pearl river heliports The Hong Kong and Macau Heliports provide a vital and fast connection between the two cities across the Pearl River estuary. Sky Shuttle Agusta Westland Luigi Vallero took a flight with Sky Shuttle to AW139 B-MHK comes in to land at sample both. the Shun Tak Heliport in Hong Kong. (Sky Shuttle) eputed to be Asia’s most vibrant in the Guangdong Province, using the city and one of the most fascinating HK-Macau Ferry Terminal (HKFT). Although metropolises in the world, Hong this figure had dropped by 5% compared Kong is one of Rseveral cities that dot the rich Guangdong and Pearl River Delta (PRD) region, along with Guangzhou, Shenzen, Zhuhai to the previous year, the terminal was still and Macau. Hong Kong’s busiest immigration check Located just 37 miles (60km) across the point among all harbour control points. Pearl River estuary from Hong Kong, the Approximately 70% of the passengers (11 once sleepy Portuguese enclave of Macau million) were Hong Kong residents, while has evolved into a veritable ‘Las Vegas the ratio of foreign or mainland China of the Orient’, with a growing number visitors has gradually increased. of casinos and resorts contributing The HKFT and its counterpart substantially to the local economy. The two in Macau operate round- cities have always enjoyed strong economic the-clock with up to 300 ties, which have increased significantly daily sailings between in the last couple of decades. Now a 31 the two cities provided by mile (50km) causeway is planned to be different companies catering completed by the end of 2016, connecting to all tastes and budgets. the westernmost tip of Hong Kong’s Lantau Island with Macau, considerably improving Hong Kong Heliport travel between the two. In the meantime Located in Sheung Wan on Hong Kong most traffic continues to use ferries and, Island, just west of the main business to a lesser extent, helicopter services, district, the HKFT is a comprehensive multi- operating from the two cities’ respective functional maritime terminal and heliport, ferry terminals. These have evolved to usually simply known as the Macau Ferry become fully integrated multifunctional Terminal. The facility is actually part of transport hubs. the Shun Tak Centre, a major commercial In 2009-2010, a total of 15.7 million complex easily identifiable by its two passengers travelled between Hong Kong glass office towers trimmed in red, and and Macau, and also to other nearby ports is easily reachable from any point in 20 airports of the world www.airportsworld.com 21 20-24_heliports.indd 20-21 23/08/2011 11:32 • Macau heliport • Hong Kong heliport Sky Shuttle AW139 B-KHN awaits departure from the Macau Heliport; the rocky structure immediately behind it is one of the many attractions at the casino resorts. (All photos author unless stated) Hong Kong International Airport was not a recognition of its efforts, Sky Shuttle has desirable proposition, because of its remote received several important accolades for location from the city centre. the heliport (see table). The Hong Kong Heliport Expansion Sky Shuttle operates up to 54 scheduled Project was launched in April 2008, and daily round trips on the 15-minute ride Sky Shuttle Helicopters worked closely with to Macau, between 0900 and 2300, as a multi-disciplinary team of experts from well as private charter and sightseeing. HKSAR government departments, industry Passengers can buy tickets at the Sky The departure board in the HK-Macau Ferry Terminal displays both water The modern Sky Shuttle lounge offers plenty consultants and professional contractors. Shuttle counter inside the main ferry and air departures. of amenities for waiting passengers. A new 138 x 138ft (42 x 42m) aluminium terminal building, and then proceed through helipad was built over the eastern end immigration to the comfortable lounge of the pier, as well as a completely new located just below the two helipads. The hk heliport awards passenger lounge and improved operational heliport has no refuelling facilities, so areas. Once the new helipad became helicopters are fuelled in Macau. 2008: Macau Prime Award for Service Excellence operational, the original one was rebuilt 2009: FX International Interior Design Awards, United Kingdom – as well, and links between the two were Macau Heliport Finalist completed by October 2009, doubling the On the other side of the Pearl River estuary, 2009: Asia Pacific Interior Design Awards – Bronze Award capacity of the heliport. travellers are welcomed in the Outer The substantial investments by Sky Harbour Ferry Terminal, also referred to 2009: TID Taiwan Interior Design Awards – Gold Award for Design Shuttle meant that the previous 1,000sq in Portuguese as Terminal Marítimo do Excellence in the ‘Public Space’ category ft (93m2) lounge had been superseded by Porto Exterior, or more simply known as the 2010: Gold Pin Design Awards of Taiwan 2010 – Interior Design a stylish and luxurious 6,000sq ft (557m2) Macau Ferry Terminal or Macau Maritime Category one, bringing the passenger experience Terminal. 2011: The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) – on the ground in line with the service Located in the Porto Exterior (Outer Global Excellence Award; Winner of Best of Competition; provided in the air by a new fleet of 12-seat Harbour) area of the Macau Peninsula, on and Best of Category ‘Municipal/Public Spaces’ Agusta Westland AW139 helicopters. In the coastal Avenida da Amizade just a Part of the Hong the city, thanks to its connection with the serving both the Outer Harbour Ferry Ltd in November 2008. Kong lounge offers Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and the city’s Terminal in central Macau and the Taipa The rebranded company was instrumental splendid views extensive bus, tram and taxi network. Temporary Ferry Terminal close to Macau in the re-launch and substantial across the water. Ferry services are mostly provided to airport and the major new casino resorts, redevelopment of the heliport, when the Macau, and to a lesser extent to Shekou like The Venetian Macau. Ferry services Government of the Hong Kong Special One of the and Nansha, by TurboJET, Cotai Jet and run at 30-minute intervals, or even more Administrative Region (HKSAR) awarded it alternative Macao Dragon. These are by fast ferries, frequently at peak times, while during the the tender to develop the existing heliport, TurboJET ferries. including catamarans and Boeing Jetfoils, night limited services are provided on the granting it a new 18-year lease concession. one-hour crossing. The need to enlarge the Sky Shuttle The facility, usually referred to as the Heliport had been made clear by a 2004 hong kong heliport Sky Shuttle Heliport – officially known as study that envisioned substantial growth the Shun Tak Heliport – is located on top in demand of about 9.4% by 2020 for fast IATA code HHP of the inner pier of the Ferry Terminal. helicopter connections in the PRD region. Built 1990 The original infrastructure was built in The single helipad had been designed for Facilities Two landing pads 1990, for the use of Macau-based East Asia 30,700 movements per year, and by 2002, it No fuelling available Airlines’ first Bell 222 scheduled services, was already handling 17,883 movements. Its Permits VFR and SVFR operations and offered a single helipad situated atop capacity limit was expected to be reached Restrictions Single-engine helicopters are not permitted. the western end of the pier. Over the years by the end of 2006. The study concluded Helicopters are limited to a maximum take-off East Asia joined forces with HeliHongKong, that expansion works should be carried trading as Heli Express, before morphing out as soon as possible, underlining that weight of 19,841lb (9,000kg) into the present day Sky Shuttle Helicopters providing helicopter services from the new 22 airports of the world 20-24_heliports.indd 22-23 23/08/2011 11:32 A passenger walks to the helicopter in Hong Kong, while the engines are already running. few minutes’ walk from downtown Macau, round passenger transportation services the terminal was moved to the current between HK, Macau and Shenzhen. Its location in 1993. An additional ferry facility flights provide a premium and efficient was completed on Taipa Island in 2007 service, enabling passengers a significant The Sky Shuttle terminal in Macau was upgraded in 2004 but is to be for the convenience of travellers heading saving in time, compared with other modes revamped again to bring it up to a similar specification to the one in Hong Kong. to Macau International Airport, and the of transportation (eg the flight time from casino resort complexes that have been HK to Macau is just 15 minutes compared built there in the last few years. The Outer to almost an hour by ferry). Harbour Ferry Terminal features 12 berths It handles over 100,000 passengers per for jetfoils and two for ferries, a duty-free year and in terms of customer profile, the shop and Macau Tourism office. passenger mix is dominated by Hong Kong In 1995 a two-helipad facility was built residents and mainland travellers. on top of the ferry terminal, enabling the The company was established in July handling of East Asia Airlines’ helicopter 1988, with its sister company, East Asia services to Hong Kong. Three additional Airlines Limited, commencing HK-Macau parking positions were added in 2001 to services using two Bell 222 helicopters cope with the growing traffic. The helipads with 6 flights per day. Helicopters are interconnected by taxiways. Proposals Hong Kong Limited was established in for three more parking pads to the north 1997, forming a partnership with EAA to of the current site are under evaluation.