Gent, BE 🇧🇪 Closed Airport
BE-0009
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- ft
BE-VOV
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Loading...GPS Code: Not available
Local Code: Not available
Location: 51.048358° N, 3.700268° E
Continent: EU
Type: Closed Airport
Jan Palfijn Hospital Heliport (BE-0009) in Gent, BE, is a facility primarily used for medical transport and is not a commercial airport for general "travelers." Information indicates it is a closed or defunct airport and does not have ICAO or IATA codes, using "BE-0009" as a local reference. As such, there are no traveler reviews or experiences available concerning typical airport aspects like terminal facilities, security wait times, or customs/immigration. The reviews found pertain to the Jan Palfijn Hospital itself, focusing on patient care and hospital services rather than heliport travel.
Information Regarding Jan Palfijn Hospital (Visitor Accessibility):
In summary, while there are no traveler reviews for Jan Palfijn Hospital Heliport as a conventional travel hub, the Jan Palfijn Hospital provides clear and accessible information regarding ground transportation options, including ample parking for visitors and good connections to public transport. Roadworks near the hospital were noted to affect accessibility by car with an estimated end date of August 2025.
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Circa 2012
The heliport was closed and subsequently demolished as part of a large-scale renovation and expansion of the Jan Palfijn Hospital. The building wing on which the rooftop helipad was situated was torn down to make way for a new, modern structure. The hospital administration decided against building a new helipad on the replacement building due to the high cost, structural complexity, and the operational availability of a nearby heliport at the Ghent University Hospital (UZ Gent).
The site of the former heliport no longer exists. The original structure has been replaced by a new hospital wing. The AZ Jan Palfijn hospital is fully operational but no longer has an on-site heliport. Emergency patients arriving by helicopter are now typically landed at the nearby UZ Gent (Ghent University Hospital) heliport and then transferred to Jan Palfijn via a short ground ambulance ride.
The Jan Palfijn Hospital Heliport was a critical piece of infrastructure for the regional emergency medical system. As a rooftop helipad, it provided direct and rapid access for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS). It was primarily used by the Belgian MUG-heli (Medische Urgentiegroep / Groupe Médical d'Urgence) to transport trauma patients and critically ill individuals to and from the hospital's intensive care and emergency departments. Its existence significantly reduced transfer times for time-sensitive medical cases, playing a vital role in the chain of survival for many years.
There are no known plans or prospects to reopen or build a new heliport at the Jan Palfijn Hospital. The strategic decision made during the 2012 renovation to rely on the nearby UZ Gent facility for helicopter arrivals remains in effect. The high cost and logistical challenges of retrofitting a heliport onto the new buildings make a future installation unlikely.