AIP Greece AIRAC 2611 · AMDT 09/26 (29.10.2026)
Pilot information
Know where you can land, and where you can't
HeliChart brings Greek heliports, helipads, landing sites and water aerodromes together with the protected areas and airspace around them, so you can see at a glance where a landing is possible and what applies there. It is a planning aid for situational awareness, not an official aeronautical publication.
Landings at landing sites
Landing sites are places outside certified heliports and aerodromes. The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority sets the conditions in its letter “Conditions for Helicopter Flights to/from landing sites” (Ref. 17078/Σ.5169, 05.06.2025), based on Presidential Decree 19/2009 and AIP Greece. In summary:
No landing sites in protected areas
Natura 2000 is set up by the EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and Birds Directive 2009/147/EC, implemented in Greece by Law 3937/2011 and Law 4685/2020. These European and Greek environmental laws protect habitats and species and require an assessment of plans that may affect a site, but they do not ban helicopters themselves. The landing ban comes from the Greek aviation rules:
- Presidential Decree 19/2009, art. 12(1) allows no landing site in areas under environmental or other protection.
- The HCAA conditions of 05.06.2025 prohibit landing-site operations in Natura 2000 sites, national parks, wetlands, archaeological zones and areas of cultural or aesthetic value.
Licensed heliports and aerodromes are not affected. Owning the land does not lift the ban.
Permissible flight conditions
- Daytime flights only.
- Operations are prohibited in environmentally protected areas (for example Natura 2000 sites, national parks and wetlands) and in archaeological zones and areas of cultural or aesthetic value.
Landings outside aerodromes (AIP Greece GEN 1.2.5.2.6)
- Private flights: an ICAO flight plan stating in item 18 that the landing and take-off are on the pilot's responsibility (AIP Greece GEN 1.2.5.2.6).
- HASP Form 731 (persons on board) sent to generalaviationflights@hasp.gov.gr. Commercial flights follow the operator's approvals.
- The landowner's consent before landing on private land.
Site suitability and safe distances (HCAA, 05.06.2025)
- A flat, stable, obstacle-free area with a sufficient safety radius.
- Keep minimum safe distances from residential areas, public roads, private property without the owner's consent, and people, animals, vehicles or infrastructure.
Compliance with AIP Greece
- Prohibited (P), Restricted (R) and Danger (D) areas.
- Control zones (CTR), TMAs, FIRs and military zones.
- Air traffic control regulations, the rules of the air and other provisions for helicopters.
- Reviewing the current AIP before every flight is the flight crew's responsibility.
Flight crew duties
- File the flight plan and Form 731 as above, and close the flight plan immediately after landing.
- Follow ATC authorisations, instructions and information.
- Check the relevant NOTAMs and the weather before the flight.
The pilot bears full responsibility for the safety of operations at landing sites and for assessing the suitability of the landing area in flight. According to the HCAA, failure to comply is a serious violation with administrative, criminal and disciplinary penalties.
Heliports listed in AIP Greece (AD 3) and aerodromes (AD 2 / AD 1.6) have their own conditions: check each site's AIP entry and obtain prior permission (PPR) where required.
Airfields, airstrips and water aerodromes
- Airfields and airstrips listed in AIP Greece AD 1.6 are category B aerodromes: prior permission from the owner or operator is required, and commercial flights need a special permission from the HCAA (AIP Greece AD 1.1).
- Private flights to category B and water aerodromes need an ICAO flight plan, HASP Form 731 and the operator's written permission (GEN 1.2.5.2.4).
- Airstrips not listed in the AIP are not aerodromes: HeliChart treats them as landing sites, so the landing site rules above and the protected areas around them apply.
- Water aerodromes (seaplane landing areas) are listed in AD 1.6 or in AIP SUP 63/26 and operate under Law 4663/2020 art. 24.
Military aerodromes
- Military air bases are reserved for state aircraft. Civil and private flights, helicopters included, may use them only with a special permission (AIP Greece AD 1.1.3, GEN 1.2.5).
- Apply to HASP at least 20 working days before the flight by e-mail, with the purpose of the flight, aircraft type, registration and nationality, date and time, departure and destination, and the names of the crew and passengers.
- Each base's AD 1.6 or AD 2 entry may add its own conditions: PPR for civil aircraft, and usually no HASP services.
- Joint civil/military airports (Andravida, Araxos, Chania, Kalamata, Nea Anchialos, Preveza/Aktion and Skiros) take civil flights under their AD 2 entry, within the hours for civil aircraft. Private flights there still need the special permission, and Andravida does not accept them. Megara (AD 1.6.18) is the general aviation aerodrome for Athens: light aircraft below 5,700 kg MTOW arriving from and departing to Greek airports.
Protected areas and the law
The legal basis of each protected area shown on the map. Landings at landing sites are prohibited in the nature and aesthetic areas and in archaeological protection zones under the HCAA conditions above; declared archaeological sites and historical places are shown for information. Licensed heliports and aerodromes are not affected.
- Natura 2000 (birds, habitats)
- EU Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC and Birds Directive 2009/147/EC; Law 3937/2011 and Law 4685/2020
- Wildlife refuges
- Forest Code (Legislative Decree 86/1969) art. 254, as amended by Law 177/1975 and Law 2637/1998
- Aesthetic forests
- Legislative Decree 996/1971, amending the Forest Code
- Archaeological sites and protection zones
- Law 4858/2021, code for the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage (formerly Law 3028/2002)
- Historical places
- Law 4858/2021 (formerly Law 3028/2002)
Before every flight
- NOTAMs for your route and destination, for example on AviNOTAM.
- Weather and wind at the site. Many HeliChart locations show live wind from AviWIND stations.
- The current AIP Greece amendment and supplements.
- Prior permission (PPR) from the operator or owner where required, and the landowner's consent on private land.
- Private flights: the ICAO flight plan and HASP Form 731 (persons on board) for flights on national routes or off airways, to category B and water aerodromes (with the operator's written permission) and to landing sites; on regional airways the flight plan alone (AIP Greece GEN 1.2.5).
Flight plans and Form 731
BRIEF is the flight planning and filing platform for private pilots, flight schools and AOCs. Plan the flight, file the ICAO flight plan and send HASP Form 731 from one place: the passenger list is filled in automatically and goes to HASP with the flight plan.
Some heliports also take landing slot requests through BRIEF.
Using HeliChart
- Landing rules: each location lists who authorises the landing, the operator's details, protected areas within 300 m and the airspace over the site. A green card marks a licensed site; when it is listed in AIP Greece (AD 2, AD 1.6, AD 3 or SUP 63/26) the card names the entry and links its AIP PDF. Current AIP supplements (SUP) for the site follow it.
- Check a point: enter coordinates or pick a spot on the map. It turns red when the point is inside or within 300 m of a protected area, or inside a village or town (populated area). Obstacles within 300 m (power lines, masts and other tall structures, wind turbines) show as a caution in amber. Airspace (CTR, TMA, ATZ and P, R, D areas), archaeological sites and historical places are listed for information. Points outside Greece are flagged, since HeliChart only covers Greece.
- Layers: switch landing sites, protected areas, airspace, obstacles and other areas on and off, or pick individual categories in the panel. A search looks through every category, switched on or not, and a location or area you open is drawn on the map even when its category is switched off, and so are obstacles within 300 m of an open site or checked point. Obstacles (power lines, masts and other tall structures, wind turbines) and other areas (archaeological sites and historical places) do not affect landings and start switched off, like airspace. Tall structures are those of AIP Greece ENR 5.4 (100 m above ground or higher); wind turbines come from ENR 5.4 and, where it does not list them, from OpenStreetMap; power lines come from OpenStreetMap. None of these lists is complete: lower masts, many power lines and wires are missing, so always check the site and its approach yourself.
- Share: send any location or area to someone with the share button.
Populated areas in the point check
The HCAA conditions of 05.06.2025 require minimum safe distances from residential areas, without giving a distance, and VFR flights must stay 1,000 ft above the highest obstacle within 600 m over towns and settlements except when taking off or landing (AIP Greece ENR 1.2.3). HeliChart flags a point inside a village or town so you can judge it.
The populated areas come from the EU's European Settlement Map 2018 (satellite imagery 2017-2019): buildings closer than 100 m are joined into one area and areas under 2 ha are left out. They are not shown on the map. The map misses many houses in the Cyclades and has no data for most of Rhodes, so a clear result does not mean there are no houses: always check the site yourself.
Sources of information
Aerodromes, heliports and airspace are checked against AIP Greece, AIRAC AMDT 09/26 (29.10.2026). Each location and area shows its own source.
Frequently asked questions
Is HeliChart an official aeronautical source?
No. HeliChart is a planning aid for situational awareness. It may be incomplete or out of date, so always check the current AIP Greece, NOTAMs and the competent authorities before flight.
Can I land at a private property (a field, a villa) inside a protected area?
Not as a landing site. Presidential Decree 19/2009 (art. 12(1)) does not allow a landing site in areas under environmental or other protection, and the HCAA conditions of 05.06.2025 prohibit operations in Natura 2000 sites, national parks, wetlands, archaeological zones and areas of cultural or aesthetic value. Ownership does not matter: the owner's consent is required on private land, but it does not lift the ban. Regular use of a private property would need a licensed private heliport, which goes through HCAA licensing and the environmental approvals for the area.
Do I need a licence to land at a landing site?
A landing site used occasionally for non-scheduled flights needs no licence (PD 19/2009 art. 3). You still need the landowner's consent, daylight, a suitable area clear of protected zones, and for private flights an ICAO flight plan with the item 18 remark and HASP Form 731.
Can I land at a landing site at night?
No. Landing sites may be used in daytime only (PD 19/2009 art. 12(1) and the HCAA conditions). Night operations need a heliport or aerodrome that is approved for them.
Does the protected-area ban apply to licensed heliports and aerodromes?
No. Heliports listed in AIP Greece AD 3 and aerodromes operate under their own licences and conditions, even when they lie in or near a protected area. Check each site's AIP entry and obtain PPR where required.
What does "within 300 m" mean in Check a point?
Check a point flags every protected or restricted area the point is inside or within 300 m of, shows obstacles (power lines, tall structures, wind turbines) within that distance as a caution, and lists archaeological sites and historical places within it for information, since they do not affect landings. The 300 m is HeliChart's own margin for the landing area and its approach, not a distance set by law.
Who is responsible if something goes wrong?
The pilot in command is fully responsible for assessing the suitability of the landing site (PD 19/2009 art. 12(2)), and the pilot and the operator are jointly liable. The HCAA treats non-compliance as a serious violation with administrative, criminal and disciplinary penalties.
Can a civil helicopter use a military air base?
Only with a special permission. Apply to HASP by e-mail at least 20 working days before the flight (AIP Greece AD 1.1.3 and GEN 1.2.5), and check the base's own AIP entry for further conditions.
Where can I find information on general aviation flying in Greece?
AOPA Hellas publishes General Aviation Flying In Greece, a guide for visiting pilots on GA operations in the country, also available as a PDF for offline reading. It is unofficial, so check the AIP and NOTAMs for current information. General Aviation Flying In Greece (AOPA Hellas)
Where does the data come from?
Airspace and aerodromes from AIP Greece and openAIP, Natura 2000 and other nationally designated areas from the European Environment Agency, archaeological sites from the Archaeological Cadastre, obstacles from AIP Greece ENR 5.4, military areas, power lines and further wind turbines from OpenStreetMap and landing sites from greekhelicopters.gr. The full list is under Sources of information.
A landing site is missing or wrong. How do I report it?
Send it through the Greek Helicopters contact page with the name, coordinates and what should change.
Contact
Questions, corrections or a landing site we should add? Get in touch through the contact page.
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HeliChart is provided for situational awareness only. It is not an official aeronautical publication and may be incomplete or out of date. Always consult the AIP, NOTAMs and the competent authorities, and obtain the required permissions before flight. Back to the map