Landing off-airport is one of the benefits of helicopter transport, but there are several factors that determine whether we can fulfill a customer request for direct-to-destination services. Our first consideration is always safety.
GGH requires 5 working days to accommodate an off-airport landing request, if the zone has not been pre-approved. That gives us time to thoroughly investigate the landing zone and secure the necessary permissions.
We don't operate off-airport at night (1 hour after sunset until 1 hour before sunrise) unless the landing zone is a FAA-standard helipad with FAA-approved lighting and a lit windsock.
An off-airport destination must always have a pre-assigned alternate airport. Even if the landing zone has been approved, the Pilot-in-Command (PIC) may decide that current conditions aren't conducive to safety. The PIC always retains the right to refuse an off-airport at any time up to the actual landing, in which case the flight will continue to the alternate airport. The client will be responsible for ground transportation if the PIC chooses to land at the alternate airport for safety reasons.
Golden Gate Helicopters has several landing zones available to our clients in the Napa/Sonoma area. If where you'd like to land is not at or convenient to one of these GGH-pre-approved off-airport spot, GGH must survey the property at the client’s expense: $200/hr for minimum of 2 hours, plus mileage to and from the spot. We are happy to offer you alternative options, with ground transportation.
Here are the criteria that determine the usability of an off-airport landing zone:
- The minimum area must be at least 100’x100’. There are no exceptions.
- The zone must have minimal slope and terrain variations.
- There must be a safe approach zone that can accommodate variable wind conditions and a go-around.
- The zone must be free of trees, light posts, obstructions, bushes, high grass, fences, buildings, vehicles, people, or livestock.
- There must be a method of restricting pedestrian access to the zone during landing and departure operations.
If the area is larger than 150’x150’ with no obstructions, good approach access (for variable winds) and has good pedestrian/vehicle separation from the landing zone, it is almost always usable.
Before we can approve your landing zone, and before flight is scheduled, we must have the following:
- Signed, written permission to land from the property owner or agent.
- Signed acceptance of the Limits of GGH liability.
- Satellite images, latitude/longitude of the proposed landing zone.
- Any additional details on the LZ, including need for ground support.
If the Chief Pilot is assigned as PIC for this mission, during the proposal process, she may offer to survey the landing spot on approach the day of the flight and decide whether it is an appropriate place, for which there is no additional survey fee. However, if the day of the flight she determines the landing zone is not appropriate, the alternate airport destination will be used and the client will be responsible for ground transportation.