LAPD Hooper Heliport
Encyclopedia
LAPD Hooper Heliport is a city-owned private-use heliport
located one nautical mile
(2 km) southwest of the central business district
of Los Angeles
, in Los Angeles County
, California
, United States
.
Hooper Heliport is located on the roof of the Piper Technical Center, the world's largest rooftop airport. It is centrally located between Los Angeles Union Station, Chinatown, and Downtown. It is home to the Los Angeles Police Department
's Air Support Division
which is the largest police aviation unit in America with 19 helicopters.
The Piper Technical Center is also used as a parking lot for some of the LAPD's motor pool including marked and un-marked units, vans, buses, motorcycles, and even the V-100 SWAT
armored car
s.
Hooper Heliport served as home base for the fictional police helicopter Blue Thunder
in the 1983 motion picture of the same name
, while construction of the heliport was still being completed.
Heliport
A heliport is a small airport suitable only for use by helicopters. Heliports typically contain one or more helipads and may have limited facilities such as fuel, lighting, a windsock, or even hangars...
located one nautical mile
Nautical mile
The nautical mile is a unit of length that is about one minute of arc of latitude along any meridian, but is approximately one minute of arc of longitude only at the equator...
(2 km) southwest of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, in Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Hooper Heliport is located on the roof of the Piper Technical Center, the world's largest rooftop airport. It is centrally located between Los Angeles Union Station, Chinatown, and Downtown. It is home to the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
's Air Support Division
LAPD Air Support Division
The Los Angeles Police Department Air Support Division is the airborne law enforcement program of the LAPD. It is the largest municipal airborne law enforcement organization in the United States and operates from the LAPD Hooper Heliport....
which is the largest police aviation unit in America with 19 helicopters.
The Piper Technical Center is also used as a parking lot for some of the LAPD's motor pool including marked and un-marked units, vans, buses, motorcycles, and even the V-100 SWAT
SWAT
A SWAT team is an elite tactical unit in various national law enforcement departments. They are trained to perform high-risk operations that fall outside of the abilities of regular officers...
armored car
Armored car (valuables)
A common meaning of armored car is as an armored van or truck, used in transporting valuables, such as large quantities of money . The armored car is a multifunctional vehicle designed to protect and ensure the well being of the transported individuals and/or contents...
s.
Hooper Heliport served as home base for the fictional police helicopter Blue Thunder
Blue Thunder (helicopter)
Blue Thunder is the title character in the 1980s American film and television series of the same name. The aircraft itself was a converted Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopter.-Aérospatiale Gazelle:...
in the 1983 motion picture of the same name
Blue Thunder
Blue Thunder is a 1983 feature film that features a high-tech helicopter of the same name. The movie was directed by John Badham and stars Roy Scheider...
, while construction of the heliport was still being completed.
See also
- LAPD Air Support DivisionLAPD Air Support DivisionThe Los Angeles Police Department Air Support Division is the airborne law enforcement program of the LAPD. It is the largest municipal airborne law enforcement organization in the United States and operates from the LAPD Hooper Heliport....
- List of airports in the Los Angeles area
- LAFD Barton Heliport at Whiteman AirportWhiteman AirportWhiteman Airport is a general aviation airport located in the Pacoima district of Los Angeles, California, United States.Located in the San Fernando Valley, Hollywood celebrities sometimes use this airport; however, Van Nuys Airport is used more often....
in Pacoima