Originally Posted by
TeeS
Hi AAKEE
Our posts crossed and I had been thinking about mentioning requirements for PC1 but stopped short. If the rules haven't changed too much since I had my head buried in the books, no! PC1 is required (dependent upon seating capacity) for operations to/from a heliport in a congested and hostile environment. So, if you have a reasonable expectation of being able to carry out a safe forced landing in the event of an engine failure, then you may operate in PC2. That's my memory of the wording and I am aware that I have been away from the books for a while now and our Authority will almost certainly disagree!
Cheers
TeeS
@Tees; I think we are in a good agreement on why not to do the "hairy things" . I guess we wrote about about the same reasons at the same time.
Below,
not to write anyone on the nose but to make it clear that the things suggested as safer/better for HEMS will not be possible legal wise in the most cases. Or, someone can correct me, and then I'll learn some things I already should have known.
Takeoff and landing at a hospital fato at a congested hostile environment must be performed as PC1, regardless of seating capacity/MOPS. Both for homebase and other hospitals.
EASA SPA.HEMS:
Take-off and landing
(1) Helicopters that conduct operations to or from a final approach and take-off area (FATO) at a hospital that is located in a congested hostile environment and that is used as a HEMS operating base shall be operated in accordance with performance class 1.
(2) Helicopters that conduct operations to or from a FATO at a hospital that is located in a congested hostile environment and that is not a HEMS operating base shall be operated in accordance with performance class 1 except when the operator holds an approval in accordance with point CAT.POL.H.225.
The CAT.POL.H.225 doesn't open it up much:
Operations to/from a public interest site (PIS) may be conducted in performance class 2, without complying with CAT.POL.H.310(b) or CAT.POL.H.325(b), provided that all of the following are complied with:
(1) the site was established as a public interest site before 1 July 2002, or the site was established as a public interest site before 28 October 2014 and a derogation from this point granted under Article 6(6) has been notified to the Commission and the Agency before 14 June, 2023;
(2) the size of the PIS or obstacle environment does not permit compliance with the requirements for operation in performance class 1;
(3) the operation is conducted with a helicopter with an MOPSC of six or less;
(4) the operator complies with CAT.POL.H.305(b)(2) and (b)(3);
(5) the helicopter mass does not exceed the maximum mass specified in the AFM for a climb gradient of 8 % in still air at the appropriate take-off safety speed (VTOSS) with the critical engine inoperative and the remaining engines operating at an appropriate power rating; and
(6) the operator has obtained prior approval for the operation from the competent authority. Before such operations take place in another Member State, the operator shall obtain an endorsement from the competent authority of that State.
/Cheers & Happy New Year