These classifications have nothing to do with the FAA, and are simply the method the US Forest Service and other Government agencies demarcate the performance of various categories of helicopter. These are minimum performance requirements.
The categories are as follows;
Type 3 Standard and Restricted Category Helicopters.
Capability of hovering out-of-ground effect (HOGE) in the following conditions:
200 lbs for each required flight crewmember
1½ hours of fuel (includes reserve fuel). Use 7-lbs per gallon to compute weight of Jet A.
5000’ PA
30 °C
380 lbs (jettisonable payload)
Type 1 and Type 2 Standard and Restricted Category Helicopters
Capability of hovering out-of-ground effect (HOGE) in the following conditions:
200 lbs for each required flight crewmember
1½ hours of fuel (includes reserve fuel). Use 7-lbs per gallon to compute weight of Jet A.
5000’ PA
30 °C
Type 1 – 4500 lbs (jettisonable payload)
Type II – 1600 lbs (jettisonable payload)