Private helipads are quickly becoming a hot feature among luxury homeowners. For those who want to avoid traffic and public transit, there’s really no better way to get around, especially when you’re constantly dealing with a jam-packed schedule. If you’ve ever considered buying a house with a helipad, here are a few things you should know.
Helipad vs Heliport
Most luxury homes that are equipped for helicopter service have a simple helipad, which usually doesn’t require FAA approval, as long as you have enough space to safely land and take off. However, if you plan to keep the helicopter on your property, then you’re required to get FAA approval as a heliport, which often includes other facilities, like a hangar and fueling station.
Benefits
Of course, the main benefit of having a helicopter pick you up in the backyard is convenience. Rather than spending a few hours driving in the car, you can zip around in the comfort of your private cabin and use this time to get work done, catch up with friends or maybe even catch up on sleep. Perhaps even more importantly, you never know when you’ll be thankful for having helicopter access at your home in the event of an emergency.
Buying vs Building
Building a helipad is relatively simple and, in fact, it’s perfectly acceptable to use a large backyard. Even if you only plan to use it for landing and take-off, however, it can be difficult to get local approval to fly a helicopter in a residential neighborhood, which is why it’s easier to buy a home that already has a helipad than to build one. If your neighbors are sensitive to noise pollution, they might not be excited about a chopper hovering overhead. One common strategy to get approval, though, is to make it known the helipad will be available to the community in the event of an emergency, such as an evacuation.
Environmental Concerns
These days, we’re all aware of our carbon footprint and the environmental damage that private aviation can cause. If you’re looking for ways to benefit from using a helicopter without harming the planet, then a common solution is to enroll in a carbon offset program that allows you to invest a certain amount of money into environmental programs, like clean energy technology or reforestation projects, for every metric ton of carbon dioxide emitted.
