Heliport Design CH 4
Heliport Design CH 4
Heliport Design CH 4
Change:
1. Purpose. This advisory circular (AC) provides standards for the design of heliports serving helicopters
with single rotors. Apply basic concepts to facilities serving helicopters with tandem (front and rear) or
dual (side by side) rotors, however many standards will not apply.
2. Cancellation. This AC cancels AC 150/5390-2B, Heliport Design, dated September 30, 2004.
3. Application. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recommends the guidelines and specifications
in this AC for materials and methods used in the construction of heliports. In general, use of this AC is
not mandatory. However, use of this AC is mandatory for all projects funded with federal grant monies
through the Airport Improvement Program (AIP) and with revenue from the Passenger Facility Charge
(PFC). See Grant Assurance No. 34, Policies, Standards, and Specifications, and PFC Assurance No. 9,
Standards and Specifications. For information about grant assurances, see
http://www.faa.gov/airports/aip/grant_assurances/. The use of terms implying strict compliance applies
only to those projects. Other federal agencies, states, or other authorities having jurisdiction over the
construction of other heliports decide the extent to which these standards apply.
4. Principal changes.
a. Changed the term for the helicopter overall length (OL) to ‘D’ or ‘D-value.’
b. Added definitions for design loads for static and dynamic load-bearing areas (LBA).
c. Added guidance for pavement or structure larger than the touchdown and liftoff area (TLOF), but
less than the size of the final approach and take off (FATO).
d. Added guidance for turbulence effects.
e. Added guidance to provide adequate clearance between parking areas and taxi routes and within
parking areas.
f. Added guidance for minimum dimensions of curved approach/departure airspace.
g. Added guidance for Touchdown/Positioning Circle (TDPC) Marking.
h. Added guidance for Flight Path Alignment Guidance markings and lights.
i. Added an appendix providing guidance for Emergency Helicopter Landing Facility Requirements
(EHLF).
j. Added FATO to FATO separation distance for simultaneous operations.
k. Revised standards for size of “H” for general aviation heliports.
l. Added increased TLOF size when the FATO of a hospital heliport is not load bearing. AC 150/5390-2C
4/24/2012
n. Combined chapter 6, Non-Precision Instrument Operations and Chapter 7, Precision Approach
Operations into chapter 6, Instrument Operations. Reference FAA Order 8620 series.
o. To improve the legibility of the AC, changed the format to a single column and nested the tables in
the text.
p. Deleted requirements for load bearing capacity of a FATO at general aviation and hospital heliports
when the TLOF is marked.
q. Changed color of landing direction lights from yellow to green.
r. Added references to Engineering Brief 87, Heliport Lights for Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC)
5. Use of metrics. This AC includes both English and metric dimensions. The metric conversions may not
be exact equivalents, and the English dimensions govern.
6. Copies of this AC. This and other advisory circulars published by the Office of Airport Safety and
Standards are available on the FAA Office of Airports web page at www.faa.gov/airports.
MICHAEL J. O’DONNELL
Director of Airport Safety and Standards
4/24/2012 AC 150/5390-2C
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 4.
Page Section