Vertiport Design Characteristics for Advanced Rotorcraft Technology

The relationships between rotorcraft physical dimensions and their performance characteristics to vertiport/heliport design criteria have recently been critically evaluated. These evaluations have been conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and by representatives from the vertical flight industry and academia. These efforts were prompted by the anticipated ability of advanced rotorcraft to provide airport and ground traffic congestion relief through commercial air transportation services on some short-haul routes after the year 2000. This paper discusses the results of these investigations and their impact on vertiport design issues, criteria, and future research and development (R&D) requirements.