Rappelling in Australia

[dzeroplus]

My understanding of rappelling from a helicopter (according to the CAO's):

Only to be conducted in a “real” situation or in training for a “real” situation, apologies for the lack of exact wording, no access to the regs at home (for my sanity!).

The following questions arise,

1 How keen are CASA to give a dispensation, if they can?

2 How do movie makers in Australia manage if fast roping is required for any action sequences?

3 Has anybody in Australia conducted rappelling outwith the military or police?

Thanks

[John Bicker]

Try here.............

Start at Part 29 and there is also reference to a CAAP.

CASA Site

[helmet fire]

dz:
1. Not keen. A Dispensation is not always required. Read the CAO yet?
2. Fast roping is not rappelling.
3. Military. Some Police (generally special squads). Nearly all rescue helicopters. Nearly all fire fighting agencies. Heaps of people.

Direct your movie people to experienced operators. Or are you just personally interested for interests sake?

[dzeroplus]

Helmet Fire

I do not have any intention of conducting rappelling ops, I just trying to satisfy my morbid fascination of the CASA regs and my interpretation versus theirs.

I have read the regs and your response and am still confused:

1 The CAO states:


8.1 The following rappelling operations (restricted rappelling operations):
(a) rappelling operations (other than training operations in rappelling) of the kind mentioned in paragraph (a) or (d) of the definition of rappelling in subsection 2;
(b) rappelling operations (other than training operations in rappelling) of the kind mentioned in paragraph (c) of the definition of rappelling in which persons are lowered from an helicopter;
are to be conducted only if:
(c) they are permitted under paragraph 8.2; or
(d) they are part of a rescue or other emergency operation conducted by emergency service personnel who have received advanced operational training in rappelling techniques.

8.2 CASA may, in writing, permit an operator to conduct restricted rappelling operations if:
(a) the only persons who rappel or are rappelled during the operations are:
(i) emergency service personnel who have received advanced
operational training in rappelling techniques; or
(ii) persons who have received advanced operational training in
rappelling techniques and are employed by an organisation that hires out the services of persons who have received such training; and
(b) CASA is satisfied that the operations are not likely to endanger the life of any person.



The above paragraph 8.1 c and d, IMHO, is the bit that states you can only rappel in a rescue situation (not a movie set) or with a CASA dispensation, unless you wish to lower an object from an airborne helicopter (see b) below in regard to the definition of rappelling).




2 According to the CASA definition of rappelling:

rappelling means any of the following:
(a) lowering oneself from an airborne helicopter by going down a rope hanging from the helicopter;
(b) lowering an object from an airborne helicopter by controlled release fromthe helicopter of a rope to which the object is tied;
(c) lowering a person or object down a rope hanging from an airborne helicopter, with descent of the object or person controlled by a person on the ground;
(d) coming down from, or going up to, an airborne helicopter by using a flexible ladder hanging from the helicopter.



The above paragraph a) IMHO is fast roping?



3 The “heaps of people” you mention according to my understanding of rappelling would be rappelling in a real rescue situation or have a dispensation from CASA?




For the sake of the perdantics out there, I am aware that the following are also required:



Flight manual supplement for rappelling or winching

the only persons who are winched during the operations are emergency
service personnel who have received advanced operational winching
training on land

A pilot may not act as part of the flight crew of a helicopter engaged in
winching and/or rappelling operations unless he/she has satisfactorily
completed a course of training for winching or rappelling operations, as
appropriate, and a certificate to that effect has been issued by an approved
person.

Except in the case of actual rescue operations or emergency situations,
winching and/or rappelling operations at a specific location in a city, town or
populous area may only be conducted subject to the following conditions:
(a) The guidelines in CAAP 92-2 shall be met.
(b) Persons not directly involved in the winching and/or rappelling operations
shall be kept clear of the site over which the helicopter is authorised to
manoeuvre during the course of the operations.
(c) During winching and/or rappelling operations on the roof of a building,
floors shall be cleared of personnel down to a level where the local fire
authorities can provide adequate rescue facilities. In all cases, except in an
actual emergency operation, the four floors immediately below the roof
shall be evacuated.

The company’s operations manual shall include instructions to pilots,
aircrewmen/winch operators and other personnel involved in the conduct of
winching and/or rappelling operations, as appropriate, and shall cover, in
detail:
(a) equipment pre-flight and serviceability checks;
(b) all normal and emergency operating drills and procedures;
(c) operating crew duties;
(d) intercom procedures and phraseology;
(e) pilot qualifications, training and recency requirements; and
(f) aircrewman/winch operator qualifications, training and recency
requirements