HEMS minima outside Europe?

[ODEN]

I am looking for information about HEMS minima outside Europe (EASA).
Anyone who knows the weather minima for dispatch in USA and Australia?

Reg

[Devil 49]

Excerpt from first page:

"A021. Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) HQ Control: 11/14/08

Operations HQ Revision: 040

a. The certificate holder is authorized to conduct helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS)/air ambulance operations in accordance with 14 CFR Part 135 and this operations specification. (HEMS and air ambulance terms are used interchangeably.)

b. The certificate holder is authorized to conduct takeoff and landing operations provided the site used is adequate for the proposed operation considering the size, type of surface, surrounding obstructions, and lighting. During night operations, the lighting source must provide adequate illumination of the takeoff/landing area and of any obstructions that may create potential hazards during approach, hovering, taxiing, and departure operations.

c. The flight crew must satisfactorily complete the certificate holder’s approved training program prior to commencing HEMS/air ambulance flights.
d. If the purpose of a flight or sequence of flights includes a part 135 segment, then all VFR segments of the flight, including the tail-end ferry flight, must be conducted either in accordance with the applicable weather minimums contained in subparagraph- e, Table 1- Weather Minimums, or
paragraph- h, and the flight planning requirements contained in subparagraph- i, or under IFR.

e. The certificate holder is authorized to use no lower than the Visual Flight Rules (VFR) weather minimums in Table-1 below when operating in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace for the conditions specified when conducting HEMS/air ambulance work, subject to subparagraphs f, g, h, i and j.

Table 1 – Weather Minimums
Area & Condition
Non-Mountainous Mountainous (see 14 CFR 95)
Local Cross Country Local Cross Country
Ceiling-visibility Day
800-2 800-3 800-3 1000-3

Night – Equipped with Night Vision Imaging System (NVIS) or Terrain awareness Warning System
800-3 1000-3 1000-3 1000-5

Night – Without NVIS or TAWS
1000-3 1000-5 1500-3 1500-5

Note: Refer to Subparagraph G for NVIS utilization"

Much clear in tabular form, and 3 more pages required to be included.

[ODEN]

Txs Devil.

What units are the viz in? In Europe we use km...

[tottigol]

Miles, ceilings are in feet.

[SASless]

Same as posted before...but a bit easier to read perhaps.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afs/afs200/branches/afs250/media/OpSpecA021.pdf

[ShyTorque]

Interesting to note that those night limits for NVIS ops are less restrictive than for those without.

The RAF decreed some years ago, when NVGs were being more widely introduced, that unaided visual flight was to be referred to as "reversionary night flying" i.e. all SH ops were in future to be flown using NVG.

At the same time, published weather limits for SH night ops were reduced, across the board (less restrictive).

The Puma was flown single pilot back then, we carried a navigator in the left seat. Some of us (Puma Staff QHIs, Operational Conversion Unit) were concerned that an NVG mission launched with weather close to the (NVG) limits would be outside of the "reversionary night flying" limits.

In other words, if a pilot's NVG failed due to a fault (or simply snowflaked out due to insufficient ambient light), he would by definition be breaking the rules even if he turned back. He was effectively in IMC, which required an immediate climb to safety altitude. If there was no IFR climb option (icing limits, or equally as common with the Puma, insufficient fuel carried) it would put the pilot in an extremely difficult situation.

After some sensible discussion, someone up the chain agreed with our argument and the rules were changed so that the same limits applied both for "unaided visual" limits/ RNF) and for NVG operations.

If NVG flight was no longer possible, the pilot could at least legally turn back or continue if possible, provided the other requirements of the mission allowed.

[alouette3]

Shy Torque,
While A021 has been adopted, companies are still free to have higher minimums in the General Operations Manual.My company does and clearly states that all decisions are to based on unaided minima even though NVGs are to be used.
Alt3