How to apply your helipad stencil
At LCS we specialise in custom making extra large and supersize stencils, including for helipads, airport landing sites or other big projects.
At LCS we specialise in custom making extra large and supersize stencils, including for helipads, airport landing sites or other big projects.
Stencils made for helipads have to cover a huge surface area, and we at LCS have the machines and expertise to cover these logistically challenging projects. Clients often tell us we are one of the only stencil makers capable of even considering projects of this size whilst adhering to tight deadlines.
The Touchdown and Liftoff (TLOF) area of a helipad must be at least as long and wide as the rotor diameter of the largest helicopter to use the heliport. The Final Approach and Takeoff (FATO) area must be at least 1.5 times the overall length of the helicopter, so making sure the helipad has the appropriate landing markers is crucial. For example, we have made helipad stencils where the H was a height of 4 metres, a width of 3 metres, and the thickness of the lettering was 750mm; the type height for other lettering on this stencil was 1200mm, and 8.5metres wide in length.
We can make custom stencils to suit any project – there is no limit for size or quantity.
Before you start painting your surface or laying out your stencil, make sure you have clearly worked out the specifications of measurements and marked the area out how you want to arrange your stencil. You can use tape to help with this, moving the stencil so that it lies exactly where you need it to be on your surface.
Custom supersize stencils – especially for helipads – arrive as separate panels, and when assembled they will fit to your size specifications. The placement of letters, numbers and symbols is pre-calculated in a vector file before being laser cut, so the spacing between lettering and numbering is always accurate within FAA guidelines and the size of your helipad.
When it comes to the applying your helipad stencil, we recommend using the stencil as a guideline marker for the paintwork. Make sure that the stencil is properly lain out and secured to the surface; the best way to ensure the stencil remains in position is to use weight bags filled with sand, evenly spacing them across the stencil to distribute weight effectively. You can then use a heavy pencil or pen to mark along the edges of the stencil, using it as a template for filling in the lines with your chosen paint.
We recommend painting over the previously marked guidelines of the stencil, which will create a thicker, more precise line which can then be filled in with a paint roller. We wouldn’t advise using a spray, as this presents issues such as overspray and having to deal with spray painting in adverse weather conditions. You can liaise with your contractors for more information about the most suitable paint to use for your project.
We can custom make a wide variety of extra large stencils, including; airport runway stencils, large letter and number stencils, road marking including car parks, branding, logos, signage, interior design and much more!
You can ask our advice on storage of your extra large or supersize stencils as they are made from reusable polyester film, or you can recycle after use (check with your local authority).
We make custom stencils (link to page) that come in a variety of sizes, thickness of material and can be made to any quantity. We can also provide international shipping on all our stencils, and have even shipped to off shore oil rigs.
We understand that every project is different, so you can get in touch with us today at [email protected] or call us on 0161 989 0847 to speak to our team of laser cutting experts.
For more information and videos on stencilling different surfaces and their purpose, visit our How To page.
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