Definition
A special category of FAA-developed instrument approach procedures that allow IFR-equipped helicopters to descend through clouds toward a heliport that is not itself approved for instrument operations. The procedure guides the helicopter to a published missed approach point, from which the pilot must have the required visual references and weather conditions to proceed visually under VFR to the intended landing site. These procedures are titled with the prefix 'Copter' and are designed exclusively for helicopter use.
Plain English
An instrument approach that brings a helicopter down through the clouds to a point where the pilot can see well enough to finish the trip to a small heliport visually. The heliport itself doesn't have an instrument approach, so the last part of the flight has to be flown by looking outside.
Context Anchor
Seen in helicopter instrument procedure discussions, especially for point-in-space approaches serving heliports that are not set up for a full instrument landing all the way to the landing area.
Derivation
Helicopter comes from Greek roots meaning “spiral wing,” referring to the rotor blades. Heliport combines “heli,” short for helicopter, with “port,” a place of arrival or departure. That helps show that this term is about a helicopter arrival procedure to a helicopter landing site, not an airplane-style runway approach.
Why Pilots Care
These procedures extend safe helicopter operations into marginal weather by bridging instrument flight with a visual landing at locations that do not support full IFR approaches.
Grounding Statement
The procedure can bring the helicopter to a safe nearby point, but the last part to the heliport depends on the pilot being able to see and avoid obstacles.
Intuition Check
Do not read “approach” here as simply flying toward the heliport. In FAA use, it means a published procedure with specific points, minimums, and missed approach instructions. Do not read “VFR heliport” as a heliport where an IFR helicopter can always land. It means the final landing segment depends on visual conditions.
Example Sentence 1
The crew briefed the Copter approach to the nearby airport, planning to break out at the missed approach point and proceed VFR to the hospital heliport.
Example Sentence 2
FAA guidance requires a visual segment after the missed approach point for helicopter approaches to VFR heliports.