Winch/Hoist Operation under IFR or in IMC

[Hidden Agenda]

In another thread the following reference to FARs was stated:

Ҥ 133.33 Operating rules.

f) No person may conduct rotorcraft external-load operations under IFR unless specifically approved by the Administrator. However, under no circumstances may a person be carried as part of the external-load under IFR.”


The Flight Manual supplement for hoist operations on at least one Bell Helicopter states:

Hoist operations shall be conducted under appropriate operating rules for external loads

Hoist operations are prohibited during instrument meteorological conditions.

How is it possible to legally carryout winching, involving the transfer of people, for such tasks as SAR, EMS, Harbour Pilot Transfers, etc. when in IMC and / or IFR, which in many parts of the world is when the visibility is 8 km or less or it is night?

[rotorque]

I believe you have to look at the "intention" of the rule......

It would be a cold day in hell that I would (or should I say could) actually DO a winch in IMC, regardless of whether it was legal or not.

In all circumstances that I have come across, I can conduct the operation visually and it is only a technicality that I am still under the Instrument Flight Rules. A quick radio call to 'flight service' changing our catagory alleviates this problem.

In Australia, we can conduct night winches (other than overwater) under the Night Visual Flight Rules. Or, we may fly to the job under the IFR, but can only conduct the operation visually........... I really do think it is common sense.

As far as sling loads go, I remember a story in PNG of the Russians slinging a container on a 500 foot line in IMC....... The only thing the guys on the ground could see was the container flying all by itself just below the clound base.

[NickLappos]

To extend rotorque's logic, how can you hover under IMC if Vmin IFR is 55 knots or so?

The issue is that you are not operating under IFR while hovering in an approved SAR helicopter, and since you are using an approved flight control system with auto-hover, you are not in IMC, either (go figure!)

BTW, try looking in the RFM for the HV curve while hovering on that approved mission!

I suggest that you interpret the prohibition as the same as "Do not shoot an ILS in IMC with someone on the hoist"

[Thud_and_Blunder]

It's not like the UK to have a useful rule, but the extension of the definition of VFR for helis (less than 140 kts?) to include "clear of cloud and in sight of the surface" looks like it gets us out of this particular spot of bother.