Choirokoitia Helipad

Operational Redundancy. The helipad was not closed due to an accident, economic failure, or military conversion in the traditional sense. Its closure is most likely an administrative and operational decision. The helipad was built to support the adjacent Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) and Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) station. Over time, changes in Search and Rescue (SAR) operational procedures, the acquisition of new helicopters with greater range and capabilities, and the centralization of helicopter operations at primary military and police air bases (like Andreas Papandreou in Paphos or Lakatamia Air Base) likely rendered this specific helipad redundant for routine missions and training.

The physical infrastructure of the helipad, including the circular concrete pad and faded 'H' marking, remains intact on the grounds of the active JRCC / VTS station at Choirokoitia. The site itself is a high-security, operational government facility responsible for maritime surveillance. While the helipad is designated as 'closed' and not used for regular aviation traffic, it is likely maintained in a state of readiness for potential emergency use by state-operated helicopters if a situation at or near the station requires it.

The helipad's significance is purely functional and directly tied to Cyprus's national maritime safety infrastructure. It was never a public or commercial facility. Its sole purpose was to provide logistical and emergency support for the JRCC / VTS station, a critical facility for monitoring maritime traffic and coordinating search and rescue operations in the Eastern Mediterranean. The helipad would have been used for SAR helicopter staging, emergency medical evacuations, transport of specialized personnel, and training exercises involving the Cyprus Air Force and Police Aviation Unit. Its ICAO designator, CY-0079, is a national code used for small or private airfields not recognized in the main international ICAO registry.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the helipad for public, commercial, or regular aviation use. Its future is entirely dependent on the strategic and operational needs of the Cyprus Joint Rescue Coordination Centre. It could theoretically be reactivated for official government use if a specific need arises, but a formal reopening or re-registration as an active helipad is highly unlikely.