Road networks throughout many major urban centres are heavily constrained by congestion, fueling an increased demand for heliports and vertiports serving both the public and private sectors. Whether it be in healthcare, government or private business, heliports are essential to modern day operations and WSP leads the industry in providing integrated heliport planning and design solutions.
Area of Practice
- Acute and General Hospitals
- Aerospace
- Airports
- High-Rise
- Ports & Marine
- Off-shore Oil and Gas
Services
Our heliport expertise and services include:
- Site selection studies
- Functional planning
- Feasibility studies and conceptual design
- Flight path analysis and aeronautical impact assessments
- Aeronautical zoning and safeguarding
- Environmental studies
- Design and engineering
- Project management
- P3 project integration
- Owner representation through planning and construction
- Heliport advisory services for pre-fabricated design-build and traditional design, bid-build projects
- Certification process management and documentation
- Initial and recurrent heliport staff training
- Facility Inspections and compliance audits
- Extension of staff arrangements
Planning and Advisory
WSP provides a full array of heliport consulting and engineering services that benefit from a global reach in heliport planning and advisory expertise. Examples could include planning the construction of a new greenfield vertiport in the Middle East or the expansion of an existing facility in North America. Our staff are among the leading experts in their respective fields and have conducted numerous heliport related projects throughout Canada and internationally. WSP can assist in planning heliport facilities tailored to specific client requirements, from identification of initial facility needs, site selection and functional planning to the completion of detailed design development and project integration.
Design and Engineering
A well-planned facility is only as good as the follow-through in design and construction. WSP has the capability to provide a well-thought-out design that incorporates lessons learned with industry best practice. Our engineering staff, working along side in-house heliport experts, are experienced in international heliport standards and offer a full range of design and engineering services applicable to surface-level, raised (mounted) and elevated (rooftop) heliports.
The way a facility is designed and engineered can greatly influence the ability to meet operational objectives and the life expectancy of the facility. WSP, throughout the design development process, places an emphasis on cost-benefit analysis and where feasible adopts a future ready stance to facility design.
Prescriptive standards within the aviation industry are quickly being replaced with performance-based regulations that allow for creative design solutions to be explored. However, with the flexibility to adapt to or incorporate changing technologies, sufficient experience within the industry is needed to comprehend the impact that certain design decisions may have on the function and operation of the heliport. WSP’s heliport experts have provided numerous heliports solutions throughout Canada and internationally and therefore understand the standards applicable, and where best practice can be found. WSP ensures that all our heliport projects benefit from a strong understanding of industry requirements and best practices.
Construction and Project Management
WSP has staff widely experienced in heliport construction management and project management services. Our staff have overseen the implementation of design on surface-level, raised and roof-top heliports, pre-fabricated and traditional design-bid-build projects, and have worked within P3 projects on integration with new hospital construction. WSP’s Construction and Project Management services can be retained either through an extension of our planning or engineering services, or as a separate commission.
Commissioning and Facility Activation
Once a new facility has been constructed, validation that the facility meets the project specifications is an important step to ensuring that the facility will be able to operate as anticipated. WSP’s heliport experts have the knowledge and experience to evaluate in-situ physical construction for compliance with design specifications. Leveraging our team’s global expertise in civil, electrical, mechanical, and structural engineering allows us to respond to any situation and ensures that all aspects of design and maintenance can be covered.
Certification and Compliance
WSP’s team of heliport experts can assist in the evaluation existing or new facilities for compliance with industry standards and recommended practices, and also evaluate those facilities for operational readiness.
The best facilities in the world are those that are held to the highest standards. WSP provides inspection services for initial and re-current facility certification, post incident investigations, and continued compliance auditing.
Operation Support and Staff Training
In addition to the comprehensive list of consulting services that WSP provides for Heliports, WSP also offers on a case-by-case basis operational support in extension of staff arrangements as well as delivery of heliport staff training. These services are offered under limited circumstances and to known clients only.
