Prague is gaining an unusual new rescue facility: the city has approved the construction of a floating helipad on the Vltava River. It is intended to significantly improve the air transport of emergency patients and could be in operation as early as next year.
The city has given the go-ahead to launch a public tender for the construction of the Prague–Vyšehrad floating heliport. This unique structure will be built on the banks of the Vltava at Rašínovo nábřeží, near the Vyšehrad tunnel. The total cost of construction is just under CZK 40 million. The helipad is expected to be operational by next year.
Patients will be transported from the new helipad to the General University Hospital, the Institute for Mother and Child Care in Podolí, or to Apolinář. None of these hospitals currently has a suitable landing pad.
Following the decision, a 20 × 20 metre floating platform will be constructed in the capital to serve as a functional helipad for the air rescue service. The entire landing platform must be designed to be modular so that it can be dismantled and relocated downstream if necessary.
This is a highly unusual project, subject to specific parameters and regulations. All requirements set by the Czech Ministry of Transport, the Civil Aviation Authority, the Transport and Energy Authority, the State Navigation Administration, and the Vltava River Basin Authority must be met during construction.
The current landing site in Žítkovy sady is a long-term temporary solution. Not only is it located immediately next to a metro exit, but it is also situated in a heavily frequented park. This makes it extremely challenging for emergency services—who are working under significant time pressure—to wait for the area to be cleared before a helicopter can land.
