Definition
The height of the Decision Altitude (DA) on a helicopter instrument approach, expressed in feet above the designated helicopter landing area used as the missed approach reference.
Plain English
How high the decision point sits above the spot where the helicopter is going to land. It's a number in feet that tells the pilot how far above the landing area they are when they reach the point where they must decide to land or go around.
Context Anchor
Seen on helicopter instrument approach charts and in landing minimums discussions.
Why Pilots Care
It sets the exact height at which the pilot must have visual contact with the landing surface or initiate a missed approach.
Grounding Statement
If the landing area is 600 feet above sea level and the HAL is 300 feet, that published height is 300 feet above the landing area, not 300 feet above sea level.
Intuition Check
Do not read HAL as the helicopter’s current height. It is a published height measured above the designated landing area.
Example Sentence 1
On this helicopter approach, the HAL is 250 feet, so the pilot must have the landing area in sight by that point or go missed.
Example Sentence 2
At the HAL the aircraft still lacked visual references, so the crew executed the missed approach.