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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPEC140011 VVMC MP Ray Stanton Emergency Helipad Review1310 Blue Jay Drive Phone 214.789.9151 Lewisville, TX 75077 ray@resaviation.com s Services, Inc. REVIEW OF DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE PROPOSED HELIPAD FOR VVMC And regulatory requirements relative to compliance November 24, 2014 Executive Summary This review considered of three documents. The proposal by HeliExperts as to placement of the heliport and acceptable approach and departures paths, the Master Facility Plan Helipad as presented by the Vail Valley Medical Center, and the Proposed modified easterly approach/departure path requested by the Town of Vail. All three documents were compared to the requirements of federal aviation regulations and guidance published by the FAA and the Colorado Division of Aeronautics. There are no conflicts with regard to regulations or guidance. A discussion with Mr. Alexander and Syms produced an alternate proposal for an easterly approach/departure path that should reduce the noise footprint for nearby homes and maintains a level of safety consistent with the initial proposal. The HeliExperts recommended that the hospital acquire an Automated Weather Observing System. The closest such system presently in use is over 30 miles away and does not provide weather information accurate to the topography and meteorology of the local area. The proposed location for the heliport is the best of the options offered by the applicant in the master plan and presents an improved level of safety for the aircraft, crew, patient, hospital staff, and the general public over the existing helipad. Purpose This report provides a review of three documents prepared as part of a proposal to build a helipad on Vail Valley Medical Center (VVMC) property. Included, as attachments are three reports. A search of Colorado Division of Aeronautics' regulations was completed at the request of the Community Development Director. This search is to confirm the information provided by the State of Colorado's Division of Aeronautics. Documentation Review The documents reviewed and analyzed for both compliance and public safety of Vail citizens are: 1. "Preliminary Heliport Feasibility & Design Study Report", Dated: October 21, 2014, Prepared by HeliExperts International, LLC, (Attachment 1) 2. "Master Facility Plan Helipad", Dated: October 27, 2014, Presented by Vail Valley Medical Center, Braun Associates, Inc., HeliExperts International, LLC, Heery International, (Attachment 2) 3. "Proposed VVMC Heliport Modified E -W Flight Path, Approach/Departure Surface and Transitional Surfaces Based on Feedback from the Town of Vail's Expert Mr. Ray Stanton", Dated: November 12, 2014, Prepared by HeliExperts International, (Attachment 3) 2 Discussion On October 24, 2014 I participated in a web and telephone conference call attended by members of the VVMC, the Town of Vail, HeliExperts, and an FAA representative. Legal expertise for both VVMC and Town of Vail were also present during the call. HeliExpert's Rex Alexander and Ray Syms presented the findings of their study on suitable locations for a new heliport for the medical center. In the presentation four possible locations for the proposed heliport were presented. At the conclusion of this presentation, HeliExperts recommended VVMC place the heliport on the Northwest corner of the parking garage. To provide adequate clearances and to remain within FAA defined guidelines, the heliport would be elevated 70 feet above the highest level of the parking garage. A walkway would connect the heliport with the elevator system. This provides easy and quick access to the emergency room located at ground level and adjacent to the parking garage. Only one question was presented. A question was asked why HeliExperts did not include a Helicopter Protection Zone (HPZ). The question of why a helicopter protection zone was not included was discussed without resolution. The FAA Advisory Circular 150/5390-2C, pp 410 was used as the base for this inquiry. Researching the specific document cited, Paragraph states "The FAA "recommends the establishment of an HPZ for each approach/departure surface". The paragraph then defines the dimensions of this zone and stresses the need for the zone is kept clear of "churches, schools, hospitals, office buildings, shopping centers, and other uses with similar concentrations of persons typify places of public assembly". In pp. 419 (b) the circular states "The FAA encourages public agencies to enact zoning ordinances to control the use of property within the HPZ and the approach/departure path environment, restricting activities to those compatible with helicopter operations". On October 27, 2014 3 The Town of Vail's Planning and Environmental Commission held a meeting to discuss the proposed location of the heliport. The meeting was open to the public. The presentation outlined the master plan for hospital facility improvements specific to the proposed need, use, and location. was unable to attend this meeting. On October 30, 2014 spoke with Mr. George Ruther and Warren Campbell, Community Development Department, Town of Vail regarding the outcomes for this meeting. Two requests were made. 1. That I also research the Colorado Division of Aeronautics' regulations to confirm the information received by Mr. Ruther from Ms. Shahn Sederberg, Colorado Department of Aeronautics. In her message Ms. Sederberg stated that the Division of Aeronautics is a non -regulatory organization. That no steps need be completed with the Division of Aeronautics in the course of erecting a heliport for the medical center. 2. The second request was that I worked with HeliExperts to determine if the East approach/departure path could be moved further north and farther away from residences South and East of the hospital. On November 31 2014 That discussion took place again via web and telephone conference call. Participating in the call were Mr. Ray Syms, Rex Alexander, and myself. The consensus among all three participants is that the approach/departure path east of the proposed heliport can be reconstructed in similar fashion to the same path on the west side. This path will reduce the noise footprint created by a helicopter taking off or landing, to or from, an easterly direction while maintaining an acceptable level of safety to the aircraft, crew, patient, and citizenry on the surface. The design was reshaped with all three parties viewing thus permitting a continuous dialog among the participants. I learned from Mr. Alexander that he proposed to the hospital the installation of the weather observation station, known as Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS). An AWOS provides a computer-generated voice reporting all weather related information to the pilot via several methods and feeds this same information into the National Weather Service for broadcast through all manner of preflight planning systems. Typically these include telephone, aircraft radio, computer connected to the Internet, and through vendor provided software used for flight planning. Thus the pilot has immediate weather information for the helipad readily available from before the flight, 4 throughout the course of flight, and the landing at the VVMC heliport. The hospital is considering this installation favorably but has not made a final decision. With such a system in place, the routes into and away from the heliport have more flexibility with regard to placement and therefore can be less of a noise nuisance to the general public, while maintaining a higher level of safety for aircraft, crew, and patient.' The newly revised easterly approach/departure path will approach from the east as before along the general location of Interstate 1-70. The helicopter will turn left toward the heliport at such time as it will pass over the municipal site. Passing over the municipal site on final descent the helicopter will complete the landing on a straight path to the VVMC heliport. An easterly departure would reverse the course. Graphic images of the revised approach and departure path is shown in Attachment 3, pages 8-12. Findings • A review of the Colorado Division of Aeronautics found that all regulations are for the funding of airports construction and improvements. By FAA definition airports and heliports are synonymous. • The FAA Advisory Circular 150/5390-2c does not require a helicopter protection zone. • An HPZ may be of some benefit to a surface based heliport, but does not provide increased safety to an elevated heliport. • There is not a regulatory requirement for a HPZ. • The elevation of the proposed heliport provides the same protection as a HPZ. The addition of a HPZ will not improve safety for the aircraft, crew, patient, or general public. The vertical height provides an adequate margin of safety should the aircraft experience a situation necessitating an immediate landing. • The proposed heliport is to be a private facility and therefore not required to comply with the AC 150/5390/2C "Heliport Design". • To receive FAA certification, the heliport must comply with the design criteria as set forth in AC 150/5390-2C. Again the HPZ is not required as part of the design criteria. A design criteria as defined in AC 150/5390-2C exist in the proposed heliport design reviewed. ' http://en.wikipedia.org and FAA Advisory Circular 150/5220-16D 5 Recommendations • The Town of Vail and the hospital should accept the revised easterly approach and departure path. It will provide a smaller noise footprint to the community, improve general public safety by moving the aircraft further away from residential areas, and still afford the same level of safety to the operating aircraft, its crew, and the general public. • Due to the topography of the Vail Valley and the weather associated with this area, The Town of Vail should support and assist the hospital with the acquisition of an Automated Weather Observing System. • The AWOS acquired should be of the highest level of weather information reporting, an AWOS IV Z/R. Ray E Stanton, DSP RES Aviation Services, Inc. A