LONDON CITY AIRPORT, whose executive jet base has been a great success,
and who recently took over civil aircraft handling at RAF Northolt in
west London, is now considering moving into the rotary world.
Helicopters are banned at the airport, and likely to stay that way.
Coinciding with the London Assembly Environment Committee (LACE)
sitting to discuss helicopter operations in general LCY says that it
is prepared to lead the research into the sitting of a heliport in
east London to compliment the existing, and very much full, Battersea
operation. The present Thames helicopter route, H4 only extends as
far east as Canary Wharf and the airport believes that chopper
activities must be more regulated. A quick surface transfer to LCY is
essential and it should be in place well before 2012. Several sites
in the Silvertown area have been mooted. The airport, which is up for
sale, says it is in discussions with several would-be purchasers and
no denial has been made of a ”400m price tag (putting the value of say
Gatwick, pro rata, at well over ”5bn). The DLR has been a great
success, it is thought 50% of passengers using that mode of getting to
and from the airport. 2.4m passengers are expected to pass through
LCY in 2006 and any possible future problems regarding suitable
aircraft types removed with the successful recent trials of an Airbus
A318. In order to accommodate the smallest member of the A320 family
a new apron will have to be built to the east, opposite the car park,
already approved by the planning authority with a construction time of
nine months.
http://www.londoncityairport.com