Moscow wants helicopter infrastructure, as in New York

The city authorities intend to equal on experience of the main helicopter capitals at creation вертодромов and an air passage.

Moscow wants to make use of experience of placement of helicopter infrastructure of New York, London, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. About it to "News" told in "Mosgortransniiproyekta", which подведомственен to transport department. In particular, the organization intends to study, as the main helicopter megalopolises of the world apply aircraft to commercial and emergency transportations, excursions, for control of carrying out mass actions further to use this knowledge for the decision-making, concerning Moscow. Now in MKAD emergency services can fly generally, each flight needs permission – including from the federal authorities.

As told a source, among aspects which "Mosgortransniiproyekt" especially interest, – «principles and placement schemes вертодромов helipads» in other megalopolises, «quantity and placement of the airlines which are carrying out transportations in the city by helicopters», «types of services provided by helicopter airlines», «stages of development of a network of helipads», «the revealed advantages and mistakes in planning of placement of helipads». Also «the factors allowing and limiting possibilities of placement of helipads», including influence of climate, behavior of local birds, requirements to safety, a housing estate will be studied.

Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, New York and London are chosen for the analysis because it is the cities «with the developed helicopter message». For example, in Sao Paulo on 11 million citizens – 420 owners of helicopters. In February, 2014 the head of capital department of transport Maxim Liksutov reported that the city hall of Moscow also reflects on creation of a helicopter taxi in the city. According to the official, this question of the power of Moscow discuss with the federal government, its decision needs change of the federal legislation.

The director general of Management of the Moscow transport knot Victor Eremin told that the question of sky opening over Moscow is solved about 10 years. Research of world experience, according to him, – one more attempt of Moscow to come nearer to the decision. Thus the city government now has no accurate position, whether it is necessary to open the sky and in what degree. Victor Eremin noted that the city hall opposed to open the sky for planes when the question of increase in capacity of the airports was solved. If over the city flights were allowed, planes would have more "corridors" and the airports would have a technical possibility to send and accept bigger number of passengers.

– I think, the city hall tries to study, as this question is solved in other capitals not to invent a bicycle, – Victor Eremin told. – If to study, what they had problems what restrictions were and what they adopted regulations, then it is possible to make use of this experience for our reality.

The research supervisor of scientific research institute of transport and road economy Mikhail Blinkin reminded that the ban on wide use of helicopters in Moscow was entered more than a quarter of the century back after the 19-year-old amateur pilot from Germany Mathias Rust by the easy plane arrived to Moscow and landed on Red Square.

– It is impossible to tell that a rigid ban has unreasonable character, – the expert told. – Thus experience of other cities shows that such ban can be weakened. But it is necessary to approach to the solution of this question very carefully. To look at the New York and Brazilian documents, to analyse, look for decisions – why would be not present?

Mikhail Blinkin noted that, as well as in other megalopolises, in Moscow move by helicopters very provided people can to afford only, generally it there will be «most important people in big corporations at which the price of time is improbably high». Though helicopter transportations will occupy very small segment of the transport market, according to the expert, the city should try to develop it as there will be the people, ready to pay for it, and the city will receive more taxes.

According to Mikhail Blinkin to understand, whether there is a lot of in Moscow of potential platforms for вертодромов, approximately it is impossible to define.

– In the city center there are a lot of steeple-like roofs, there, of course, in any way the helicopter you will not plant, – the expert told. – But even if the roof flat, it does not mean that it is suitable for helicopters. It is necessary to look, what weight the design can sustain, and check a set of other parameters.

The commercial director of the Aerosoyuz company which is engaged in helicopter transportations and uses for this purpose own platforms, including on MKAD, Maxim Blagodatsky told that the majority of clients are businessmen.

– The main directions – in the airports, to yacht-clubs, golf clubs, to those places in Moscow area where dachas and houses, are located to the enterprises in the territory of the Moscow region when to the owner living in Moscow, it is necessary to supervise them, and also to the cities on removal about 200 km from Moscow – for example, to Tula, Ryazan, Nizhny Novgorod.

According to Maxim Blagodatskogo, in the price of a trip are put including charges which take the airports. For example, 40 minutes of flight cost about 18 thousand roubles for three passengers, the airport takes about 25 thousand roubles more for take off and landing.

By estimates of experts, now in MKAD – about 50 helipads. As told in the press service of prefecture of Troitsk and Novomoskovsk districts, in the last two years the city constructed 23 helipads in the territory of «new Moscow» which use in the main Ministry of Emergency Situations and other emergency services.

Svetlana Basharova