Heliport

A heliport is a small airport suitable only for use by helicopters. Heliports typically contain one or more helipads and may have limited facilities such as fuel, lighting, a windsock, or even hangars. In larger towns and cities, customs facilities may be available at a heliport. Generally heliports can be situated closer to a town or city centre than an airport, which gives advantages in terms of travel time to many urban destinations, or even to the city's airport, which can be much faster than driving there.

The early advocates of helicopters hoped that heliports would become widespread, but they have become contentious in urban areas due to the unpleasant noise caused by helicopter traffic.

In the United States, heliports are common features at hospitals where they serve to facilitate emergency transfer of patients to trauma units or to accept patients from remote areas without local hospitals or facilities capable of providing the level of emergency care required. In urban environments, these heliports are typically located on the roof of the hospital.

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