A small North Carolina heliport gets its own controlled airspace

The Federal Aviation Administration proposes to create controlled airspace for a new heliport in Ahoskie, North Carolina. This means helicopters flying on instruments will have dedicated, protected routes to and from the hospital.

Every new piece of controlled airspace, no matter how small, adds to the overall complexity of the national air traffic system. This specific change allows instrument flight rules (IFR) operations for medical transport helicopters, which can fly in conditions where visual flight is impossible. It means better access to emergency care for the local community, but also more data points for air traffic controllers to manage.