Heli ops in Ireland

[aidanf]

Hi Guys,
Strange being in 'rotorheads' as I normally 'hang' in private flying - anyway I digress. I'm part of team putting together a large festival for Cork in Ireland next year and I was wondering can anyone recommend any heli operator in Ireland that I can contact with regard to pleasure flights at the event. I know there are a few of them but I thought you guys might know the cream from the milk!
Cheers
A

ps - I know some of you may come back and suggest I post this on the Irish Aviation Bulletin Board, but it seems to be down for the past few days

[Heliport]

Speak to Mick Byrne of Emerald Helicopters near Dublin.
I'll try to find the number and post it for you.

Heliport

[aidanf]

Thanks heliport - will do

[CaptainEagle]

Irish Helicopters & Celtic Helicopters are probably the best guys to deal with for that kind of job, check your PM for more info.

[Hedski]

Celtic, Irish, Premier (109's only though) or give Gerry Creedon at Gaelic Heli's a call. He's got a 206 and is based in Mallow. Handy. Very nice guy to talk to and obliging! :ok:

[whatsarunway]

Try links helicopters in shannon , they have two ec130s on an AOC and those babys take six pax at a time. good people to deal with and if they are not carting golfers all over the country on your day , i couldn't think of a niceer machine for the job , Mabye some day my boss will upgrade!

Best of luck.;)

[aidanf]

Thanks for all your help guys - I think I'll have to go with one of the majors due to the size of the event. Also, on occasion we'll need a heli to land in our main arena and uplift some parachutists - does this heli need to be a twin (sorry for the ignorance, I'm more of a fixed-wing type, for my sins!) as it will have to fly over large crowds to land in this arena.

Anyway, thanks again I'll contact the majors on Monday as they're up to their t*ts with Slane at the moment

Cheers

[ShyTorque]

You could always ask 230 Sqn RAF, they have quite a lot of experience dropping Paras.

Oh no, sorry, they're the wrong side of the border...... ;)

[CaptainEagle]

Gonna be difficult to find a heli to drop Paras in Ireland. The IAA are fairly into their rules and regs and generally not allowing anyone to have any fun! Doesn't need to be a twin for paras but you'll need something to go to a reasonable height, so you'll prob need a twin.

[aidanf]

Ok, here's the thing - I'm part of a team that are putting together a major festival in the south of Ireland next year with aviation as the anchor to the whole event. Now, in line with this I want to have some sky-diving, ideally using helis as a platform, yet I can't seem to find any Irish heli-operator prepared to do the job. I've seen it done throughout the world but nobody here wants to know!!! Anyone out there know of any operator who might, or an overseas operator that might have an AOC to cover Ireland (if such is required since it's non-fare paying passengers...and while they might take-off in the heli, they don't come back down in it!). The offer to any heli-operator is quite substantial - the Irish Aviation Authority tells me they do allow it but the operators don't!!! Any help would be appreciated.

[paco]

PDG Helicopters own Irish Helicopters

Phil

[aidanf]

thanks Paco, but already tried them - their flight ops guy wont sanction use of a heli as a jump platform :sad:

[Droopy]

Don't Cabair do quite a bit of para dropping?

[Hedski]

Give me a few weeks but I might be able to persuade someone to get involved. Jetranger sound OK? :E

[aidanf]

Thanks Hedski - looking forward to hearing back from you

[Off road]

Look at the following web site;
www.helikoptervluchten.nl

I have flown para jumping missions for them up to 10,000 ft in Holland, they are the only company in Holland that can do this and they fly the EC 120.

:ok:

[Helipolarbear]

http://users.pandora.be/eforum/emoticons4u/angels/teu35.gif

Try John O'Sullivan @ Premier Helicopters, Dublin Docks. If you are willing to cover the insurance increase and write the additional verbage to his ops man...oh yeah, and the price is right.....he might just consider it....................................He use to jump him self..............................................long, long....long time ago............................

[Hedski]

Yeah when he wasn't running a UH-1 on the runway at 70 kts with sparks everywhere in 'Nam!!:ok:

[Spiritrider]

Is anyone one else experiencing deep frustration in acquiring approval for operating to/from a temporary heliport at night within Class C Irish Airspace. I am informed that new procedures will be issued (when?) which will, amongst other things, require the helicopter pilot to have a procedural rating, the site be fully lit, have a GPI, and (this is the crippler) have planning permission as the landing area is regarded as 'change of use'. Is the IAA hell-bent on ensuring that no night flights by helicopters takes place in Irish airspace?

[Helipolarbear]

There is a process of certification and authorization in place for night operations to privately owned sites. The IAA state that the owner must ensure that there are no issues regarding planning for the site intended!:)

There is a list of other criteria...................not too long, and all common sense...(for a change)!

PM or email me if you want more info!

HPB:cool:

[Spiritrider]

My proposed site for night use is on a golf course (not many golfers play at night) and, despite having the land owner's permission, having submitted a measured survey of the site with the night layout to be used to the IAA, they have refused approval due to the lack of planning permission as it is a 'change of use'. Do you know whether this is the current requirement in place before their new procedures will be introduced?

[Helipolarbear]

I would not be able to comment or speculate. However, the requirements are not limited to pp approval as in change of use, (I would suspect that would have nothing to do with the IAA but is a condition of the local planning authority)
Helicopter performance , light requirements, navaid facility, crash plan, comm's, and of course pilot's experiance level. I believe the IAA have a standard format, but will only authorize on a case by case basis. That discretion is clearly stated. Check Annex 14 ICAO and SI 72...
Please feel free to pm or email me:)

[raven2]

Have a look at http://www.pleanala.ie/data1/ and do a search using the key word "Helicopter" this will throw up some recent planning decisions and give you an insight in to what is involved in the planning approval process.
Raven

[Spiritrider]

Many thanks for the info. I will persevere in the hope it is not a futile exercise although I have this suspicion that night heliports in Class C airspace is in the 'too difficult' file with the IAA.

[MayorQuimby]

Loath as I am to comment on stuff I don't know about, I wouldn't be so quick to accept that planning permission is required.

The issue seems to be whether you're planning on landing at this location on a regular basis. If not, then you haven't "rendered the use regular". Look at case RL2262 (in the link by raven2), which seems to be the only relevant one (as I take it you're not talking about basing a helicopter there, with hangers, etc.). The following points are included in the justification for the decision:

(iv) the proposed activity would establish a consistent pattern of use that would render the use regular,

(v) the character of the use of the open space lands would be altered in planning terms by the proposed use...

MQ.