Popping not an option
It happens that I had lunch at the 'old heliport' today and looked out over the bay remembering what an ideal site this had been.
Unrestricted approach from the south with no buildings or other problems, and 'as was' good radar coverage from Culdrose.
There was an NDB on site and the S61 carried its own radar in the nose.
Any height to be lost was always carried out over the sea so the machine was always VFR for the final few miles. It also so happens that the approach path was directly over a British Rail freight/terminus yard which had the added advantage of being festooned with very bright lights at all times,and therefore an excellent reference point for the final approach. The Heliport had its own pad lights and was licensed for night operations which meant that that extra flights did not have to cease at dusk. The real tragedy in all this was the failure of the local planning authority to protect this vital transport link for future use as the loss was indeed a blow to the Scillies and the PZ local economy. The new Heliport will have to contend with a more built up area and a subsequent increase in regulations but it still will have a far better WX factor than L-End and is closer to the existing transport links, plus even more brighter lights from British rail !!!!.