Australia IFR Charter helicopter > 5700 kg

[peter manktelow]

Australian Operations.
I have had quoted to me a requirement that a helicopter with a maximum all up weight in excess of 5,700 kilograms operating in the charter category MUST be flight planned as IFR. Ie it cannot be filed under the VFR

Can anyone out there please.....

1. confirm or otherwise.

2. Advise the CASA or Air Services CAO , AIP , CASR (or whatever) regulation , so that I can "eye ball" this myself.

Thank you

Peter

[ersa]

CAO 20.18 subsection 3.2 , allows the helicopter to fly day vfr only.

If you require NVFR , it will need to go IFR.

So yes it can Day VFR only

[spinwing]

Mmmm ...

Pete as per ERSA above .... there as far as I can remember NOTHING that mandates that an a/c above 5700Kg MTOW MUST fly IFR (in daytime) ...

For 'Charter' though the a/c Must be nav aid equipped so as to be IFR capable and at night the pilot MUST be either Ngt Vfr or IFR rated.

My quick perusal of Jepps ATC General Flight Procedures section AU-506 refers ....

Cheers ....



P S John Eacott might be more up to date that I !!!!!

[John Eacott]

Manky,

There is some confusion at the moment as there are swingeing restrictions coming in under the new 133, but they're not legislated yet. They will restrict Charter ops compared to what we have now.

But for current ops there is no legislation that requires 5,700kg helicopters to operate IFR for Charter, especially since 5700kg is no longer a reference to anything much relating to helicopters! 2750kg mandates most things helicopterish.

SW, night ops currently require the pilot to be IR for passenger carrying NVFR with the helicopter required to be NVFR approved and multi engine: non pax night ops can be single engine and the pilot night rated only (not IR). Under 133 this will change for passenger carrying Charter Ops with the helicopter having to be IFR and multi engine.

[spinwing]

Mmmmmm ...

Thank you John. :ok:

[Nigel Osborn]

Come on Manky at your age you & John are too old to try flying IF still.:ok: