London Heliport
Encyclopedia
London Heliport at Battersea
, London
is the capital's main and busiest heliport
. The facility is located on the south bank of the River Thames
, 3 NM southwest of Westminster Bridge
and the Palace of Westminster
, between Wandsworth Bridge
and Battersea Railway Bridge
.
The nearest railway station is Clapham Junction
, and the nearest tube station is Fulham Broadway
.
The heliport, once owned by Westland
and then Harrods
, is a very small site, making use of a jetty to provide a helipad for take-off and landing, and onshore parking for between three and four aircraft, depending upon size. The heliport provides landing, parking and refuelling services between 08:00 and 21:00 (flights are permitted between 07:00 and 23:00), albeit parking is normally restricted to smaller helicopter categories.
Flight conditions and procedures at the heliport prescribe a circuit height 1000 ft (305 m) above the Thames, in an extended figure-of-eight over the water, to seek to minimise noise pollution for residents in the area and to constrain flight operations to over the river, away from the built-up area. Ground running of rotors is restricted to a maximum of five minutes for the same reason.
In December 2003, the heliport was acquired by Weston Homes. Landing fees in April 2006 were from £90 to £1075 depending upon the helicopter type; additional costs accrue for parking, early or late flights, and flights in evening peak times.
In February 2007 the heliport site was acquired by Von Essen Hotels with its subsidiary company PremiAir to operate the heliport. The acquisition deal also includes an exclusive new luxury hotel development under construction adjacent to the heliport site that will also house the heliport’s new terminal, executive lounge and business meeting room areas.
Battersea
Battersea is an area of the London Borough of Wandsworth, England. It is an inner-city district of South London, situated on the south side of the River Thames, 2.9 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Battersea spans from Fairfield in the west to Queenstown in the east...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
is the capital's main and busiest heliport
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...
. The facility is located on the south bank of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, 3 NM southwest of Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster on the north side and Lambeth on the south side, in London, England....
and the Palace of Westminster
Palace of Westminster
The Palace of Westminster, also known as the Houses of Parliament or Westminster Palace, is the meeting place of the two houses of the Parliament of the United Kingdom—the House of Lords and the House of Commons...
, between Wandsworth Bridge
Wandsworth Bridge
Wandsworth Bridge crosses the River Thames in west London. It carries the A217 road between the areas of Battersea, near Wandsworth Town Station, in the London Borough of Wandsworth on the south of the river, and the areas of Sands End and Parsons Green, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and...
and Battersea Railway Bridge
Battersea Railway Bridge
The Battersea Railway Bridge - properly called the Cremorne Bridge, after the pleasure grounds in Chelsea and originally commonly referred to as the Battersea New Bridge - is a bridge across the River Thames in London, between Battersea and Chelsea and forming part of the West London Line of the...
.
The nearest railway station is Clapham Junction
Clapham Junction railway station
Clapham Junction railway station is near St John's Hill in the south-west of Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. Although it is in Battersea, the area around the station is commonly identified as Clapham Junction....
, and the nearest tube station is Fulham Broadway
Fulham Broadway tube station
Fulham Broadway is a London Underground station on the branch of the District Line. It is between and stations and is in Travelcard Zone 2. The station is located on Fulham Broadway . It is notable as the nearest station to Stamford Bridge stadium, the home of Chelsea Football Club...
.
The heliport, once owned by Westland
Westland Aircraft
Westland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915...
and then Harrods
Harrods
Harrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
, is a very small site, making use of a jetty to provide a helipad for take-off and landing, and onshore parking for between three and four aircraft, depending upon size. The heliport provides landing, parking and refuelling services between 08:00 and 21:00 (flights are permitted between 07:00 and 23:00), albeit parking is normally restricted to smaller helicopter categories.
In December 2003, the heliport was acquired by Weston Homes. Landing fees in April 2006 were from £90 to £1075 depending upon the helicopter type; additional costs accrue for parking, early or late flights, and flights in evening peak times.
In February 2007 the heliport site was acquired by Von Essen Hotels with its subsidiary company PremiAir to operate the heliport. The acquisition deal also includes an exclusive new luxury hotel development under construction adjacent to the heliport site that will also house the heliport’s new terminal, executive lounge and business meeting room areas.