Ground Control (GND)

The role of GND

With a helicopter, GND does what it does with any aircraft: it clears movement on the manoeuvring area and keeps the helicopter away from other aircraft, vehicles and people. The difference is that there are three ways to move (ground taxi, air-taxi and air-transit) and that the helicopter often does not need GND at all, because it can take off from where it is.

The premises

1. Taxi is not mandatory. Under the ICA 100-4, helicopter taxi "is not normally mandatory" (item 2.3.1)¹. If it can take off from the apron or helipad, the next step is with the tower, not with you. But if it moves on the manoeuvring area, it needs a clearance, like any aircraft (Art. 79 of the ICA 100-12)³.
2. Prefer ground taxi. For wheeled helicopters, ground taxi uses less fuel and minimises turbulence. Air-taxi may be needed, but blows harder (item 5.1.2.1)¹.
3. Air-taxi is along the taxiways. Below 20 kt and in ground effect, a helicopter "may be cleared to air-taxi along the taxiways" (item 5.1.2.2)¹.
4. Air-transit is along air-transit routes. Above 20 kt and below 100 ft, only where such routes exist (item 5.1.2.3)¹.
5. Keep helicopters apart and away from light aircraft. Avoid instructions that make helicopters taxi close to each other, and consider the effect of turbulence on light aircraft arriving or departing (item 5.1.2.4)¹.
6. The helicopter should not overfly anyone. In air-transit it avoids overflying aircraft, vehicles and people, and avoids air-taxiing where the downwash could damage aircraft or raise dust (items 2.3.3 and 2.3.4)¹.

The tasks

ATC clearance

An IFR helicopter, or a VFR one with a flight plan departing controlled airspace, receives an ATC clearance like any other flight. Where no DEL is online, whoever covers that position issues it.

When clearing a VFR flight, confirm the destination and, if the terminal area has published REH, by which REH or gate the helicopter intends to leave. That helps the tower and APP know where it is going.

Choosing the kind of movement

Ask yourself, in this order:

If the pilot does not say how they want to move, ask. On the network, hardly any helicopter pilot expects a long ground taxi.

Runway crossings

A helicopter crossing a runway, rolling or in the air, needs a clearance for it, like any aircraft. If GND does not control the runway, coordinate with the tower or transfer the helicopter to it before the crossing.

Frequency changes

Avoid telling a single-pilot helicopter that is hovering or air-taxiing to change frequency. At that moment both hands and both feet are busy. When possible, relay the next unit's instructions until it can change (item 5.1.2.5)¹.

On the network

GND is an S1 position under the GCAP, with a maximum range of 20 NM². In the sector package, helipads inside the aerodrome show up as aprons or stands. When a pilot asks to depart from a "helipad" you cannot find on the diagram, ask where it is and, if it is outside the manoeuvring area, leave the take-off to the tower.

With the tower offline, GND does not cover the tower: top-down runs from the top, and the tower is covered by APP or the centre (GCAP 4.6)². GND clears the movement up to the holding point and transfers to whoever is above.