diff --git a/src/Airports/GenAirports850/airport.cxx b/src/Airports/GenAirports850/airport.cxx
index f9e21d11..b8e5a44b 100644
--- a/src/Airports/GenAirports850/airport.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/GenAirports850/airport.cxx
@@ -566,8 +566,8 @@ void Airport::BuildBtg(const string& root, const string_list& elev_src )
     }
     for (unsigned int i=0; i<helipads.size(); i++)
     {
-        apt_lon += helipads[i]->GetLoc().x();
-        apt_lat += helipads[i]->GetLoc().y();
+        apt_lon += helipads[i]->GetLoc().getLongitudeDeg();
+        apt_lat += helipads[i]->GetLoc().getLatitudeDeg();
         num_samples++;
     }
     apt_lon = apt_lon / (double)num_samples;
diff --git a/src/Airports/GenAirports850/helipad.cxx b/src/Airports/GenAirports850/helipad.cxx
index e694dbf2..63731440 100644
--- a/src/Airports/GenAirports850/helipad.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/GenAirports850/helipad.cxx
@@ -46,9 +46,7 @@ superpoly_list Helipad::gen_helipad_lights(double maxsize){
     point_list y_normals; y_normals.clear();
 
     // Vector calculation
-    Point3D vec = sgGeodToCart( GetLoc() * SG_DEGREES_TO_RADIANS );
-    double length = vec.distance3D( Point3D(0.0) );
-    vec = vec / length;
+    SGVec3d vec = normalize(SGVec3d::fromGeod(GetLoc()));
 
     // Create yellow edge lights, 5m spacing
     int divs = (int)(maxsize / 5.0);
@@ -60,19 +58,15 @@ superpoly_list Helipad::gen_helipad_lights(double maxsize){
         inc = (area.get_pt(0, i==3 ? 0 : i+1) - area.get_pt(0,i)) / divs;
         for ( int j = 0; j < divs; ++j) {
             y_lights.push_back( pt);
-            y_normals.push_back( vec );
+            y_normals.push_back(Point3D::fromSGVec3(vec));
             pt += inc;
         }
     }
 
     // Create a circle of yellow lights where the white texture circle is
-    double lat = 0, lon = 0, az;
     for (int deg = 0; deg < 360; deg += 45){
-        geo_direct_wgs_84(0, heli.lat, heli.lon, deg ,
-                          maxsize * 0.46 , &lat, &lon, &az );
-
-        y_lights.push_back( Point3D( lon, lat, 0.0 ) );
-        y_normals.push_back( vec );
+        y_lights.push_back( Point3D::fromSGGeod( SGGeodesy::direct(GetLoc(), deg, maxsize * 0.46)) );
+        y_normals.push_back( Point3D::fromSGVec3(vec) );
     }
 
     TGPolygon lights_poly; lights_poly.erase();
@@ -141,7 +135,7 @@ void Helipad::BuildBtg( superpoly_list *rwy_polys,
         area_side = true;
     }
 
-    TGPolygon helipad = gen_wgs84_area( GetLoc(), maxsize, 0, 0, maxsize, heli.heading, false);
+    TGPolygon helipad = gen_wgs84_area( Point3D::fromSGGeod(GetLoc()), maxsize, 0, 0, maxsize, heli.heading, false);
     helipad = snap( helipad, gSnap );
     string material, shoulder_mat;
     if (heli.surface == 1)
diff --git a/src/Airports/GenAirports850/helipad.hxx b/src/Airports/GenAirports850/helipad.hxx
index fb6b5535..5193b9e6 100644
--- a/src/Airports/GenAirports850/helipad.hxx
+++ b/src/Airports/GenAirports850/helipad.hxx
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ public:
     Helipad(char* def);
     void BuildBtg( superpoly_list* heli_polys, texparams_list* texparams, superpoly_list* heli_lights, ClipPolyType* accum, poly_list& slivers, TGPolygon* apt_base, TGPolygon* apt_clearing );
 
-    Point3D GetLoc()
+    SGGeod GetLoc()
     {
-        return Point3D( heli.lon, heli.lat, 0.0f );
+        return SGGeod::fromDeg(heli.lon, heli.lat);
     }
 
     bool GetsShoulder()
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ private:
     // (return result points in degrees)
     TGPolygon gen_runway_area_w_extend( double alt_m, double length_extend, double displ1, double displ2, double width_extend )
     {
-        return ( gen_wgs84_area( GetLoc(), heli.length + 2.0*length_extend, displ1, displ2, heli.width + 2.0*width_extend, heli.heading, false) );
+        return ( gen_wgs84_area( Point3D::fromSGGeod(GetLoc()), heli.length + 2.0*length_extend, displ1, displ2, heli.width + 2.0*width_extend, heli.heading, false) );
     }
 
     superpoly_list gen_helipad_lights(double maxsize);
diff --git a/src/Airports/GenAirports850/scheduler.cxx b/src/Airports/GenAirports850/scheduler.cxx
index 16ec58ce..747b03ca 100644
--- a/src/Airports/GenAirports850/scheduler.cxx
+++ b/src/Airports/GenAirports850/scheduler.cxx
@@ -722,7 +722,7 @@ bool Scheduler::AddAirports( long start_pos, float min_lat, float min_lon, float
 					// a winner
 					{ 
 						Helipad* helipad = new Helipad(def);
-						Point3D  loc = helipad->GetLoc();
+						Point3D  loc = Point3D::fromSGGeod(helipad->GetLoc()) ;
 						if ( (loc.x() >= min_lon ) && 
 						     (loc.y() >= min_lat ) &&
 							 (loc.x() <= max_lon ) &&