runwayinuse

Designated Helicopter Routes KHPN local VFR procedures

The current flow at KHPN is uncertain right now (PROBABLE), so whether this procedure applies at this moment is unknown. Live runway page →

Not for navigation. Verify against the official sources linked below before flight.

transition route Airport sponsor published verified 2026-08-28 (42 d ago)

Published by the airport sponsor; voluntary unless ATC assigns it. If ATC assigns this route to you in Class B, C or D airspace, that assignment is an ATC instruction and compliance is required (14 CFR 91.123) — and “unable” remains available to the pilot in command.

The four named routes — November, Sierra, Whiskey and Echo — developed jointly with the FAA, the tower and the Eastern Region Helicopter Council.

The route

  1. NOVEMBER — arrival: enter at Byram Reservoir, south along the west side of I-684 until abeam the IBM building, left turn along the northeast side of Tamarack Golf Course, overfly Wooley Pond, then the Office building, then direct to the airport
  2. SIERRA — arrival: enter at the Hutchinson River Parkway and Mamaroneck Avenue, overfly the Hutch to I-684, north along the east side of I-684 to Barnes Lane (never west of I-684), inbound via the extended centerline of Taxiway Charlie (old runway 5/23)
  3. WHISKEY — arrival: via Tarrytown Reservoir direct Kensico Dam, south of the 870 MSL radio tower, overfly Kensico Cemetery, direct Forest Lake staying south of the extended centerline of runway 11/29, then to the southwestern end of Taxiway Charlie
  4. ECHO — arrival: intersect the Merritt Parkway east of Putnam Lake, follow it to Interchange 28, then direct the Office building and destination on airport
  5. Request to fly these routes at 2,000 ft when practical and possible; announce the intended route on initial contact
  6. If ATC advises maintaining altitude overhead the field, maintain at least 1,400 ft MSL until crossing the active runway(s)

Where it actually is

North up. The sponsor names these landmarks and publishes no coordinate for any of them — everything positioned here is derived, and each coordinate's provenance is listed with its point below. Dashed markers are depicted: this site's reading of the written route, not published fixes.

NOVEMBER: enter at Byram Re…NOVEMBER: enter at Byram Re…NOVEMBER: south on the west…NOVEMBER: south on the west…NOVEMBER: left turn along t…NOVEMBER: left turn along t…NOVEMBER: overfly, then the…NOVEMBER: overfly, then the…SIERRA: enter at the Hutch …SIERRA: enter at the Hutch …SIERRA: north on the EAST s…SIERRA: north on the EAST s…SIERRA and WHISKEY: the ext…SIERRA and WHISKEY: the ext…WHISKEY: enter via Tarrytow…WHISKEY: enter via Tarrytow…WHISKEY: direct Kensico DamWHISKEY: direct Kensico DamWHISKEY: pass SOUTH of the …WHISKEY: pass SOUTH of the …WHISKEY: direct Forest Lake…WHISKEY: direct Forest Lake…ECHO: intersect the Merritt…ECHO: intersect the Merritt…2 NMN
  1. NOVEMBER: enter at Byram Reservoir Byram Lake Reservoir A long reservoir in the woods at Mount Kisco, 6.0 NM north of the field. The NOVEMBER helicopter route enters here. N41°09.92' W73°41.47' 41.16538, -73.69118 reference, not a leg 450 ft BYRAM satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  2. NOVEMBER: south on the west side of I-684 to abeam here IBM building, Armonk The low, dark, curved IBM headquarters set in woods at Armonk, 2.6 NM north of the field and just east of I-684. Nothing else of that size is out there. N41°06.48' W73°43.42' 41.10800, -73.72360 reference, not a leg 532 ft IBMBLD satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  3. NOVEMBER: left turn along the northeast side Tamarack Country Club Open golf course 1.9 NM north of the field. Used twice: the NOVEMBER arrival runs along its northeast side, and runway 34 right traffic overflies it from crosswind to downwind. N41°05.79' W73°42.67' 41.09650, -73.71124 reference, not a leg 377 ft TAMARK satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  4. NOVEMBER: overfly, then the Office building, then the field Wooley Pond A small pond with its dam about 1.0 NM north-northeast of the field, the last cue on the NOVEMBER arrival before the airport. The 'Office building' could not be pinned -- see the airport note. N41°04.85' W73°41.83' 41.08077, -73.69718 reference, not a leg 297 ft WOOLEY satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  5. SIERRA: enter at the Hutch and Mamaroneck Avenue Hutchinson River Pkwy at Mamaroneck Ave The Hutchinson River Parkway's Mamaroneck Avenue interchange in White Plains, 5.3 NM south-southwest of the field. The SIERRA arrival enters the area here and follows the Hutch north. N40°58.99' W73°44.63' 40.98320, -73.74380 reference, not a leg HUTMAM satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (computed crossing of Mamaroneck Avenue and the Hutchinson River Parkway)
  6. SIERRA: north on the EAST side of I-684 to Barnes Lane Barnes Lane A residential street 1.1 NM southwest of the field on the east side of I-684; the SIERRA arrival runs north to it and never crosses west of the freeway. Never west of I-684. N41°03.24' W73°43.86' 41.05407, -73.73105 reference, not a leg 230 ft BARNES satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  7. SIERRA and WHISKEY: the extended centreline of Taxiway Charlie Taxiway Charlie, southwest end The southwest end of Taxiway C, which is the old runway 5/23 pavement and still runs on that 040/220 line. Two helicopter arrivals use its extended centreline. N41°03.91' W73°42.89' 41.06525, -73.71490 reference, not a leg TWYCSW satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (aeroway=taxiway ref=C, southwest extremity)
  8. WHISKEY: enter via Tarrytown Reservoir Tarrytown Reservoir The Tarrytown Lakes, 6.4 NM west of the field on the far side of the Saw Mill valley. The WHISKEY arrival enters here. N41°04.84' W73°50.83' 41.08059, -73.84719 reference, not a leg TARRES satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  9. WHISKEY: direct Kensico Dam Kensico Dam The great masonry dam at Valhalla holding back Kensico Reservoir, 2.7 NM west of the field, with its plaza below. Unmistakable from the air. N41°04.44' W73°46.00' 41.07392, -73.76670 reference, not a leg 350 ft KENDAM satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  10. WHISKEY: pass SOUTH of the 870 MSL radio tower The 870 MSL radio tower A guyed communications mast standing on 494 ft of ground between Kensico Dam and Kensico Cemetery, which puts its top near the 870 ft MSL the airport quotes — about 430 ft above the field. The WHISKEY arrival passes SOUTH of it. N41°04.22' W73°47.37' 41.07026, -73.78942 reference, not a leg 494 ft TWR870 satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) (man_made=mast); the 870 ft MSL figure is the airport's, not measured here; elevation: USGS 3DEP point query
  11. WHISKEY: overfly Kensico Cemetery Kensico Cemetery A large landscaped cemetery 3.7 NM west of the field, between the dam and the Taconic. N41°04.55' W73°47.13' 41.07588, -73.78553 reference, not a leg 360 ft KENCEM satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  12. WHISKEY: direct Forest Lake, south of the 11/29 centreline Forest Lake A small lake 1.3 NM west-southwest of the field, west of I-684; the WHISKEY arrival runs to it and then to Taxiway Charlie. N41°03.67' W73°44.02' 41.06110, -73.73360 reference, not a leg 241 ft FORLAK satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  13. ECHO: intersect the Merritt Parkway east of Putnam Lake Putnam Lake A reservoir with its dam 3.4 NM east-northeast of the field, just over the Connecticut line. The ECHO helicopter route joins the Merritt Parkway east of it. The Merritt's 'Interchange 28' could not be pinned -- see the airport note. N41°05.43' W73°38.32' 41.09051, -73.63874 reference, not a leg 300 ft PUTNAM satellite Apple Maps street view coordinate: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
  14. All four routes end on the field; request 2,000 ft when practical Westchester County Airport Two crossing runways on a wooded plateau at 439 ft, hard against the Connecticut line, with the Kensico and Rye Lake reservoirs to the west and I-684 running north-south past the west side. N41°04.02' W73°42.45' 41.06695, -73.70757 reference, not a leg 439 ft HPNFLD satellite Apple Maps coordinate: FAA airport record (NASR), airport reference point

This entry describes several named routes, so the landmarks are plotted and no single track is drawn. Bearings are magnetic, converted from true at each leg's midpoint through the WMM 2025 model this site ships (12.6°W here). Shoreline, water, highways and runways © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Class B/C/D boundaries: FAA Aeronautical Information Services.

Put it in the GPS

Landmarks only: this entry covers several named routes, so the files carry the points and no route.

When it applies

Source text, verbatim

HPN HELICOPTER ROUTES — Westchester Terminal Area Route Descriptions (Revised July, 2010)
These procedures have been developed jointly with Airport Management, FAA, HPN Control Tower, and the Eastern Region Helicopter Council.
PILOTS: PLEASE REQUEST TO FLY THESE ROUTES AT 2000' WHEN PRACTICAL AND POSSIBLE. ON DEPARTURE USE EXPEDITIOUS CLIMB TO ALTITUDE. ON DESCENT FLY PROFILE AS PER NEIGHBORLY GUIDE.
Decent and Landing Procedures — If ATC advises to maintain altitude overhead the field, pilots should maintain at least 1,400 ft. MSL until crossing the active runway(s).
NOTE: PILOTS ANNOUNCE INTENDED ROUTE ON INITIAL CONTACT
NOTE: These procedures are for VFR arrivals and departures. In no case do these procedures pre-empt or take the place of ATC instructions or safety.
CAUTION: ROUTES DEPICTED AND ALTITUDES ASSIGNED DO NOT PROVIDE OBSTACLE CLEARANCE PROTECTION.

The text above is the published source wording and is authoritative over any summary on this page.

Sources

All KHPN procedures · KHPN runway in use