just discover this thread...
it's not only a UK or CAA problem... as mentioned above, it reverts to regulations set down by JAR-OPS 3 and the requiremtents a pilot has to fullfill to be able to fly to or from a landing spot.... the requirements are quite restrictive and if put into full force would not allow any landings at most hospital sites anywhere because they do not fullfill the necessary standards. For example, it is not allowed for a single engined heli to fly over difficult environment or to an elevated landing site. So all heli operations must have twin-engine heli's for most HEMS flying. The police and SAR are exempt from JAR-OPS but do, at least here in Germany, try to comply.
In the end it looks like helipads must meet the ICAO requirements. This means an elevated landing site having at least 1,5 times the length of the largest heli flying there (though how are we to know how big future heli's may be?) . ...plus many more difficulties. Actually, because of obstacles found on most hospitals, only elevated sites may in the future be possible.
The various German operators have been discussing this problem for 3 years now but still no proper solution.
In a desperate emergency, it is in the end the pilots decission whether he lands or not. And, if something goes wrong, it'll be the insurance companies that hang him or the company he flies for.
Yes, it's sensible to have the landing sites regulated to a certain degree, but what the new EU regulations are asking for will make flying direct to hospitals nearly impossible.
These regs, as mentioned before, have been floating around for about 3 years now... the outcries are coming a bit late. The German CAA is trying to have the ICAO regulations applying only to sites with more then 400 takeoffs and landings a year... but my opinion is, either the site is safe or not.... you can't go according to a number!!
It's nice to know, that not only over here we are getting upset about all this.... I just wonder, who in the EU came up with these regs in the first place
Westy
PS. sorry for the length.....