Some 600 helicopter trips a day are expected during the Ryder Cup, 50 more flights than on the busiest day at Dublin airport, the Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) has said.
The authority is finalising plans for helicopter flights to and from the golf event at the
K Club, Straffan, Co Kildare in September.
There will be one authorised helicopter landing site at the K Club with a number of peripheral landing sites, which will operate as pick-up zones for charter and shuttle helicopters.
The authority is currently assessing and registering landing facilities. Four have already received approval: Weston Aerodrome, Lucan, Co Dublin; Elm Green, Blanchardstown, Co Dublin; Leopardstown racecourse in south Dublin and Knocksedan, north Dublin. Applications are expected from sites at City West and Dublin Docklands before the closing date of August 31st.
The Ryder Cup is located within a military restricted area and aircraft flying in will require clearance from the Military Air Traffic Services Unit at Baldonnel.
Operators will also be put through security checks by the Helicopter Air Marshalling Site Service and gardaí.
Flights will be restricted to daylight hours and there will be a ban on other aerial activities in the restricted area such as banner towing, aerial photography and hot air balloons, and a total ban on all flights over the golf course.
Costs of helicopter flights will vary depending on distance and aircraft, but will average at €1,200 per flight hour.
A spokesman for the IAA said that the K Club helicopter site will be capable of handling 300 helicopters on the ground at any one time.
"Over the busiest days of the event, the Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we are expecting approximately 600 movements a day," he said.
