Heliport Design

Professional Education Course (PEC)
Instructor: Donald Wiley, Larry L Satterfield, James G. Carman, James P. Spearman III, James Nolan Crawford, John Edward Roberts

Price by Jan. 12: $700 Member | $805 Nonmember
Price after Jan. 12: $775 Member | $895 Nonmember

This three-day course, taught using the current FAA Advisor Circular 150/5390-2, is designed to provide attendees with an understanding of the evaluation process and the skills necessary to complete an evaluation of a proposed or existing heliport. The instruction is offered by pilots and FAA inspectors experienced in heliport evaluations and operations. Instruction includes both classroom lectures and several hands-on, practical exercises. The course includes a detailed review of the evaluation criteria, worksheets, and administrative tools available to the inspector; preparation of an evaluation report; and instruction in the operation of the tools used in a typical evaluation. The training culminates in the evaluation of a ground-based and a rooftop local heliport. (Students are encouraged to bring personally owned equipment such as a GPS, range finder, and inclinometer.)

Learning Objectives: By the conclusion of the course, participants will have learned:

• The heliport determination process
• Heliport evaluation requirements
• Heliport evaluation checklists
• Heliport dimension tools
• Heliport evaluation reports
• Helicopter instrument procedures.

Instructor Bio

Donald Wiley is a former air medical pilot with Life Star in Connecticut and Boston Med Flight in Massachusetts. A retired US Army aviator, he has five years of experience flying for the US State Department in Iraq. Donald has 30 years of aviation experience, both military and civilian. He holds an airline transport certificate and flight instructor certificate for helicopters. He has also held positions as an operations officer, assistant program manager, section leader and Instructor pilot.

Larry L. Satterfield is an aviation safety inspector (ASI) assigned to the FAA’s Flight Procedures and Airspace Group Section C (AFS-420C). He is a retired US Army Master Aviator. Larry has more than 50 years of aviation experience, both military and civilian, that spans the US Army and a major airline. He is qualified in both helicopters and airplanes. He holds an airline transport certificate in airplanes and a commercial certificate in helicopters. He has been with the FAA for over 15 years.

Jim Carman is a 17-year FAA aviation safety inspector (ASI) assigned to FAA’s Flight Standards Division, Fight Procedures and Airspace Group (AFS-420/E). He is a retired US Air Force performance qualified flight engineer (C-141B) and has held various positions within the airline industry. Jim’s aviation experience spans over 45 years, both USAF and civilian. He is currently supporting the FAA Helicopter Modernization Group with establishing criteria for vertiport implementation.

James P. Spearman is a retired FAA aviation safety inspector (all weather operations) for the Flight Technologies and Procedures Division, NextGen Branch (AFS-408). He has participated with HAI groups, including the Heliport Work Group and the Operations Committee. James as an AWO assigned to FAA, Air Transportation Division. Additionally, he developed and maintained helicopter and airplane operations specifications (OpSpecs), enabling wide-ranging types of operations conducted under Parts 91,135, 121, and 129. James has more than 49 years of aviation experience, including with military, civilian, and government operations.

Nolan Crawford is an aviation safety inspector (ASI) assigned to FAA’s Air Transportation Division, 135 Flight Operations Section (AFS-220). He is a retired US Army Master Aviator. Nolan has over 35 years of aviation experience, both military and civilian, that spans air traffic control, helicopters, and airplanes. He holds an airline transport certificate and flight instructor certificate for helicopters and airplanes. Nolan has also served as the helicopter program manager responsible for managing the FAA’s Helicopter Flight Instrument Inspection Program.

John Roberts has been a senior air safety investigator with the Aviation Safety Division of the US Department of Transportation’s Transportation Safety Institute. He served more than 31 years in the US Army as an aviator and retired as a Master Army Aviator. For 24 of those years, he served as an aviation safety officer and accident investigator. He holds a commercial pilot rating for rotorcraft helicopter; instrument and a private rating in airplane, single-engine land.