Definition
The title of a published instrument approach chart designed exclusively for helicopters, providing two ways to fly the same approach to Runway 13: a full ILS (Instrument Landing System) procedure giving both lateral and vertical guidance, or a localizer-only (LOC) procedure giving lateral guidance with no glideslope. The 'Copter' prefix indicates the procedure is built using helicopter-specific criteria, including reduced visibility minima and approach speeds, and may not be flown by fixed-wing aircraft.
Plain English
It is the name printed at the top of a helicopter-only approach chart for Runway 13. The chart lets the pilot fly the approach two ways: the full version with electronic guidance both side-to-side and up-and-down, or a simpler version with only side-to-side guidance.
Context Anchor
Seen as the title on an FAA instrument approach chart for a helicopter-only approach to an airport or heliport area.
Derivation
Copter' is the FAA's chart-title shorthand for helicopter, signaling the procedure is restricted to rotorcraft. 'ILS' stands for Instrument Landing System and 'LOC' for Localizer; 'RWY 13' identifies the runway aligned roughly 130 degrees magnetic. The 'or' in the title means a single chart contains two flyable procedures.
Why Pilots Care
It lets helicopters use steeper descent paths and lower weather minimums than fixed-wing procedures allow.
Intuition Check
Do not read COPTER as just a casual label. In this title, it means the procedure is specifically published for helicopters. Do not read the 13 as a page number or procedure number. It identifies Runway 13.
Example Sentence 1
Tower cleared the helicopter for the Copter ILS or LOC RWY 13 approach, and the pilot briefed the full ILS minimums since the glideslope was working.
Example Sentence 2
Minimums published for the COPTER ILS or LOC RWY 13 permitted the helicopter to land when visibility was below 1 mile.