My suggestion to Mr McGregor goes roughly as follows;-
Split Rule 5 into AEROPLANE and HELICOPTER
Rule 5 HELICOPTER
5. (1) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (b)
(a) a helicopter shall not fly closer than 500 feet to any
person, vessal, vehicle or structure other than:-
(i) landing and taking off in accordance with normal
aviation practice
(ii) flying under and in accordance with the terms of the
police operators certificate
(iii) carrying out flying training to practice autorotation
and confined area recconnaisance, approach,
manouvreing and departures
(b) a helicopter shall not fly closer than 1500 feet to a
congested area of a city, town or settlement, or a
gathering of 1000 people or more, nor below such a
height as would enable to alight clear in the event of
failure of a power unit, whichever is higher, except
(i) with permission in writing of the Authority and in
accordance with any conditions contained therein
specified.
(ii) under special conditions (SVFR) clearances issued by
a competant authority(ATSU), subject to 5.(1) (a)
Any objectors to this? I also added that paragraphs like the existing 5 (d) (ii) must be scrapped, as meaningless. Suggestion of burden removed from the rules which makes reference to action which are not placed upon other persons in charge of mechanical device. A bus driver is not bound to avoid persons and property in the event of a mechanical failure, nor is a mariner, nor is a taxi driver.
Spelling accepted, I would like to think this is something near to what we'd like to see as a Rule, but obviously written in legaleese.