Indianapolis Downtown Heliport

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Indianapolis Downtown Heliport
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Summary
Airport typePublic
Owner Indianapolis Airport Authority
Serves Indianapolis
Elevation  AMSL 732 ft / 223 m
Coordinates 39°45′57″N86°08′56″W / 39.765876°N 86.148875°W / 39.765876; -86.148875
Website Indianapolisairport.com - Heliport
Map
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Location of heliport in Indiana
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8A4 (the United States)
Indianapolis Downtown Heliport
Helipads
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H16018 Concrete

Indianapolis Downtown Heliport is a heliport located in the city center of Indianapolis. The heliport was opened in 1969 as a private use heliport under the name Beeline Heliport and, in 1979, was turned into a public facility operated by the Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA). In 1983, the FAA picked the heliport to be part of its National Prototype Demonstration Heliport Program, a project launched to illustrate the usefulness and viability of full-service downtown heliports in the United States, and as a result it received considerable funding for improvements and expansion. It currently has one main pad for landing, an apron, and two hangars. IFR approaches are possible.

Contents

By the late 2010s, local television stations quit using helicopters, as did the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, leaving Indiana University Health's LifeLine as the only tenant. [1]

In mid-2020, the IAA submitted a request to the city of Indianapolis to approve the closing of the heliport, stating that the financial burden of operating the facility was greater than the public value derived from it. In December of that year, the IAA made a formal request to the Federal Aviation Administration for the closure. The IAA is working with the last tenant of the helipad, Indiana University Health's LifeLine, to find a new location for LifeLine's helicopters. Upon closure, the 5-acre (2.0 ha) site will be sold for commercial development. [2]

See also

References

  1. Fujawa, Ed (June 20, 2025). "Retro Indy: Indianapolis heliport was once considered among most profitable in the U.S." Indianapolis Star . Retrieved June 21, 2025.
  2. Williams, David (June 18, 2021). "Indianapolis Airport Authority requests FAA close Downtown Heliport". WISH-TV . Retrieved June 19, 2021.

Further reading