London Heliport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
London Heliport
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| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner | Reuben Brothers | ||||||||||
| Operator | The London Airport Ltd. | ||||||||||
| Location | Battersea, London, England | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 18 ft / 5 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 51°28′12″N 000°10′46″W / 51.47000°N 0.17944°W | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
 EGLW
Location in Greater London
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Sources: UK AIP at NATS
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The London Heliport (ICAO: EGLW), also known as the Edmiston London Heliport, is London's only official airport just for helicopters! It was built by a company called W. & C. French and first opened on April 23, 1959.
You can find this heliport in Battersea, on the south side of the River Thames. It's about 3 miles southwest of Westminster Bridge, located between Wandsworth Bridge and Battersea Railway Bridge.
How the London Heliport Works
Before the heliport officially opened, the very first helicopter to land there was a Westland Widgeon on April 8, 1959. It was owned by a company called Westland Aircraft.
The heliport is quite small. It uses a special platform called a jetty that extends over the water. This jetty has a helipad, which is like a landing spot for helicopters. On land, there's space to park about three or four helicopters, depending on their size.
The heliport offers services like landing, parking, and refuelling. It is open from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Helicopters are allowed to fly in and out between 7:00 AM and 11:00 PM. Parking is usually for smaller helicopters.
To help keep noise down for people living nearby, helicopters follow special rules. They fly about 1000 feet above the Thames in a figure-of-eight pattern. This keeps them mostly over the river and away from busy areas. Also, helicopter engines are only allowed to run on the ground for a maximum of five minutes.
Ownership and Sponsorship
Over the years, the heliport has had different owners. It was once owned by Westland Aircraft and then by Harrods. In 2003, Weston Homes bought it. Then, in 2012, the Reuben Brothers bought it for £35 million. They also own London Oxford Airport.
In August 2019, Edmiston announced they would become the main sponsor of the heliport. This meant they would help redesign the inside and outside areas and even repaint the helicopter landing spot.
Getting There
If you want to visit the area, the closest main train station is Clapham Junction. The nearest London Underground station is Fulham Broadway.
Safety and Incidents
The London Heliport has a special rescue and firefighting team. They are always on duty when helicopters are moving at the heliport. They also help with helicopter emergencies in the wider London area.
The heliport's fire service often trains with the London Fire Brigade and the RNLI (Royal National Lifeboat Institution). They also offer training to other emergency services on how to handle helicopter emergencies.
On January 16, 2013, a helicopter was trying to land at the heliport during bad weather. It had an accident, hitting a construction crane and then crashing into the street. Sadly, the pilot and one person on the ground passed away. This was the first serious helicopter accident near the heliport since records began in 1976.
