IRELAND CORK UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL - HELICOPTER FACILITIES PLANNING

Areas of Expertise: Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Europe and North America: Ireland

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LEAPP was commissioned by the Estates Department of the Health Service Executive (Southern Region) to provide preliminary planning information concerning helicopter access to the Cork University Hospital, and particularly to a new hospital building that was to be constructed in the southern part of the hospital site.  LEAPP provided HSE with key information concerning the optimum location and size of a helipad required to ensure an acceptable degree of helicopter access, and to identify the other facilities and services that are necessary to support a helicopter service into a helipad located at the hospital. In addition, LEAPP also reviewed the types of helicopter that the helipad would need to be able to accommodate for emergency patient transfer, identified and assessed options for a suitable location for a helipad at the hospital, and described the features of a helipad located at the optimum site that would meet as many of the location and logistical requirements for helicopter service.

MALAYSIA SUBANG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - NEW HELICOPTER CENTRE MASTER PLAN

Areas of Expertise: Airport Master Planning, Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Asia and the Pacific: Malaysia

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LEAPP prepared a concept design for the Subang Helicopter Centre located at Subang International Airport in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Centre was designed with the vision of being a dedicated helicopter facility to be separated from and independent of fixed wing operations so as to ensure both operational efficiency and a high level of safety. A further requirement was to provide larger facilities for Eurocopter Malaysia who have outgrown their current hangar space.  The Helicopter Centre has been planned for a total of 8 helicopter parking stands, with the Super Puma being the largest helicopter capable of being serviced, dedicated helicopter taxiways, line parking, a helicopter maintenance run-up area, 250 car parking spaces, for staff of the centre and over 21,000 m2 of hangar space.  The Centre has been planned so that Eurocopter would be able to lease an area of 10,000 m2, while the remaining 11,000 m2 will be available to other operators thus maximizing and diversifying the revenue potential of the centre to the airport operator. The design of the Helicopter Centre also took into account the longer term vision of the airport management and was integrated with nearby existing facilities to enable expansion of hangars and helicopter parking if and when required.

QATAR DOHA AL KHOR AIRPORT - LONG-RANGE AIRPORT MASTER PLAN & COMMERCIAL PLAN

Areas of Expertise: Airport Master Planning, Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Arab States: Qatar

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LEAPP was appointed to prepare a Master Plan for development of the Al Khor Airport northwest of Doha.  The Master Plan was intended to provide an airport that could accommodate regional air passenger traffic however the principal development proposed for the site was a major helicopter base for offshore air transport to oil and gas platforms.  LEAPP designed the new Helicopter Operating Base and facilities for helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul for Gulf Helicopters.  The development of the Airport within the Master Plan was planned to cover three phases, initially aimed at accommodating operations that would need to be relocated from the Doha International Airport.  A review of possible airport business opportunities for the airport site was undertaken by LEAPP which was based on private sector financing and initiatives. A commercial model was developed to analyse the value of the businesses to the airport owners. Included in this was an assessment of the revenue potential to the airport and justification for the assignment of lands for specific commercial uses.

QATAR MINISTRY OF INTERIOR HQ BUILDING - HELIPAD PLANNING AND DESIGN

Areas of Expertise: Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Arab States: Qatar

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This study was commissioned by WCT Berhad (WCT) to provide planning and design services for a helipad on lands in front of the Ministry of Interior HQ Building (MOI) in Doha, Qatar. Construction on the MOI site incorporates a ground-based helipad within the MOI property. The aim of the study was to provide the WCT team with key information concerning the optimum location and size for a ground based helipad, and to develop the design of this facility prior to construction.  The goal of the project is to enable good access to the MOI Building by high level ministry and other senior staff.  The project was also aimed at identifying all of the other infrastructure and services necessary to support helicopter operations to/from the helipad.

UAE ABU DHABI SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY (SKMC) - NEW HELIPADS DESIGN AND PLANNING

Areas of Expertise: Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Arab States: United Arab Emirates

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LEAPP was selected to study and design helicopter facilities for the SKMC in the centre of Abu Dhabi city.  The project involved reviewing several possible surface and elevated helipad sites, and assessing the aeronautical, operational and technical feasibility of establishing these sites for helicopter use. The study included the recommendation for a single elevated helipad for helicopters up to AW 139 in size, and a single surface helipad for use by large helicopters up to S-92 in size.  LEAPP prepared the layout plans for the helipads at the selected sites, and developed approach and take-off surfaces to enable operations to occur in compliance with ICAO Standards and with the operations of a nearby corporate/military airport.  In addition the study identified all physical and operational requirements for helipads including lighting, navigation equipment, fire fighting, and markings.  This work was carried out to the standards required by the UAE, General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

UAE SHEIKH KHALIFA MEDICAL CITY (SKMC) - SECOND HELIPADS DESIGN STUDY

Areas of Expertise: Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Arab States: United Arab Emirates

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LEAPP was commissioned by the ITS Joint Venture to assess the feasibility for the provision of a Second (Temporary) Helipad for the interim development plan at the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) Hospital. The aim of the project is to provide key information concerning the optimum location and size for the Second Helipad, a rooftop helipad which will be located on the eastern side of the temporary car park structure.  The study identified the acceptable degree of helicopter access, and the requirement for other facilities and services that are necessary to support the helicopter service at the hospital.

The planning and conceptual design of the helipad were developed to include preparation of a layout plan, development of approach and take-off areas and identification of all related physical and operational requirements for the helipad with respect to lighting, fire fighting, and markings.  This was carried out to the standards required by the UAE, General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)

UAE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL HELIPAD - HELIPAD PLANNING AND DESIGN

Areas of Expertise: Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Arab States: United Arab Emirates

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LEAPP was commissioned by the architects for the Dubai University Hospital to plan and design a roof-top helipad for the hospital.  The project involved designing the helipad in compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices, the Civil Aviation Regulations of the UAE, and the Helipad Permit requirements of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority.  Particular issues addressed were the narrow rooftop area designed by the architects, the need to maintain access for a building maintenance unit device to operate around the periphery of the rooftop, and the ramping necessary to ensure ease of patient transfer from the helipad to a rooftop lift.  LEAPP also assisted the client in obtaining an initial No Objection Certificate from the Dubai CAA to enable development of the helipad in a congested part of Dubai City

UAE ABU DHABI AL RAHA TOWER - HELIPAD PLANNING AND DESIGN

Areas of Expertise: Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Arab States: United Arab Emirates

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LEAPP was commissioned by the prime architects for the Al Raha Tower to prepare a design for a roof-top helipad. LEAPP carried out planning and design for the helipad which was to be located at an elevation of 164m above ground on top of a residential tower at the Al Raha Beach Development.  The project included all aspects of the design of the helipad, including lighting, markings and fire-fighting systems.  As part of this project, LEAPP undertook liaison with the General Civil Aviation Authority for the UAE to obtain approval for the helipad design proposal

UAE ABU DHABI - OFFSHORE HELIDECK DESIGN

Areas of Expertise: Heliport and Helipad Design

Country: Arab States: United Arab Emirates

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LEAPP was commissioned by Technip, of France, to complete an aviation safety and standards review of their design proposals for three helideck facilities to be located on offshore structures in the Arabian Gulf.  The structures are under construction off the coast of Abu Dhabi in the maritime territory of the UAE.  LEAPP carried out a review of the detailed design to ensure compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices and to ensure that the designs were met safety standards for helicopter operators and passengers.  A further objective of the project was to ensure that the designs would meet the approval of the regulatory and certification authorities of the UAE for use by commercial helicopters registered in the UAE.