Just for reference... previous floating London heliports were
- City Heliport - This was on the North Bank right by where the Millennium (aka bendy) pedestrian bridge is, and had a licence until the City of London School was built. One big barge with three pads with accommodation below. Cannot remember who ran it though - sure someone here will remember..
- Star Aviation Heliport - On the South Bank not far west of Southwark Bridge. operated by Star Aviation, boss of which was Tommy Collins - (last known flying for Wales Air Ambulance?). This was two smaller barges with two pads each and AFAIK only used by Star, who at that time had three 206s. Office accommodation below
Being ignorant what an LPD-4 was, I found these...
And Wikipedia tells me (
see here) it was a US military ship, with 12 built - one now in Japan, five on US east coast and six on US west coast.
My suggestions thus...
- Given the size of it, I suggest you find somewhere to moor it - there can't be too many permanent places for a 171m ship. Probably worth talking to the PLA in this regard
- As others have said, LCY have got to be high on the list of contacts. Their plans are to expand more and more on the fixed wing side. They HAVE taken helicopter movements in the past - I think the police and/or London ambulance a couple of times, plus Dennis Kenyon has done his show there twice for the airport open days! (Press release for 2007 event here) But that's about it.
- Think of other uses for your ship eg. floating museum - so long as you can segregate the masses (museum visitors) from the heliport users. This may help defray your likely enormous costs.
Usual adage rings true once more. Question "How do you make a small fortune in the helicopter industry?" Answer "Start off with a big fortune"