Heli deck designs and the important areas to be taken into consideration

The helicopter pad found on the deck of a ship, away from all obstructions is a heli deck or helicopter deck .Here the most crucial moments are the landing and take offs of helicopters and therefore, adequate safety measures are necessarily taken like the fire retarding system which avoids dangerous fuel supported fire and burns. Some helicopters are helped with the pull down device, i.e. a cable is attached beneath the aircraft before landing which helps to maintain tension, supporting the proper positioning of helicopter and once it's landed, it is locked to the deck. Coaxial rotor helicopter with rotors turning in opposite direction on a mast one above the other is preferred as they are resistant to side winds making them smarter than other helicopters for onboard use.

Heli deck design

Usually aluminum is used in heli deck structures as it is environment friendly and saves from corrosion. The landing area octagonal in shape, usually made of steel is positioned on strong double layered aluminum beams with holes on top which are made to drain the fluids in to the hollow of this double layer. An array of categories taken into consideration during the design and engineering works of heli deck construction include the design loads like normal landing load, emergency landing load, heli deck self- weight etc and the team is Installation Operators, Helicopter Operators, Helicopter Landing Officers, Designers, Fabricators, Regulators and Technical Support Specialists. It is requisite to have the complete knowledge on the basic requirements of a heli deck, its verification process, design codes, layout considerations and support systems. A proper understanding on the project and its needs is always important to achieve the adequate facilities of an apt design.

The rules defined within CAP 437, defining the standards for design and marking, lighting by Civil Aviation Authority is usually considered in all cases.