A Helipad?!

First I would like to excuse for my bad English, I come from Germany. I read already for a long time in this forum and that my first contribution. I read many books and look mentioned locations on google earth etc. Now I always locate a symbol. It looks like a helipad. However this symbol comes from German history, right? I must confess I don't know much about it. What has to mean? Can someone say to me?







Picture 1 is located on San Clemente Island (Navy Base?!)

Picture 2 at White Sands

Ive seen this symbol on google earth a few times and just passed over it after a brief pause, i dont know what it is or represents i am now intrigued, maybe one of the military experts on ATS can help? gonna keep an eye on this thread because i am interested also..

Well first of all it may refer to a point. Like "Land HERE x", or X marks the spot.

Then some references:

www.symbols.com...
www.symbols.com...

But most probably it's the 'X Marks the Spot' thing..

Also, from here:

en.wikipedia.org...

Unit Symbol: Aviation (rotary wing), that's a landing pad for a double rotary wind (4 blades) helicopter.

Ive found another interessting page that shows landing signs for Helicopters... but the exact sign i dont found

Look here

[edit on 8-11-2007 by Karalanta]

Pic 1 does indeed appear to be a little used helipad on San Clemente Island. I spent some time there in the early 1990s and can verify that it is indeed a Navy facility.

As an aside, the most interesting piece of Clemente for conspiracy/secret installation buffs is the E/NE corner of the island, as I recall

It's an Iron Cross that was awarded to German Soldiers during war time.

Iron Cross

Originally posted by Valdimer
It's an Iron Cross that was awarded to German Soldiers during war time.

Iron Cross

I had mentioned that already, but it just resembles the one on the pics. As you can see the points of this 4 point cross do not meet in the center... I guess it's just an X marks the spot, maybe that's not even a landing pad, maybe it's a target for bomb-dropping training...

Sure, but why is a "german" iron cross on different Helipad's arround the world? Yes the N/NE Corner of the island may be very interessting but the only thing you see are the famous google clouds *lol*. I spent ~4hours yesterday @ google to search for pics of helipads, but don't find any comparable.

And when "X marks...." for bombs or other weapons, why is it located near buildings? And why a "iron cross"? *lol* let's bomb some damn nazi's? I'am very confused about this

I don't honestly believe it has anything to do with this but the Germans were the first to design and use rotary wing aircraft.

Originally posted by MastaG

Originally posted by Valdimer
It's an Iron Cross that was awarded to German Soldiers during war time.

Iron Cross

I had mentioned that already, but it just resembles the one on the pics. As you can see the points of this 4 point cross do not meet in the center... I guess it's just an X marks the spot, maybe that's not even a landing pad, maybe it's a target for bomb-dropping training...

The symbols don't look like any "X marks the spot" I've ever seen. If anything, it more closely resembles the Iron Cross which both you and I stated.

Why it's there? I don't know. I just know what it looks like to me.

The Maltese cross is identified as the symbol of an order of Christian warriors known as the Knights Hospitaller or Knights of Malta. It was originally the symbol of Amalfi, a small Italian republic of the 11th century. The cross is eight-pointed and has the form of four "V"-shaped arms joined together at their bases, so that each arm has two points. Its design is based on crosses used since the First Crusade. The eight points are said to symbolise the chivalric virtues:

Loyalty
Piety
Frankness
Bravery
Glory and honour
Contempt of death
Helpfulness towards the poor and the sick
Respect for the church

en.wikipedia.org...

Kind of a masonic thinga majiggy

Not sure why the symbol is placed where it is, but I assure you it is not telling them to land there. You don't land hellicopters ON the runway.
That would prevent any other planes from landing now wouldn't it.
I'm a pilot and have never seen that symbol on or near a runway before.

reply to post by JustTheFacts

if you notice its not on the runway its in close proximity to a runway. im geussing this may be for VTOL aircraft like harriers because its way too small for a osprey but im just guessing.

Ironcross helipads are found all over the world. Someone has logged at least 62 of them on google earth.
Might be an old way of marking a helipad. Using the ironcross may have been done so as not to confuse pilots with a regular cross which meant the runway is closed. Just a guess though.

[edit on 11-11-2007 by assassini]