md 600
It's not just that it gets windy at that height.
In the afternoon sea breezes, the surface wind is typically 300/20. However, because the hotel is shaped like a huge sail, the wind on the helipad can be 120/20 - a 180 degree shift in wind on the final stage!
Add that to the size of the building and the turbulence and it makes for a very tricky approach.
Your're right about the heat. The pad is 850' amsl but the DA can be 4,500' in the +45C summer temperatures.
I'd love to be able to say this is all from personal experience, but the info comes from a Dubai based friend who lands there regularly.
Tudor
Last edited by Flying Lawyer; 11th Nov 2003 at 03:16.