otherwise the Planning Permission (Zoning) people will become interested—there's no need to notify them of anything unless the land is to be used as a helipad on more than 28 days in any year. In fact, current planning regulations allow a helicopter to be used for personal, business and leisure uses “as many people use a private car” from the owner’s dwelling house without limitation, making it exempt from planning control, provided the use is incidental, or ancillary to, the principal use of the land. Also, the local police should be informed, as well as the other emergency services, especially where the public would normally have a right-of-way (such as a park). In the USA, and probably Canada, you can land a helicopter anywhere that has not been declared as illegal, with the usual provisos about low flying and reckless operation, but be aware that local restrictions may well override any laid down by the FAA or Transport Canada. If you use an unlicensed site, a landing site card should be raised and kept in the Landing Site Library, possibly as part of the Airfield Categorisation file, which is the equivalent. This may then be used with the OS Map for others to selfbrief before using it. However, making more than four movements at a place in a relatively short time (a movement is a take-off or a landing) makes it a 'feeder site', and subject to strict standards— relevant if you're performing shuttle flights at a special event, such as the Grand Prix. Pleasure Flying and Feeder Sites are considered elsewhere. Sites should allow you to make emergency landings without danger to persons or property on the surface, or significant risk to the helicopter and its occupants. An alternate site for a twin should meet single-engined requirements. Performance Group A (JAR Class 1) helicopters need sufficient take-off space for the weight to be carried, and take-off, landing and reject areas must be prepared surfaces on which you must be able to land safely before the CDP, or continue to an alternative afterwards. You must be able to land safely on the planned area after LDP. Group A (Restricted) (JAR Class 2) machines may have to make a forced landing before CDP or after LDP. For A (Restricted) and B, a prepared surface is not required, but there must be somewhere to land for a reject that causes no risk to third parties. If the site is too small, and/or with obstructions, you can downgrade to the next Group. It works the other way round, too— given room to manoeuvre, you could upgrade and carry more payload. The type of takeoff will depend on the size of the area. Class 1 takeoff techniques should be used when the area is restricted, and clear climbout paths should be available. They should also be used from elevated sites without obstructions so you can |