Indianapolis has a piece of aviation infrastructure that most cities only wish they had, and aviation consultant Five-Alpha, LLC’s Airport Assessment Report, published June 6, 2024, makes that clear in plain terms. The Indianapolis Downtown Heliport (FAA location identifier 8A4) is not a nice-to-have amenity. It is a rare public asset that supports safety, access, and the next wave of flight in a way that cannot be recreated once it disappears.
The report, commissioned by the City of Indianapolis, notes that 8A4 was the first public-use downtown municipal heliport in the United States, moving from private use in 1969 to public use in 1978. Out of 6,191 heliports recognized by the Federal Aviation Administration, only 53 are public use, and 8A4 is the only public-use heliport in Indiana. That “only one” detail matters more than it sounds, because public-use status brings stronger protections and clearer public value than private pads can offer.
More Than a Landing Pad: A Fully Functional Downtown Helicopter Base
From a capability standpoint, the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport is built to do serious work, not just occasional VIP flights. The touchdown and liftoff area measures 60 feet across, and the final approach and takeoff area measures 91 feet across, with six marked parking positions and an above-ground fueling system. The report also describes two 6,000-square-foot hangars and a central building that supports operations, which means the site can function as a true base and not just a landing spot.
One of Only Five Public-Use Heliports With Published Instrument Procedures
The report also details how rare 8A4’s instrument capability is among public-use heliports. The analysis states 8A4 is one of only five public-use heliports in the country with published instrument procedures, which support flights under Instrument Flight Rules during low visibility. That matters because bad weather does not pause urgent medical needs, public safety missions, or time-sensitive business travel. In practical terms, an instrument-ready downtown landing site helps protect both pilots and the people they serve when conditions are not perfect.
FAA and NFPA Compliance: What the Five-Alpha Assessment Found
The assessment also removes a common excuse used to justify closure: the claim that older facilities cannot meet today’s standards. Five-Alpha found 8A4 is, in fact, in compliance under the FAA standards in place at the time of activation (AC 150/5390-1B, published in 1977), with no major site or airspace changes that would trigger newer requirements. On fire safety, the report applies NFPA 418 (2016 edition) and finds the overall design meets the standard, with only minor fixes needed for the number and placement of fire extinguishers.
Indianapolis 500 and Emergencies: When Downtown Air Access Matters Most
Usage data in the report also challenges the idea that the site sits idle. Historic newspaper records cited in the assessment include, “There is a total of about 10,000 departures and landings annually at the heliport,” reflecting how busy the facility once was. For more recent activity, the report uses FlightAware data showing 3,114 departures and 2,987 arrivals in 2023, and 3,069 departures and 2,968 arrivals in 2022, with both day and night operations logged. Peaks align with major events like the Indianapolis 500, which is exactly when downtown access becomes most valuable and road travel becomes least reliable.
Safety, Zoning, and Land Use: The Legal Protections Public-Use Heliports Get
Closing the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport also creates problems that are hard to unwind, especially around land use and safety protections. The report explains that Indiana code provides robust protection for public-use heliport imaginary surfaces, while private-use facilities, including hospital heliports, do not receive the same level of protection from encroaching structures. It also documents 273 FAA obstruction evaluation requests filed near 8A4 from 1990 to 2023, plus a clear and manageable issue: trees near approach paths need trimming, not a shutdown. Add the federal funding reality, and the case gets even tighter, since the assessment estimates a prorated repayment of about $900,000 would be due to the federal government if the site is sold today after receiving $2.2 million in Airport Improvement Program funding from 2007 to 2019.
Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) and eVTOL Readiness: Why Keeping 8A4 Open Matters
Finally, the report frames a future that aligns with where federal policy is already heading: keeping existing heliports active so they can support new vertical aircraft as rules mature. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Advanced Air Mobility Strategy notes, “In December 2024, the FAA published an update to the Engineering Brief that provides standards and guidance for the planning, design, and construction of heliports serving VTOL aircraft.” That matters because 8A4 already has the core footprint, access, and operating history that many cities will scramble to build from scratch, and the Five-Alpha report analysis shows that there are workable paths that avoid an all-or-nothing choice, including public ownership with private operation.
Take Action to Save the Indianapolis Downtown Heliport
If you support life-saving access, downtown connectivity, and the “once it is gone, it is gone” truth, now is the time to back the Sunlight Coalition’s call to keep 8A4 open and to provide FAA decision makers with the facts this assessment puts on the record.
The comment period ended (02/26/2026) at midnight
