I have recieved a few calls requesting the proposed crewman standards for NVG in Aus, and here they are. All comments welcome, but substantiated safety-case based ones especially welcome!
Delta TQ: did you have any specific comments on the pilot standards proposed above, other than insufficient hours? Do they make you feel any more comfortable with all the controls detailed?
Of considerable debate was the percieved need for Aircrew Members to have some sort of medical, and I would like some feedback on that issue from crewmen. As CASA has not yet licenced or controlled crewmen training, qualifications, duty times, etc the ratified industry position is as below: only those standards required by the operator need be met.
The PROPOSED Aircrewman Standards:
NVG Aircrew Member Instructor. It is recognised that there are currently no formal qualifications or licensing requirements in other legislation detailing the Aircrew Member. Until such formal recognition is achieved, operators who intend using a NVG Qualified Aircrew Member to fulfil the NVG minimum crew requirements shall ensure that the position and duties of an NVG Aircrew Member Instructor are formally recognised in their Operations Manual. The NVG Aircrew Member Instructor may be a pilot or Aircrew Member, but must meet the following minimum qualifications/experience:
i. Meet the minimum qualification requirements of an NVG Qualified Aircrew Member or NVG Qualified Pilot.
ii. Meet instructional experience, standards, and qualification requirements as stipulated in the Operations Manual for day and night (unaided) operations for the relevant crew position, and type of operation (i.e. observation, SAR, winch, or sling, etc).
iii. Have logged at least 20 hours of NVG Flight Time post a CASA recognised NVG qualification.
NVG Aircrew Member. Operators who intend using an Aircrew Member to fulfil the NVG minimum crew requirements shall ensure that the duties and position must be formally recognised in their Operations Manual. NVG Qualified Aircrew Members must meet the following minimum qualifications/experience:
i. Meet experience, standards, and qualification requirements as stipulated in the relevant Operations Manual for day and night (unaided) operations for the relevant crew position.
ii. Meets existing physical and medical standards prescribed by the operator’s Operations Manual.
iii. Have logged at least 50 hours flight time as an Aircrew Member post qualification.
iv. Have logged at least 10 hours night (unaided) flight time as an Aircrew Member, 5 hours of which must have been conducted in the 3 months leading up to the initial award of an NVG rating.
NVG Aircrew Member (Helicopter) Flight Training – 2.0 hours minimum NVG flight time.
The intent is to achieve competency in an NVG Aircrew Member to safely and effectively assist an NVG Pilot during take off, flight and navigation en-route across country, and descent, reconnoitre and landing or hovering to lit, unlit and unprepared HLSs using NVG. Due to the importance of the pre flight planning and goggle adjustment phases, it is intended that the lessons be conducted in no less than 2 flights, and expose the trainee to at least 1 flight in low illumination conditions such as those with little or no moon away from significant cultural lighting.
A trainee NVG Aircrew Member must be NVFR current and recent prior to commencement of NVG training flights, and is to be qualified/certified for advanced operational sequences, such as winching, etc, unaided prior to undergoing NVG training for those sequences. Training may be conducted concurrent to NVG pilot training, however, due consideration should be given to time lost to individual trainees on the same flight.
It is recognised that many operators will have a requirement for the Aircrew Member to fulfil other duties outside the basic provision of scan sector observation such as aided winching, or cockpit duties, etc whilst under NVG. Those operators should build instructional sequences and time to these basic minimums to achieve those competencies.