Aerobatic Flying
Unlocking the skies: What is helipad landing?
It’s important to know the ins and outs of helipad landing — what it is, how it works, and what it means to land a plane on a space built for a helicopter.
Helicopters are an essential mode of transportation, from emergency medical services to urban transportation. And their designated spots called helipads are important in aviation events, like the Red Bull Air Race, which brings together pilots from around the globe for an airborne obstacle course.
For Red Bull aerobatic pilot Lukasz Czepiela, landing a plane on a helipad is a sport in itself.
"I'm really happy that I made the biggest dream in my career come true," Czepiela explained after landing his Carbon Cub plane atop the Burj Al Arab in Dubai. "Landing at the height of 200 meters, with no clear points of reference, is completely different from landing on the ground… I had to fully trust my own skills. On the helipad, there was no room for mistakes."
To understand the significance of this achievement, it’s important to know the ins and outs of helipad landing — what it is, how it works, and what it means to land a plane on a space built for a helicopter.
01
Understanding helipads
Helipads are specialized platforms designed for helicopter landing and takeoff. They provide a safe and stable area for these versatile aircraft. Helipads can be found in various locations, including on hospital roofs, atop corporate buildings, on ships, and in remote areas where traditional runways are impractical. They come in several sizes but are typically not bigger than around 115 feet (35 meters) across, with no runway to ramp up or slow down. This makes it more difficult, but not impossible, for planes to land on helipads.
There are different types of helipads, each suited to specific needs and environments. Rooftop helipads are commonly found in urban settings, allowing helicopters to land on top of buildings to save space and provide direct access to facilities. Ground-level helipads are typically used in less congested areas and can accommodate larger helicopters due to fewer spatial constraints. Temporary and emergency helipads are also not uncommon.
Burj al Arab's helipad is perched 212m above the ground
© Samo Vidic/Red Bull Content Pool
02
Helipad design and construction
Designing and constructing a helipad involves several key elements to ensure safety and functionality.
The size of the helipad must accommodate different types of helicopters, with sufficient space for safe takeoff and landing maneuvers. The landing pads themselves are typically made of concrete or steel, and they’re marked with a large ‘H,’ indicating it’s a safe spot to land.
Lighting is another critical component, especially when piloting during low visibility conditions or at night. Helipads are equipped with perimeter lights and approach lights to ensure that pilots can accurately identify the landing zone from a distance.
Helipad safety considerations are paramount in helipad design and construction. The surface, typically made of steel or concrete, must be sturdy and non-slippery. The surrounding area must be free of obstacles that may pose hazards during landing or takeoff. This may include tall buildings, trees, or power lines around the helipad, all of which must be carefully managed. Poor weather, like heavy rain, fog, or strong winds, can complicate landing and takeoff procedures, requiring pilots to have advanced skills and precise navigation equipment.
Compliance with helicopter safety standards and regulations is mandatory to ensure the highest levels of safety and performance. These regulations are set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) or the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
Ahead of Bullseye Landing, Czepiela carried out 650 practice touchdowns
© Joerg Mitter/Red Bull Content Pool
03
How are helipad operations run?
Helipad operations involve a series of well-coordinated procedures to ensure safe and efficient arrivals and departures.
- Approach procedure: Pilots need to communicate with the air traffic control (ATC) tower to receive clearance and updates about weather conditions and potential obstacles. Speed restrictions, altitude adjustments, and alignment need to be followed while maintaining communication with the ground crew for helicopter approach procedures.
- Landing procedures: Pilots will confirm the helipad clearance and align the vehicle with the designated landing spot. They’ll also reduce the altitude to have a controlled descent while monitoring the ground crew’s signals. Maintaining helipad visualization is critical. Once landed, pilots will follow touchdown and rotor shutdown procedures.
- Departure procedures: Before taking off again, there are pre-flight checks and communications with the ground crew and ATC to obtain takeoff confirmation. Pilots will receive visual signals from the ground crew to get assistance in making sure the helipad is clear. Then with clearance obtained and safety checks completed, the vehicle lifts off from the helipad, initiating its journey.
The ground crew guides vehicles to the correct landing spot, manages passengers and cargo, and refuels and maintains planes or helicopters as needed. ATC also provides critical support, especially in busy urban environments, by coordinating plane movements and preventing conflicts with other aircraft.
Łukasz Czepiela flying towards Dubai's Burj Al Arab hotel
© Joerg Mitter / Red Bull Content Pool
04
Can planes land on helipads? What it takes to stick the landing
A vertical ascent and descent to and from a helipad is one of the things that makes helicopters so important in urban environments and in emergency situations where space is tight. Planes, on the other hand, don’t have that advantage. It doesn’t mean that small planes can’t land on a helipad, but it makes the maneuver incredibly challenging.
That’s what makes Czepiela’s 2023 feat at the Burj Al Arab even more impressive. It took two and a half years for the pilot to land this new achievement in aerobatics. He dedicated months to designing the plane, practicing in a simulator, and testing that it could be done. All that work went into an impressive landing.
Aside from the incredible piloting skills required, the plane itself needs to be lighter and slower than typical aircraft to successfully stick the landing. Piloting a Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) model of the ultra-lightweight Carbon Cub plane, Czepiela expertly guided the aircraft to land on the 27-meter-wide helipad. It was the first time anyone in the world had successfully completed this feat at Burj Al-Arab.
Elevating access: The impact of helipad landing
Proper helipad landing skills are a must for safe aviation, whether quickly transporting patients to hospitals from rural areas or landing a plane atop the Burj Al-Arab. And while it’s not every day that a specially-built plane makes a safe landing on a helipad, Czepiela’s achievement opens up new possibilities — and ways to break more records and achieve more global firsts — for aspiring stunt pilots everywhere.