Definition
A category of GPS-based instrument approach procedures designed specifically for helicopters, leading to either a runway at an airport or a landing area at a heliport. These procedures use the helicopter's slower minimum approach speeds and tighter maneuvering capability to provide lower minimums, steeper descent angles, and shorter final approach segments than fixed-wing GPS approaches serving the same location.
Plain English
These are GPS approaches built just for helicopters. Because helicopters fly slower and turn tighter than airplanes, the approach can bring them in closer, steeper, and lower before the pilot needs to see the landing area. They can end at a regular airport runway or at a dedicated helicopter landing pad.
Context Anchor
Seen in helicopter instrument flying, especially when reading FAA approach charts or planning an instrument flight to a heliport or airport served by a helicopter GPS procedure.
Derivation
Copter' is the shortened form of 'helicopter,' from Greek 'helix' (spiral) and 'pteron' (wing). On approach charts, 'COPTER' in the procedure title signals that the approach is designed around helicopter performance, not airplane performance.
Why Pilots Care
These procedures expand the number of usable landing sites for helicopters in low-visibility conditions by allowing steeper or segmented paths that fixed-wing approaches cannot use.
Intuition Check
Do not read “approach” here as simply flying toward a place. In this context, an approach is a published instrument procedure with a defined path, altitude guidance, and landing minimums.
Example Sentence 1
With the ceiling reported at 400 feet, the pilot selected the Copter GPS approach to the heliport instead of the fixed-wing approach to the nearby runway.
Example Sentence 2
Copter GPS approaches to an airport or heliport let rotorcraft operators reach remote sites that lack conventional navigation aids.