Transportation Stakeholders Invited to Learn About Heliport Design, Verification

The United States Department of Transportation will be holding a course to provide attendees with an understanding of the evaluation process and skills needed to sufficiently evaluate proposed or existing heliports.

The 3-day course will take place in West Palm Beach, Florida, from September 12-14. It'll consist of a hybrid lecture and practical component, with students getting experience in hands-on evaluation with a hearty helping of the regulatory know-how surrounding heliports. With the impending boom in Advanced Air Mobility, the industry has begun bracing for a plethora of brand new vertical takeoff locations, with all the regulatory headaches and evaluations that entails. With courses like this, the Department can hopefully get ahead of the industry a bit, and hit the ground running with an army of knowledgeable heliport specialists.

Instruction includes both classroom lectures and several “hands-on” practical exercises. The course includes a detailed review of the evaluation criteria, worksheets, and administrative tools available to the inspector, preparation of the evaluation report, and hands-on instruction in the operation of the tools used in the typical evaluation. The training culminates in the evaluation of a ground-based and local heliport.

Those invited to attend include : "Aeronautics Division of State’s Department of Transportation and local municipality’s authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) (i.e., fire marshal). The applicant/owner, safety managers, operators, contractor or Architectural and Engineering (A&E) professionals. FAA Flight Standards Aviation Safety Inspectors or Airspace Systems Inspection Pilot, and Procedure Evaluation Pilot." Students are encouraged to bring their own gear like inclinometers, range finders, and GPS units for the hands-on exercises. Registration can be accessed via email to Brendan.jensen.ctr[at]dot.gov.

FMI: www.dot.gov