Agusta Crash Puts London Helicopter Ops Under Scrutiny
By Tony Osborne (anthony_osborne@aviationweek.com)
Source: AWIN First
The bill was unsuccessful, but so too was the plan to build more heliports, leaving Battersea Heliport, now known as the London Heliport, to deal with inbound helicopter traffic alone. But according to Civil Aviation Authority statistics, helicopter traffic across London has dropped compared to 2007 and 2008. In July 2008, the number of helicopter movements traveling through or using London Control was more than 4,300, while the number recorded in 2012 was less than half that figure, with just more than 2,000 movements. But this is unlikely to calm the critics, as operators wait anxiously to hear the results of the AAIB’s investigation.