Wink TV Heliport

Not applicable, as the heliport is officially listed as operational. The cessation of regular, daily news helicopter flights by WINK-TV was an operational decision, driven by the high economic costs of maintaining and operating a helicopter and the emergence of more cost-effective drone technology for aerial news gathering.

The site is the active WINK-TV / Fort Myers Broadcasting Company television studio located at 2824 Palm Beach Blvd. The rooftop helipad (FAA: FA85) remains officially certified by the FAA for private use. While the station no longer operates a dedicated news helicopter for daily flights, it now heavily utilizes drone technology (marketed as 'Drone 11') for its aerial footage needs. The heliport facility is maintained but sees little to no regular flight activity.

The heliport's primary role was to support Electronic News Gathering (ENG) for WINK News, the local CBS affiliate for Southwest Florida. For many years, the station operated a dedicated news helicopter from this 40x40 ft rooftop pad, providing live aerial coverage of breaking news, severe weather such as hurricanes, traffic, and major community events. This capability represented a significant technological and financial investment in local journalism and was a symbol of the station's commitment to comprehensive news coverage in an era before drones became a viable alternative.

As the heliport is not officially closed, there are no 'reopening' plans. It is highly unlikely that WINK-TV will resume regular, daily news helicopter operations from the site due to the prohibitive costs compared to the efficiency and safety of their current drone program. The facility remains available for private, occasional helicopter use by the station's ownership should a specific need arise.