This in and of itself, according to you, took “several weeks“. You not only spent a significant amount of your time but you included others not only in the creation of this process but in the ongoing implementation of it.......
I have two questions:
#1. Why did you feel the need to do this? ( especially in 2014)
#2. How is this process any more effective (from a safety perspective) than keeping your eyes and ears open during the times that you are flying “in sight” of this hospital and heliport?

 

[BigAl07]

I very carefully read your post three times (I even printed it out for the 2nd and 3rd read). Please correct me if I’m wrong but as I read it, you took it upon yourself to invent a process. This in and of itself, according to you, took “several weeks“. You not only spent a significant amount of your time but you included others not only in the creation of this process but in the ongoing implementation of it.......
I have two questions:
#1. Why did you feel the need to do this? ( especially in 2014)
#2. How is this process any more effective (from a safety perspective) than keeping your eyes and ears open during the times that you are flying “in sight” of this hospital and heliport?

We don't "do the minimums" when it comes to safety. We are dedicated to going above and beyond to help ensure safety in everything we do. Yes it takes time.... yes it takes effort.... and yes it's above and beyond what many think should "Be enough" but that's "how we roll".

We built a reputation and a brand as being "Subject Matter Experts" and as such (at least in our small local community) we lead by example.

#1 We operate near & around the hospital fairly often and due to our proximity to a major stretch of interstate, MediVac activity is very -common. We built out company long before "Drones" were common and no one was "looking for us". We operate with an abundance of caution and we are committed to going out of our way to do everything we can to increase safety.

#2 Why is it not more effective for the dispatch and pilot of the aircraft to know where we are in ADDITION to merely keeping Eyes & Ears open. Wouldn't you think it would be better if everyone in the game be operating off the same set of plans? Also even when we are on high alert it's shocking how in certain situations the manned helo can be upon you rather quickly.

 

[jacquespa]

We don't "do the minimums" when it comes to safety. We are dedicated to going above and beyond to help ensure safety in everything we do. Yes it takes time.... yes it takes effort.... and yes it's above and beyond what many think should "Be enough" but that's "how we roll".

We built a reputation and a brand as being "Subject Matter Experts" and as such (at least in our small local community) we lead by example.

#1 We operate near & around the hospital fairly often and due to our proximity to a major stretch of interstate, MediVac activity is very -common. We built out company long before "Drones" were common and no one was "looking for us". We operate with an abundance of caution and we are committed to going out of our way to do everything we can to increase safety.

#2 Why is it not more effective for the dispatch and pilot of the aircraft to know where we are in ADDITION to merely keeping Eyes & Ears open. Wouldn't you think it would be better if everyone in the game be operating off the same set of plans? Also even when we are on high alert it's shocking how in certain situations the manned helo can be upon you rather quickly.

My biggest safety concern when flying my drones is low flying helicopters. After getting buzzed by one flying just above tree top level I moved my primary practice area to one that gave me greater visibility of low flying aircraft.
Another location (with better visibility) is within a mile or so of a hospital helipad. I have a good rapport with the hospital operations manager. While they don't know when they will have a helicopter inbound they do pass my operational/contact info to the state medivac dispatcher for their pilot situational awareness. This in no way relieves me of any responsibility for staying out of their way but I think it helps maintain a friendly non confrontational relationship. I also monitor my aviation radio and always have a spotter.

 

[DroningOn]

We don't "do the minimums" when it comes to safety. We are dedicated to going above and beyond to help ensure safety in everything we do. Yes it takes time.... yes it takes effort.... and yes it's above and beyond what many think should "Be enough" but that's "how we roll".

We built a reputation and a brand as being "Subject Matter Experts" and as such (at least in our small local community) we lead by example.

#1 We operate near & around the hospital fairly often and due to our proximity to a major stretch of interstate, MediVac activity is very -common. We built out company long before "Drones" were common and no one was "looking for us". We operate with an abundance of caution and we are committed to going out of our way to do everything we can to increase safety.

#2 Why is it not more effective for the dispatch and pilot of the aircraft to know where we are in ADDITION to merely keeping Eyes & Ears open. Wouldn't you think it would be better if everyone in the game be operating off the same set of plans? Also even when we are on high alert it's shocking how in certain situations the manned helo can be upon you rather quickly.

Thank you for the answer, very revealing.

 

[Endeavor]

I live 3 blocks from a Hospital helipad which does not show up in any apps. This is a small town and the resident authority on drone operations is me so the police ask me what is legal or not. We therefore have loose restrictions as long as people use common sense. Let's face it if you fly 30 feet in the air in a tree filled park no helicopter will be a problem unless it's busy crashing into the pavement.

 

[ajkm]

The AFD provides some identification of “ingress” and “egress” routes at helipads from my reading of the charts. Perhaps not all the information is there, but where it is, it would avoid having to ring into a hospital authority to check operational factors. [Canadian pilot, so take that into account - our AFD equivalent provides accurate route bearings to helipads.)

 

[SpitFire]

I use the App B4Ufly, near hospitals, where ever I go. It gives three words, Good to Go. No advisories, but stay alert. No charge for this app. And so far have not had any problems.

 

[Matriculated01]

I use the App B4Ufly, near hospitals, where ever I go. It gives three words, Good to Go. No advisories, but stay alert. No charge for this app. And so far have not had any problems.

I use B4UFLY too, as well as Kittyhawk and Airmap. I think B4UFLY and Kittyhawk are the most reliable since they are FAA products I believe, and do seem to give exact same boundaries. Airmap is a little different. I live close to a hospital with a helipad myself, although it sees zero or close to zero traffic. Only helis I ever see around my neighborhood are random ones that just happen to have taken a trajectory over my house (rare). Had the mini since December and haven’t had a single issue yet. If I hear/see anything I immediately drop altitude just in case, even if it’s a false alarm. B4UFLY gives me the same message: Good to go, no advisories but stay alert.

 

[AirShark]

I'd recommend referencing BigAI107 post. Maybe don't as but inform the helipad operator of your flight, location, altitude, and time. Also as an added safety net purchase an aviation handheld radio to monitor comms. Cudos for trying to do the safe thing

 

[Firejay27]

Remember a hospital or most anyone will tell you no you can't fly simply from the paranoia of the idiots that ruin it for the rest of us. There's also no need to notify anymore with the latest rule changes either. If it's a small recreational airport though I may still give them a call just to see if they have anyone scheduled for the day.

No matter what though you're responsible for your flying. If you are in an area with a helipad around then keep your eyes and ears open. You'll hear them coming and at that point you RTH and get your bird out of the sky. Something I had to do once recently as a matter of fact and I wasn't even close to a no fly zone. I was flying and heard a helicopter flying low and moving at a fairly good clip. I pulled my MA out of the air and a few minutes later was surprised to see a police helicopter flying my way. I was in a big field and it just happened that the helicopter needed to land for whatever reason. Flew over me and about 1/4 mile from me then landed. Never knew what they were doing but some people met them in a vehicle. Maybe a cop forgot his lunch and the wife delivered it. LOL .. Anyway.. point is.. keep your eyes and ears open at all times especially around helipads where one may show up out of the blue.

 

[KennyL]

I would think, if you were to speak with the air crews directly - - they would be overly happy to sit down with you since after all... it is more so involving their personal safety.
There are no restrictions in writing any longer - - many on this forum always revert to you should use "common sense"
The problem with that is if a person has no previous knowledge / education - then the term common sense does not apply
( how should I be expected to know better if I had no clue I was doing wrong )

Common sense tells us to not put your hand on a hot stove - yet young children do it all the time ( one time only )
>>> my point <<<

I personally am a little upset with some of the [Admin Removed] posts in this thread.
It's real simple to tell someone sarcastically to simply don't fly but makes me wonder - -
if they actually lived between two hospitals - - - wonder if they would travel 5 or 10 miles to make a quick flight when technically, it is not illegal to do so.

Cheers my friend
Thanks much for putting safety first
We need more folks like you !

 

[HFP]

Where can one purchase or download that handbook?

 

[Ranger]

I'm less than a quarter mile from a hospital. When my drone was new 11 months ago I called and was politely told that there were no incoming flights at that moment. Left my phone #. Since then the rules have changed and I'm able to fly in my yard at will (no calling). I can't imagine not being able to hear the chopper a long way off (think Radar on the TV show MASH).