＜ＨＡＩヘリエクスポ講演録＞

ヘリコプタはなぜ国際空港の
旅客ターミナル付近に離着陸できないのか？

大西　正芳（大西技術士事務所代表）

　

WHY THE HELICOPTER CAN NOT LAND AT THE PLACE
CLOSE BY THE TERMINAL BUILDING
OF THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT?

Masayoshi Onishi (Onishi Consulting Engineer Office)

　

日本語要約

　中部国際空港が2005年2月に開港します。日本における代表的な国際空港である新東京国際空港(成田空港）及び関西国際空港へのヘリコプタの乗り入れは認められていますが、ヘリパッドもヘリスポットも設置場所は旅客ターミナルビルへのアクセスの利便性が悪い場所です。乗客は着陸料のほかに高額のグランドハンドリング料を必要とするため、旅客輸送事業の成立を困難とするものです。　　これは開港当初にヘリコプタの受け入れに関して計画されていなかったことが原因であることから、中部国際空港では高速大量輸送時代の端末輸送機関としてのヘリコプタが、乗り入れに便利なシステムを事前に計画に入れてもらうべく、ヘリコプタ運航関連企業を中心として「スカイポート推進協議会」を設立して活動してきました。

　国内では成田空港、関西空港を、海外ではマイアミ国際空港、香港国際空港、ロスアンゼルス国際空港を実地に調査し、その他にもヘリコプタの乗り入れている国際空港の資料調査を行い、中部国際空港におけるヘリパッド/ヘリスポットの設置に関するケーススタディを行った結果、

を考慮すると、海上アクセスの上陸地点の付近であればMAT(マルチ・アクセス・ターミナル）まで動く歩道があり最も適しているという結論を得ました。

　これを中部国際空港会社に提案し設置の要望をしましたが棄却され、結局成田空港や関西空港と同じような方式を回答されました。タクシーウェイにヘリパッド（Hマーク）を設け旅客の乗降には旅客機のスポットを使うというものです。これはほとんど費用がかかりません。

　理由は特別なヘリパッド施設を設置するだけの需要が見込めないためです。しかしこの方式を実行するためにはヘリコプターの離着陸時は固定翼機のタクシーウェイの使用を制限し、ヘリコプタが移動中は付近のエプロンにおける固定翼機の動きを止めないと排気ジェットによりヘリコプタは横突風を受けることになり危険です。従ってこの計画は実行困難と思われます。

　いろいろな国際空港におけるヘリコプターの受け入れ状況を調査した結果、われわれが理想とするようなヘリコプター受け入れ態勢が存在し十分に機能しているところは実はありませんでした。最も理想的なモデルとしてマイアミ国際空港を調査したときにはヘリパッドは閉鎖されていました。理由は使用頻度が低く維持費に見合わないからでした。

　海上アクセスの港付近にあった香港国際空港のヘリパッドも使用頻度が低いため閉鎖されました。唯一旅客ターミナルビルの隣の駐車場の屋上にヘリパッドを持つロサンゼルス国際空港の場合は、自動車の駐車場に改装しようとした空港会社の計画を地元の有力者の存続運動によってかろうじて残っているものです。

「ヘリコプタはなぜ国際空港の旅客ターミナル付近に離着陸できないのか？」

　ヘリコプターで空港へアクセスする人が少ないため、必要な設備を設け維持管理する費用に対する経済的効果が見込めないからです。運航費の低減、ヘリコプタ専用の計器飛行方式の確立、騒音の低減、ヘリポートの整備等々、関係者の努力が継続されていますが、状況の進展は遅々としたもののように思われます。

　ヘリコプタの存在価値を特殊用途の分野で満足している限り、本当の隆盛はありません。付加価値を含めて鉄道や自動車と競合できる人員輸送手段としての存在価値をあきらめてはならないと思います。そのためには世界中のヘリコプタ関係者が協力して課題を分析し明確な目標を設定し分担して実現を図ることが必要だと思います。　ＨＡＩがヘリコプタによる人員輸送のシステムとビジネスモデルを立ち上げ、成立の条件を明確にする共同研究を取りまとめることを提案します。

1. Greeting

Thank you, Mr. Hoshino.

I am very glad to have an opportunity to make a presentation at the Japanese Rotorcraft Forum. And it is a great pleasure if I can make a useful presentation for all people who attend this forum without being defeated by the temptation of casinos.

2. Preface

I have been working about 40 years in the field of helicopter engineering and helicopter operation.

3. Introduction

The Central Japan International Airport (the nickname is CENTRAIR) is now under construction. It is scheduled to open in February 17, 2005, about one month prior to the opening of the Aichi EXPO . CENTRAIR is an island airport constructed at the off-shore of the Bay of Ise.

The North Wing (left) is domestic terminal. The South Wing (right) is international terminal.

The corridor from Multi Access Terminal to the Ferry Pier at the port of island.

From the big town of Nagoya, people can access to CENTRAIR by new railroad within 30 minutes. But from the other side of the bay, for example Tsu city, people can not arrive at CENTRAIR by single railroad line. They must change the train at Nagoya. So it takes about 90 minutes from Tsu-city to CENTRAIR. Tsu-city government has a plan of liner service between the port of Tsu and the port of airport island. It takes about 40 minutes. In addition to these, Tsu-city has an intention to have a helicopter transportation service between Tsu-city and CENTRAIR. It takes only 12 minutes. They have already constructed “Isewan Heliport” at the sea side of the city. It is a public heliport.

Gifu Prefecture is located at the north of Aichi Prefecture. There is a shuttle bus service from Gifu City to the existing Nagoya International Airport. It takes about 60 minutes. When the CENTRAIR is open, all airlines transfer to the new airport. The distance from Gifu to CENTRAIR becomes twice of that to the existing Nagoya International Airport. The direct access by express train becomes available, it will take about 55 minutes to arrive at the CENTRAIR by train. But it takes about 86 min by car. So the local government of Gifu Prefecture also strongly wants to have a helicopter access service.

(1) Miami International Airport

First of all, we have dispatched the research team to study the Miami International Airport, which we thought the most typical helicopter access system at the international airport. (Fig.)

The name of the heliport is Skyport. Managed by Miami-Dade Aviation Department. Location is rooftop of the connecting bridge between terminal building and parking building, 26 meter in height.

Opened April 21, 1988.

Landing Area is two 24 meter diameter. Landing limitation is about 13.5 ton. Access to the terminal building is moving floor in the connecting bridge.

When our team visited the airport, the Skyport has been already closed. The official reason is to modify the airport facilities depending on the development plan 2007.

But the real reason may be that the frequency of Skyport use was very low. In the initial plan, the helicopter commuter service between Skyport and Miami Center Heliport (down town) and between Skyport and Key West have been investigated. But it was not realized. The other reason is that the frequency of business jet landing is lower than those of the neighboring airports (Opa-locka Airport, Tamiami airport). 　

(2) Hong Kong International Airport

Helicopter service between Hong Kong and Macau is well known as one of the most successful commuter helicopter services. So we thought that the helicopter commuter service will surely be connected with the Hong Kong International Airport. We have dispatched the investigation team to the Hong Kong International Airport.

Hong Kong International Airport is opened in July 1998. It had initially 4 helipads (Fig ). But the helipad at the headland has been closed because of the safety problem. The helipad is located on the way of the travel course of the passengers of liner. The other reason is low frequency of use. They have a development plan of the area around the headland. In this plan there is a roof top helipad.

The helipad near the West Apron is for the night operation and bigger helicopters.

The helipad near the Base Maintenance Hanger is for the helicopters which need CIQ to go to the foreign countries. Generally the helicopters land at Business Aviation Center.

Passengers enter the Business Aviation Center through the CIQ and are carried along the road out side of the airport to the terminal building by taxi.

(3) Los Angels International Airport

The public use heliport of Los Angels International Airport is located atop of the Terminal 4 parking garage. (Fig)

It was built 1986 for the Olympics. Once the new control tower is constructed, the heliport was closed in 1996 and reopened in 1997. In 2001, airport officials were going to change the heliport to the car parking lot, but owing to the intense lobbying campaign of many people, officials abandoned the modification plan and the heliport is remained. The location of the heliport relative to the terminal building would be most convenient for the passengers.

(4) Vancouver International Airport

It is worthy of special mention that Vancouver International Airport has a heliport for the commuter flight of helicopter.

But it is located at the roadside of the Airport Road South and the passengers are provided the complimentary shuttle service between the heliport and the airport main terminal. (Fig)

(5) Kansai International Airport (Japan)

The Kansai International Airport is opened in September 1994 and the general use of helipad is started in March 2001. The helipad and heli parking spots are located far remote from the passenger terminal building. Passengers of helicopter must be carried to the passenger terminal building by ground handler. Handling car immediately goes out of the airport restricted area to the terminal access road. (Fig) Handling fee is about 45,000 yen ($410).

(6) New Tokyo International Airport ( Narita Airport)

The New Tokyo International Airport is opened in May 1978 and the general use of helipad is started in May 2002.

Three helipads are placed on the taxi way and two heli-spots are defined among the parking area of general aviation. The passengers are carried by car of the ground handler through the route inside of the airport to the domestic passenger arrival gate of the terminal building. Handling fee is about 40,000 yen ($360).

We have conducted the case study of helipad location.

Position "A" is "Helipad on the taxi way and use the airplane open spot".

Position "B" is "Open field for general use".

Position "C" is "Near marine access terminal".

The passengers landed in the "bonded area" of the international airport must go out through CIQ.

When the helicopter approaches to the helipad, it is controlled by the "airport traffic control" within the limit of slot number.

Handling fee for the "handling operator" push up the ticket price.

Ground operation among the big airplane is very dangerous because of the "Jet Engine Exhaust".

The best position is C (Near marine access terminal) .

The image of heliport is shown in the figure. The heliport is located on the corridor between Multi Access Terminal and ferry pier.

We have investigated the helicopter flight route and to/from CENTRAIR.

And the approach route to/from CENTRAIR.

The image of the approach surface to Skyport is shown in the figure.

The airport company finally rejected the construction of the heliport showing us a substitute idea in which two helipads are placed on the taxi way. (Fig) The helicopter lands on the helipad and taxi to the open spot of the domestic airline. But I think it will be difficult to carry out this idea in the congested airport. When the helicopter approaches to the helipad, the use of taxi way by the airplane is limited. During the helicopter moving to the spot in the apron, the airplane must stop the movement and reduce the exhaust jet velocity. If the small helicopter occasionally enter into the jet wake at the break away condition of the big airplane, it is very dangerous.

The jet engine exhaust velocity in the condition of breakaway is 80 km/hr at 90 m behind the big airplane.　

（Japanese Rotorcraft Forum, Helicopter Association International, March 16, 2004）

　

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