diff --git a/src/Airports/apt_loader.cxx b/src/Airports/apt_loader.cxx
index c23d491e7..c223890fc 100644
--- a/src/Airports/apt_loader.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/apt_loader.cxx
@@ -436,7 +436,7 @@ private:
     const string& rwy_no(token[1]);
     int surface_code = atoi( token[7].c_str() );
 
-    cache->insertRunway(FGPositioned::RUNWAY, rwy_no, pos,
+    cache->insertRunway(FGPositioned::HELIPAD, rwy_no, pos,
                         currentAirportID, heading, length,
                         width, 0.0, 0.0, surface_code);
   }
diff --git a/src/Airports/runwaybase.cxx b/src/Airports/runwaybase.cxx
index 9bcee4e42..83c838926 100644
--- a/src/Airports/runwaybase.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/runwaybase.cxx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 // runwaybase.cxx -- a base class for runways and taxiways
 //
-// Written by James Turber, started December 2008.
+// Written by James Turner, started December 2008.
 //
 // Copyright (C) 2000  Curtis L. Olson  - http://www.flightgear.org/~curt
 //
diff --git a/src/Airports/runways.cxx b/src/Airports/runways.cxx
index 70a2ee1b8..753eaf0d5 100644
--- a/src/Airports/runways.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/runways.cxx
@@ -202,3 +202,14 @@ std::vector<flightgear::Approach*> FGRunway::getApproaches() const
   return result;
 }
 
+FGHelipad::FGHelipad(PositionedID aGuid,
+                        PositionedID aAirport, const string& aIdent,
+                        const SGGeod& aGeod,
+                        const double heading, const double length,
+                        const double width,
+                        const int surface_code) :
+  FGRunwayBase(aGuid, RUNWAY, aIdent, aGeod,
+               heading, length, width, surface_code),
+  _airport(aAirport)
+{
+}
diff --git a/src/Airports/runways.hxx b/src/Airports/runways.hxx
index 36f342c00..0c4cd4e37 100644
--- a/src/Airports/runways.hxx
+++ b/src/Airports/runways.hxx
@@ -134,4 +134,17 @@ public:
   
 };
 
+class FGHelipad : public FGRunwayBase
+{
+  PositionedID _airport;
+public:
+    FGHelipad(PositionedID aGuid,
+           PositionedID aAirport, const std::string& rwy_no,
+            const SGGeod& aGeod,
+            const double heading, const double length,
+            const double width,
+            const int surface_code);
+};
+
+
 #endif // _FG_RUNWAYS_HXX
diff --git a/src/Airports/simple.cxx b/src/Airports/simple.cxx
index 769e4abcc..1ed7e9934 100644
--- a/src/Airports/simple.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/simple.cxx
@@ -131,6 +131,12 @@ unsigned int FGAirport::numRunways() const
   return mRunways.size();
 }
 
+unsigned int FGAirport::numHelipads() const
+{
+  loadHelipads();
+  return mHelipads.size();
+}
+
 FGRunway* FGAirport::getRunwayByIndex(unsigned int aIndex) const
 {
   loadRunways();
@@ -139,6 +145,14 @@ FGRunway* FGAirport::getRunwayByIndex(unsigned int aIndex) const
   return (FGRunway*) flightgear::NavDataCache::instance()->loadById(mRunways[aIndex]);
 }
 
+FGHelipad* FGAirport::getHelipadByIndex(unsigned int aIndex) const
+{
+  loadHelipads();
+
+  assert(aIndex >= 0 && aIndex < mHelipads.size());
+  return (FGHelipad*) flightgear::NavDataCache::instance()->loadById(mHelipads[aIndex]);
+}
+
 bool FGAirport::hasRunwayWithIdent(const string& aIdent) const
 {
   return flightgear::NavDataCache::instance()->airportItemWithIdent(guid(), FGPositioned::RUNWAY, aIdent) != 0;
@@ -356,6 +370,18 @@ void FGAirport::loadRunways() const
   mRunways = flightgear::NavDataCache::instance()->airportItemsOfType(guid(), FGPositioned::RUNWAY);
 }
 
+void FGAirport::loadHelipads() const
+{
+  if (mHelipadsLoaded) {
+    return; // already loaded, great
+  }
+
+  loadSceneryDefinitions();
+
+  mHelipadsLoaded = true;
+  mHelipads = flightgear::NavDataCache::instance()->airportItemsOfType(guid(), FGPositioned::HELIPAD);
+}
+
 void FGAirport::loadTaxiways() const
 {
   if (mTaxiwaysLoaded) {
diff --git a/src/Airports/simple.hxx b/src/Airports/simple.hxx
index 86045277e..a628712b0 100644
--- a/src/Airports/simple.hxx
+++ b/src/Airports/simple.hxx
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 // forward decls
 class FGAirportDynamics;
 class FGRunway;
+class FGHelipad;
 class FGTaxiway;
 class FGPavement;
 class SGPropertyNode;
@@ -102,7 +103,9 @@ public:
     FGAirportDynamics *getDynamics();
     
     unsigned int numRunways() const;
+    unsigned int numHelipads() const;
     FGRunway* getRunwayByIndex(unsigned int aIndex) const;
+    FGHelipad* getHelipadByIndex(unsigned int aIndex) const;
 
     bool hasRunwayWithIdent(const std::string& aIdent) const;
     FGRunway* getRunwayByIdent(const std::string& aIdent) const;
@@ -245,7 +248,7 @@ private:
     void validateTowerData() const;
     
     /**
-     * Helper to parse property data loaded from an ICAO.twr.xml filke
+     * Helper to parse property data loaded from an ICAO.twr.xml file
      */
     void readTowerData(SGPropertyNode* aRoot);
     
@@ -254,16 +257,19 @@ private:
     FGAirportDynamics *_dynamics;
 
     void loadRunways() const;
+    void loadHelipads() const;
     void loadTaxiways() const;
     void loadProcedures() const;
     
     mutable bool mTowerDataLoaded;
     mutable bool mRunwaysLoaded;
+    mutable bool mHelipadsLoaded;
     mutable bool mTaxiwaysLoaded;
     mutable bool mProceduresLoaded;
     bool mILSDataLoaded;
   
     mutable PositionedIDVec mRunways;
+    mutable PositionedIDVec mHelipads;
     mutable PositionedIDVec mTaxiways;
     PositionedIDVec mPavements;
     
diff --git a/src/GUI/MapWidget.cxx b/src/GUI/MapWidget.cxx
index a161e822a..778cd72a7 100644
--- a/src/GUI/MapWidget.cxx
+++ b/src/GUI/MapWidget.cxx
@@ -1195,22 +1195,27 @@ void MapWidget::drawAirport(FGAirport* apt)
   }
 
   for (unsigned int r=0; r<apt->numRunways(); ++r) {
-    FGRunway* rwy = apt->getRunwayByIndex(r);
-		if (!rwy->isReciprocal()) {
-			drawRunwayPre(rwy);
-		}
+      FGRunway* rwy = apt->getRunwayByIndex(r);
+      if (!rwy->isReciprocal()) {
+          drawRunwayPre(rwy);
+      }
   }
 
-	for (unsigned int r=0; r<apt->numRunways(); ++r) {
-		FGRunway* rwy = apt->getRunwayByIndex(r);
-		if (!rwy->isReciprocal()) {
-			drawRunway(rwy);
-		}
+  for (unsigned int r=0; r<apt->numRunways(); ++r) {
+      FGRunway* rwy = apt->getRunwayByIndex(r);
+      if (!rwy->isReciprocal()) {
+          drawRunway(rwy);
+      }
 
-		if (rwy->ILS()) {
-			drawILS(false, rwy);
-		}
-	} // of runway iteration
+      if (rwy->ILS()) {
+          drawILS(false, rwy);
+      }
+  }
+
+  for (unsigned int r=0; r<apt->numHelipads(); ++r) {
+      FGHelipad* hp = apt->getHelipadByIndex(r);
+      drawHelipad(hp);
+  }  // of runway iteration
 
 }
 
@@ -1392,6 +1397,32 @@ void MapWidget::drawTraffic()
   } // of ai/models iteration
 }
 
+void MapWidget::drawHelipad(FGHelipad* hp)
+{
+  SGVec2d pos = project(hp->geod());
+  glLineWidth(1.0);
+  glColor3f(1.0, 1.0, 1.0);
+  circleAt(pos, 16, 5.0);
+
+  if (validDataForKey(hp)) {
+    setAnchorForKey(hp, pos);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  char buffer[1024];
+  ::snprintf(buffer, 1024, "%s\n%03d\n%.0f'",
+             hp->ident().c_str(),
+             displayHeading(hp->headingDeg()),
+             hp->lengthFt());
+
+  MapData* d = createDataForKey(hp);
+  d->setText(buffer);
+  d->setLabel(hp->ident());
+  d->setPriority(40);
+  d->setOffset(MapData::HALIGN_CENTER | MapData::VALIGN_BOTTOM, 8);
+  d->setAnchor(pos);
+}
+
 void MapWidget::drawAIAircraft(const SGPropertyNode* model, const SGGeod& pos, double hdg)
 {
 
diff --git a/src/GUI/MapWidget.hxx b/src/GUI/MapWidget.hxx
index b759602bd..e855a2fce 100644
--- a/src/GUI/MapWidget.hxx
+++ b/src/GUI/MapWidget.hxx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 // forward decls
 class FGRouteMgr;
 class FGRunway;
+class FGHelipad;
 class FGAirport;
 class FGNavRecord;
 class FGFix;
@@ -58,6 +59,7 @@ private:
   int scoreAirportRunways(FGAirport* apt);
   void drawRunwayPre(FGRunway* rwy);
   void drawRunway(FGRunway* rwy);
+  void drawHelipad(FGHelipad* hp);
   void drawILS(bool tuned, FGRunway* rwy);
   
   void drawNavaids();
diff --git a/src/Navaids/NavDataCache.cxx b/src/Navaids/NavDataCache.cxx
index e4d681eec..3cc8a255e 100644
--- a/src/Navaids/NavDataCache.cxx
+++ b/src/Navaids/NavDataCache.cxx
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ using std::string;
 namespace {
 
 const int MAX_RETRIES = 10;
-const int SCHEMA_VERSION = 6;
+const int SCHEMA_VERSION = 7;
 const int CACHE_SIZE_KBYTES= 16000;
     
 // bind a std::string to a sqlite statement. The std::string must live the
@@ -724,6 +724,9 @@ public:
     if (ty == FGPositioned::TAXIWAY) {
       reset(loadRunwayStmt);
       return new FGTaxiway(rowId, id, pos, heading, lengthM, widthM, surface);
+    } else if (ty == FGPositioned::HELIPAD) {
+        reset(loadRunwayStmt);
+        return new FGHelipad(rowId, apt, id, pos, heading, lengthM, widthM, surface);
     } else {
       double displacedThreshold = sqlite3_column_double(loadRunwayStmt, 4);
       double stopway = sqlite3_column_double(loadRunwayStmt, 5);
@@ -1020,6 +1023,7 @@ FGPositioned* NavDataCache::NavDataCachePrivate::loadById(sqlite3_int64 rowid)
       return new AirportTower(rowid, aptId, ident, pos);
       
     case FGPositioned::RUNWAY:
+    case FGPositioned::HELIPAD:
     case FGPositioned::TAXIWAY:
       return loadRunway(rowid, ty, ident, pos, aptId);
       
@@ -1516,7 +1520,7 @@ NavDataCache::insertRunway(FGPositioned::Type ty, const string& ident,
 {
   // only runways are spatially indexed; don't bother indexing taxiways
   // or pavements
-  bool spatialIndex = (ty == FGPositioned::RUNWAY);
+  bool spatialIndex = ( ty == FGPositioned::RUNWAY || ty == FGPositioned::HELIPAD);
   
   sqlite3_int64 rowId = d->insertPositioned(ty, cleanRunwayNo(ident), "", pos, apt,
                                             spatialIndex);
diff --git a/src/Navaids/positioned.hxx b/src/Navaids/positioned.hxx
index e978bb6d6..7aaaf22ad 100644
--- a/src/Navaids/positioned.hxx
+++ b/src/Navaids/positioned.hxx
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ public:
     HELIPORT,
     SEAPORT,
     RUNWAY,
+    HELIPAD,
     TAXIWAY,
     PAVEMENT,
     WAYPOINT,