Indianapolis Downtown Heliport

Indianapolis Downtown Heliport
IATA: - ICAO: - FAA LID: 8A4
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Indianapolis Airport Authority
Serves	Indianapolis
Elevation AMSL	732 ft / 223 m
Coordinates	39°45′57″N 86°08′56″W / 39.765876°N 86.148875°W / 39.765876; -86.148875
Website	Indianapolisairport.com - Heliport
Map
8A4 Location of heliport in Indiana Show map of Indiana 8A4 8A4 (the United States) Show map of the United States
Helipads
Number Length Surface ft m H1 60 18 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.

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.^[1]