Heliport Safety Campaign

Since fall 2006 SOAR has been working on behalf of the community to assess the safety of the rooftop heliport proposal put forth by Children's Memorial Hospital (CMH) for its new Streeterville facility expected to open in summer 2012.

In mid-October, without conducting a safety study, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) issued an order to approve the Children's Memorial Hospital rooftop heliport proposal.  SOAR strongly disagrees with IDOT's decision, and has now filed a formal motion with IDOT to rehear the matter and reverse the order.

The many serious and significant safety issues and concerns raised by SOAR's aviation safety and aerospace engineering experts still remain, including the absence of legitimate available emergency landing areas per the City of Chicago's Municipal Code, the escape route into a surrounding high rise (Water Tower Place), and the ability of pilots to have accurate site-based wind and weather information from which to make decisions.

We can do more but we need your assistance.  Please make a donation that will be restricted and used to underwrite additional professional services needed to continue to fully participate in IDOT’s review of this proposal. 

SOAR is an independent and non-partisan 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Donations can be made online by clicking the "Donate" button below.  Donations to SOAR are secured and processed through PayPal, and may be made by credit card or through a PayPal account.