A new edition of CAP1264 ‘Standards for Helicopter Landing Areas at Hospitals’ has been published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority

As well as setting out detailed design requirements for hospital heliports, the document also provides guidance on their operation and management, covering approach and departure paths, obstacle clearance, lighting, signage, and communication protocols.

The CAP 1264 was first published in 2016, amended in 2019 and this new second edition has been published today.

The CAA notes that Air Ambulance Helicopters form an essential part of the UK’s pre-hospital response to patients suffering life threatening injuries or illnesses. It is estimated that every day about 70 patients are treated using helicopters operating in the air ambulance role to helicopter landing sites (HLSs) located at hospitals in the United Kingdom. HLSs are routinely provided at hospitals for the transfer of critically ill patients by air ambulance helicopters and by helicopters operating in the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) role with facilities varying in complexity from a purpose built structure on a rooftop above the emergency department (ED), with integral aeronautical lighting and fire-fighting systems, to an occasional use recreational / sports field remotely located from the ED perhaps only equipped with an “H” and a windsock present.

The primary purpose of this CAP is to promulgate in detail the design requirements and range of options for new heliports located at hospitals in the United Kingdom that can also be applied for the refurbishment of existing helicopter landing sites. In all cases heliport design guidance is based on the international standards and recommended practices in ICAO Annex 14 Volume II with the supporting Document 9261 “Heliport Manual”. However, given the pivotal role of an HLS at a hospital for supporting the (often complex) clinical needs of the patient, it is equally important that the design of the heliport places, at its heart, the needs of the patient who is often critically ill.

Consequently, the design of a heliport needs to ensure that it is both ‘safe and friendly’ for helicopter operations, and, given the clinical needs of the patient, that its proximity to the hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) affords rapid patient transfer and avoids the complication of a secondary transfer by land ambulance. Patient transfer from the HLS to the ED should be expedited in
a manner that upholds both the dignity and security of the patient and the safety and security of staff tasked to complete the transfer of the patient to ED, potentially in all weather conditions

The latest version of this document is available in electronic format at www.caa.co.uk/CAP1264.