Battersea Heliport, officially the London Heliport, opened on 23 April 1959 on the south bank of the Thames, after a first landing by a Westland Widgeon helicopter on 8 April. It was built by W. & C. French, first owned by the helicopter maker Westland, and is described by its operator as the only CAA-licensed heliport serving London.
The opening in 1959
The heliport was built by the contractors W. & C. French and officially opened on 23 April 1959. Two weeks earlier, on 8 April 1959, a Westland Widgeon had made the first landing. The Widgeon was a British-built helicopter from Westland Aircraft, the company that first owned the site.
The location was chosen for the same reason it still works today: the River Thames gives helicopters a clear approach into the middle of London, away from the dense streets.
Changing owners and names
Westland was the original owner, and the site later passed to Harrods. In 2012 it was bought by the Reuben Brothers. Over the decades the heliport has been run by several companies, and its name has changed with them.
It was known simply as Battersea Heliport for most of its life. In August 2019 it adopted the title Edmiston London Heliport under a sponsorship arrangement. Its operating company today is The London Heliport Ltd, and most people still say Battersea Heliport.
London’s licensed heliport
Other London helicopter sites came and went. A floating helipad in the City at Trigg Lane closed in 1985, and since then the Battersea site has been the only heliport in London licensed by the Civil Aviation Authority, according to the heliport’s own description. A licensed aerodrome has to meet standards for its air traffic service, rescue and fire-fighting cover and safety procedures.
The heliport’s ICAO location code is EGLW. In 2016 it marked its 500,000th movement, and in 2017 it handled around 11,900 movements.
How the heliport works today
The landing platform is a raised pad on concrete piles that extends over the tidal Thames. Only approved pilots may use the heliport; new pilots must fly a familiarisation flight with an approved pilot, receive a full briefing from air traffic control and sign the heliport’s conditions of use.
- Air traffic control permission is needed for every manoeuvre, engine start and rotor start or stop.
- Aircraft are marshalled on the ground by heliport staff, and passengers are escorted to and from the helicopter.
- Pilots follow a noise-abatement approach, with a circuit height of 1,000 feet over the river, and the heliport’s opening hours are limited to protect neighbours. See our guide to Battersea Heliport opening hours.
Why the heliport still matters
More than sixty years after it opened, the London Heliport is still the quickest way to land in central London by helicopter. It connects to Heathrow, Biggin Hill, Farnborough, Luton and the other airports used by private jets, and to racecourses, event venues and country houses across the south of England and beyond. The helicopters we fly leave from this pad every day; our London Heliport page explains how a charter flight works from here.
Frequently asked questions
When did Battersea Heliport open?
The first landing was on 8 April 1959 and the heliport officially opened on 23 April 1959.
Is Battersea Heliport the same as the London Heliport?
Yes. The official name is the London Heliport. It is widely called Battersea Heliport because of where it is, and it carried the Edmiston name from August 2019 under a sponsorship arrangement.
Who owns Battersea Heliport?
The Reuben Brothers bought the site in 2012. Before that it had been owned by Westland and later by Harrods. The heliport is run by The London Heliport Ltd, which is separate from Battersea Helicopter.
Is it the only heliport in London?
The heliport describes itself as the only CAA-licensed heliport serving London. Helicopters can also use other airfields and private landing sites around the capital with the right permission.
Further reading: London Battersea Heliport location guide on helicopterhireprices.co.uk.
Plan your flight
Want to fly from the heliport with the long history? Tell us where and when and we will reply with a price. Our charter team is available 24 hours a day.