DELAWARE VALLEY Helicopter Inventory dDELAWARE VALLEY "REGl!.rpc PLANNING COMMISSION June 2019 03-42-0125-017-2016 5 The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission is the federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for a diverse nine-county region in two states: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and MD Philadelphia in Pennsylvania; and Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Mercer in New Jersey. • Baltimore DE dDELAWARE VALLEY DVRPC's vision for the Greater Philadelphia Region is a prosperous, innovative, equitable, "REGlyrpc resilient, and sustainable region that increases PLANNING COMMISSION mobility choices by investing in a safe and modern transportation system; that protects and preserves our natural resources while creating healthy communities; and that fosters greater opportunities for all. DVRPC's mission is to achieve this vision by convening the widest array of partners to inform and facilitate data-driven decision-making. We are engaged across the region, and strive to be leaders and innovators, exploring new ideas and creating best practices. TITLE VI COMPLIANCE I DVRPC fully complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 7964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 7987, Executive Order 72898 on Environmental Justice, and related nondiscrimination statutes and regulations in all programs and activities. DVRPC's website, www.dvrpc.org, may be translated into multiple languages. Publications and other public documents can be made available in alternative languages and formats, if requested. DVRPC public meetings are always held in ADA-accessible facilities, and in transit-accessible locations when possible. Auxiliary services can be provided to individuals who submit a request at least seven days prior to a public meeting. Requests will be accommodated to the greatest extent possible. Any person who believes they have been aggrieved by an unlawful discriminatory practice by DVRPC under Title VI has a right to file a formal complaint. Any such complaint may be in writing and filed with DVRPC's Title VI Compliance Manager and/or the appropriate state or federal agency within 780 days of the alleged discriminatory occurrence. For more information on DVRPC's Title VI program or to obtain a Title VI Complaint Form, please visit: www.dvrpc.org/GetlnvolvedlTitleVI, call (215) 592-7800, or email [email protected]. DVRPC is funded through a variety of funding sources including federal grants from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Pennsylvania and New Jersey departments of transportation, as well as by DVRPC's state and local member governments. The authors, however, are solely responsible for the findings and conclusions herein, which may not represent the official views or policies of the funding agencies. Acknowledgments: This report is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Harrisburg Airports District Office (HARADO), under Award Number 03-42-0125-017-2016. Table of Contents CHAPTER 1: Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................ 1 Types of Helicopter Facilities ..................................................................................................................... 3 CHAPTER 2: Philadelphia: The Cradle of American Rotor Winged Flight ................................................. 5 History .......................................................................................................................................................... 5 Regional Innovators and Manufacturers ................................................................................................... 5 CHAPTER 3: Aviation Facilities and Helicopter Activity .............................................................................. 7 Regional Helicopter Facilities by Type ...................................................................................................... 7 Based Helicopters ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Helicopter Registrations ........................................................................................................................... 19 Summary .................................................................................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER 4: Public Airport Helicopter Activity Survey ............................................................................. 21 Methodology .............................................................................................................................................. 21 Results ........................................................................................................................................................ 21 CHAPTER 5: Next Steps ................................................................................................................................ 27 Enhancing Helicopter Facility Data ......................................................................................................... 27 Enhancing Helicopter Activity Counts .................................................................................................... 28 Glossary ............................................................................................................................................................ 31 Figures • Figure 1: Aviation Planning Region and Facilities .................................................................................... 2 • Figure 2: Verified Regional Aviation Facilities ........................................................................................ 10 • Figure 3: Based Helicopters by Facility .................................................................................................. 13 • Figure 4: Helicopter Application Reported as a Top Three Activity for Based Helicopters .................... 24 • Figure 5: Helicopter Application Reported as a Top Three Activity for Itinerant Helicopters ................. 25 • Figure 6: Q1-2018 ADS-B Helicopter Activity ........................................................................................ 30 i Tables • Table 1: Reported Regional Aviation Facilities by Type .......................................................................... 7 • Table 2: Reported Regional Aviation Facilities by County and Type ...................................................... 8 • Table 3: Verified Regional Aviation Facilities by Type ............................................................................. 9 • Table 4: Verified Regional Aviation Facilities by County and Type ......................................................... 9 • Table 5: Reported Based Helicopter by Facility Type ........................................................................... 11 • Table 6: Reported Based Helicopters by County and Facility Type ...................................................... 11 • Table 7: Verified Based Helicopters by Facility Type ............................................................................ 12 • Table 8: Verified Based Helicopters by County and Facility Type ......................................................... 12 • Table 9: Medical Heliports by County .................................................................................................... 14 • Table 10: Medical Facilities with Based Helicopters .............................................................................. 15 • Table 11: Public Facilities Used by Medical Helicopters ....................................................................... 15 • Table 12: Aviation Facilities Used by Public Service or Government Helicopters ................................. 16 • Table 13: Aviation Facilities Utilized by News Media Helicopters ......................................................... 17 • Table 14: Military Air Bases Closed or Realigned by BRAC Since 1990 .............................................. 18 • Table 15: Military and Public-Use Airports with Military Landing Rights ............................................... 18 • Table 16: Helicopter Registrations by County ....................................................................................... 19 • Table 17: Helicopter Use Statistics from Public Airport Survey ............................................................. 22 • Table 18: Services and Amenities Available at Regional Airports ......................................................... 25 • Table 19: Helicopter Storage at Regional Airports ................................................................................ 26 • Table 20: ADS-B Data Field Availability ................................................................................................ 29 Appendices Appendix A: Helicopter Facility Verification Tables .................................................................................. A-1 Appendix B: Helicopter Activity Steering Committee ................................................................................ B-1 Appendix C: Helicopter Activity Survey Instrument .................................................................................