The IAA wants the OAM 08/00 being seen as rules. However the document state say they are only guidelines!
If you land in a confined area, something helicopters are made for, you might get a letter inviting you to talk about it. The IAA wants you to have at least 143 meters free take-off distance, behind that only minor obstacles for the remaining 350 meters (R44). For an AS350 even 200 meters.
Now as I understand from some JAA instructors here, they don't even train pilots for confined areas, because training has to be done at a licensed airfield, so they only train 'simulated' confined area's!!!! This guy was properly trained in the States so he had plenty of confined area training.
Ireland is very strict with the regulations and guidelines, and way more so then the UK or any other country in Europe (I flew in most of them).
Last edited by wesp; 8th Oct 2008 at 20:02.