Satellite and aerial maps of Portland Heliport with nearby locations
Nearby locations | Km | Bearing | |
---|---|---|---|
![]() | 0.8 | 050 | GBPTL |
![]() | 2.1 | 199 | |
Chickerell , England | 7.8 | 324 | |
![]() | 16.1 | 000 | |
![]() | 17.3 | 262 | |
![]() | 18.3 | 208 |
Portland Heliport |
1917 to present | ||
50° 34' 3.36'' N 2° 26' 57.84'' W | ||
1nm NW of Fortuneswell, Isle of Portland, Portland, Dorset, England | ||
ICAO: EGDP | IATA: | |
Elevation: 9 feet |
Built in 1917 by the Royal Navy as HMS Serepta within the confines of Portland Harbour. Seaplanes were originally operated from the bases slipways. In 1919, 241 Squadron was disbanded and aviation operations ceased. In 1946, Hoverfly R-4Bs moved in and the bases playing fields were taken over as a landing ground and became the site of the modern heliport, after building work and the main runway completed in early 1959. 815 Squadron flew its 12 Whirlwinds in from RNAS Eglinton on 14 Apr 1959 and RNAS Portland was formally commissioned as HMS Osprey on 24 Apr 1959. The base was gradually improved over the years and it has been the home of the small ships flight Wasp, Wessex and Lynx fleet and at one point, the slipway was used by hovercraft. As the base wound down, Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) moved to Plymouth and the Fleet Target Group moved to RNAS Culdrose. The Royal Navy closed HMS Osprey on 31 Mar 1999.

When HMS Osprey closed on 31 Mar 1999, the RN School of Helicopter Control moved to its new premises at HMS Heron (Yeovilton) and the Fleet Target Group moved to HMS Seahawk (Culdrose) and became 792 Squadron in Nov 2001.

Portland is also famous for having one of the shortest runways (03/21 at 229m) in England. The heliport remained available for the HM Coastguard SAR flight but the service (from CHC Helicopters) ceased on 30 Jun 2017.

On 23 Feb 2015, Lynx HAS.3 XZ250/426 in Black Cats livery and marked HMS Osprey on the nose was installed as a gate guardian in a short ceremony.

From 1 Jul 2017, the Osprey Quays site became owned by HeliOperations. The main runway is almost always used as the aiming point, followed by taxi to the square to the immediate west, through the flood gates.

Portland Heliport News |

Quality Management Accreditation for HeliOperations
28-Nov-19 - HeliOperations, a helicopter training organisation based in Portland, awarded ISO 9001:2015 quality management accreditation #ISO9001