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Aviation History
1985
1985 - 2967.PDF
QNH (equal to the 240ft height of the heli pad building), and then make an approach into wind (using local chimney smoke, or the flags on the Houses of Parliament two miles away) to land on the nearest into- wind diagonal line across the roof. This ensures the maximum landing dispersion distance, which allows leeway for the pilot's fore/aft touchdown error. To the passenger the landing appears dramatic and, indeed, there is little room for error. Despite this, McAlpine research and development pilot Geoffrey Holder makes the technique look easy. He has played a major part in developing the roof top techniques to the standards required by the CAA. Up to three passengers can be carried from the roof, together with > the plates. In fact, there needs to be at least one passenger, in the copilot's seat, to prevent an aft e.g. position allowing the tail boom to strike the edge of the building. McAlpine is concerned, as are all London-based helicopter operators, at the lack of city-centre landing facilities avail able to London's business community. There are only two pads: Battersea (with limited capacity) and a landing barge on the Thames at Trigg Lane (already under imminent threat of closure). Noise and safety are frequent public concerns. The indications are that well-planned rooftop ' pads could be one effective solution. The IPC can be used only with permission from the City's Court of Common Council, and it requires permission well in advance. How does McAlpine Helicopters see the * future of city-centre landing facilities? Managing director Robin Keith empha- . sises the need for more rooftop sites, and sees two reasons why it is in the national interest that the concept of rooftop pads 1 becomes generally accepted; they benefit both Government services and the busi- , ness community. The civil (and, of course, military) heli copter can "aid the civil power", by provid ing rapid transport for police, fire, and medical services in the case of civil disor der or accident. Ten years ago the first practical UK exercise was carried out to show just how useful the helicopter can be in such an emergency. It showed police and fire authorities the potential value of such a service. Last month the British Helicopter Advisory Board (BHAB) organised a similar exercise to show how helicopters had developed, and to allow the three services to practise their supporting role. Helicopters offer rapid rescue The exercise successfully demonstrated the emergency evacuation of 30 people from the IPC roof, using two McAlpine Twin Squirrels, in answer to a practice alert. Police were landed on the building to supervise the evacuation, and 11 round trips were made to waiting ambulances at the Honourable Artillery Company's sports ground nearby. The whole oper ation lasted just 30 minutes. While the exercise was reported by the pilots to be "routine", the full effect of inter-service co-operation could not be appreciated, since the Chief Fire Officer declined to take part just 48hr before the exercise took place. The Fire Service is apparently concerned that the public might automatically rush to the top of any burning tower block rather than attempt to evacuate at ground level. The exercise showed that more discussion is required among emergency service chiefs to achieve a united view on helicopter use, and was seen as encouraging by participants, says Capt Eric Brown, chief executive of the BHAB: "This exercise was conducted as a public-transport operation. In an emergency, other civil and military operators would be called in, and addi tional buildings used". Hence the need for more prepared roof sites and forward planning. The second benefit of roof facilities is in making London more accessible to the business community. Robin Keith is sure London needs more rooftop pads that many companies would welcome the ability to fly key personnel whose time is expensive (he cites computer engineers as a typical example), direct from one office to another. The main advantage of the helicopter is the ability to offer true door- to-door service without passengers becoming snarled up in city traffic. He also sees rooftop pads as having social advantages over heliports. "Rooftop" space does not use up valuable city land, and the noise problem is virtu ally eliminated. "The Mail on Sunday operation has proved that the helicopter is inaudible against the sound of normal city traffic", he claims. McAlpine reports seri ous customer interest in the concept, and the company is surveying two other roof top sites in the centre of London. Keith points out that at least three UK companies manufacture helipads for the offshore oil-support industry, in which elevated pads are normal. The expertise is available. Planning support critical The future of rootop operations will depend on the attitude of city planning authorities. They appear "less hostile and more positive" than in the past. Robin Keith and chief pilot Mike Barrett agree that, while Europe should exploit the helicopter's full potential, they would not like to see the American-style free-for-all use of roof pads. There, even single-engined machines may use them. "A city-centre accident would put the heli copter back 1,000 years," warns Keith. Despite his caution, experience in the USA shows increasing use of the helicop ter in public-service roles as air ambu lances, police patrol vehicles, and as fire- fighting transport. In Japan, Tokyo's fire department operates a mixed helicopter fleet and is re-equipping. To the inexperienced eye McAlpine's paper round looks routine, but few people who read The Mail On Sunday at their breakfast table, could imagine the skill and effort required to get it there on time. J3 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 2 November 1985 21
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