Rules and routes
Single-engine helicopters and the Thames
A 2005 regulation keeps helicopters that cannot survive an engine failure away from central London's streets, with the river as the exception.
Central London is a "Specified Area". Except with CAA permission, a helicopter must not fly over it below a height that would let it land clear of the area if a power unit failed. The River Thames between the ordinary high water marks is excluded, so single-engine helicopters in practice follow the river.
The rule and its notes
- Single-engine helicopters over central London (R160 Specified Area)
- Except with CAA permission a helicopter must not fly over the Specified Area of Central London below a height that would let it land clear of the area if a power unit failed. The River Thames (bed between ordinary high water marks) is excluded, so single-engine helicopters in practice use the Thames.
Reference: The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Specified Area) Regulations 2005, SI 2005/964, reg 2 (made 29 Mar 2005, in force 1 Apr 2005) legislation.gov.uk - Specified Area boundary
- Area bounded by straight lines joining Kew Bridge, Brent Reservoir, Gospel Oak Station, Springfield Park, Bromley-by-Bow Station, Hither Green, Herne Hill Station, Wimbledon Station and Castelnau Reservoir, returning to Kew Bridge.
Reference: SI 2005/964 Schedule legislation.gov.uk - R160 chart note on single-engine flights
- The CAA route chart (AERO INFO DATE 30 SEP 20) says flights by single-engined helicopters are normally prohibited in R160 except along the River Thames.
Reference: Chart 'Helicopter routes in the London CTR and London/City CTR' (CAA-hosted extract of AIP) caa.co.uk - Flying along the Thames within R160
- Pilots should generally fly over the river between the high water marks without flying so close to the banks as to cause noise nuisance. Single-engined helicopters that deviate from the river must be able to glide back to it. Pilots should avoid overflying hospitals, palaces, schools and prisons where possible.
Reference: UK AIP EGLL AD 2.22 para 10 aurora.nats.co.uk
At night and on the routes
- Single-engine helicopters at night on H7, H9, H10
- H7, H9 (Hayes to Gutteridge) and H10 (Gutteridge to Kew Bridge) are not available to single-engined helicopters at night.
Reference: UK AIP EGLL AD 2.22 para 10 aurora.nats.co.uk - Night restriction on H9 for noise
- H9 south of Heathrow is normally unavailable to SVFR helicopters from 2100 to 0800 (2000 to 0700 local summer, as printed) when Heathrow runways 09L/09R are in use, for environmental reasons.
Reference: UK AIP EGLL AD 2.22 route table, H9 note 4 aurora.nats.co.uk - H3 closed to SVFR helicopters in easterly operations
- When Heathrow 09L/09R is in use, H3 between Sunbury Lock and Roehampton is closed to SVFR helicopters, with exceptions for Flight Priority A, B and C.
Reference: UK AIP EGLL AD 2.22 route table notes aurora.nats.co.uk
Sources and checks
Facts on this page come from these sources, last checked 2026-11-03. Where a source could not be reached or did not say, we left the fact out.
- legislation.gov.uk legislation.gov.uk
- UK AIP EGLL AD 2 (AIRAC 29 Oct 2026) aurora.nats.co.uk