Thames Valley Air Ambulance
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The main reasons that we chose the 902 for our joint Police / HEMS operation were:
1. Excellent Grp A performance & payload
2. Enormous cabin to cope with all the kit needed for the dual role
3. High main rotor and no tail rotor giving excellent safety for ad hoc landing sites
4. Its very quiet !
As a footnote to the above, we've done night HEMS for years and I wouldn't even contemplate it in a HEMS aircraft with no FLIR.
It IS night HEMS, we operate under a PAOC with a HEMS approval from the CAA. The rules we work to are in the HEMS appendix to the PAOM and are a straight lift from JAROPS. The key bit of kit for night single pilot HEMS ops as far as the CAA are concerned is an autopilot which is why we can do it in the 902 but not in the 105.
1. Excellent Grp A performance & payload
2. Enormous cabin to cope with all the kit needed for the dual role
3. High main rotor and no tail rotor giving excellent safety for ad hoc landing sites
4. Its very quiet !
As a footnote to the above, we've done night HEMS for years and I wouldn't even contemplate it in a HEMS aircraft with no FLIR.
It IS night HEMS, we operate under a PAOC with a HEMS approval from the CAA. The rules we work to are in the HEMS appendix to the PAOM and are a straight lift from JAROPS. The key bit of kit for night single pilot HEMS ops as far as the CAA are concerned is an autopilot which is why we can do it in the 902 but not in the 105.
Last edited by Bearintheair; 23rd May 2002 at 19:30.
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Apart from the special case of PAOC HEMS, "ordinary" HEMS is surely done with a normal AOC. To fly at night Commercial Air Transport you don't need an IFR aircraft (so long as you remain VMC), but single pilot it must have a working autopilot.
Does anyone do non-PAOC HEMS at night?? I would have thought it was difficult to land at ad hoc sites (unlit) at night within the AOC rules.
[The above refers to UK, but then I think most everyone else on this thread was talking UK too]
Does anyone do non-PAOC HEMS at night?? I would have thought it was difficult to land at ad hoc sites (unlit) at night within the AOC rules.
[The above refers to UK, but then I think most everyone else on this thread was talking UK too]
902Jon: London HEMS is unique in that the helo is fitted with 2 Gyros which are separately sourced. Should one fail (pilot/co-pilot) then the other takes over. No other 902 has this fit in the Uk. That is why they are allowed to do night HEMS/IMC.
Bearintheair: I suspect you haven't been doing night HEMS for years because until the JAR OPs 30005d appendix was adopted by PAOC holders, it was called 'casevac' which was a specific role (police) utilised to assist those with an 'immediate threat to life'!
Why do you need 'FLIR' for night HEMS?????? Are you flying on this during your landings and takeoffs??????
In the police world only 2 (I think) do night HEMS:
Wilts and Sussex (in fact I'm not sure if it's only one of these).
They do it single pilot, because:
(a) They have auto pilot (serviceable!)
(b) The CAA have allowed them to fly 'specific to their geographical area' with only one pilot. Unlike us who would never get this dispensation!
(c) They have a qualified 'HEMS' crewmember onboard.
(d) They must remain VMC.
The caveat 'night casevac' remains. All police helos can do night casevacs whenever and wherever they wish provided they comply with the PAOM 1. Though I suspect this will be removed when the PSAOM comes out.
Your turn..................
Bearintheair: I suspect you haven't been doing night HEMS for years because until the JAR OPs 30005d appendix was adopted by PAOC holders, it was called 'casevac' which was a specific role (police) utilised to assist those with an 'immediate threat to life'!
Why do you need 'FLIR' for night HEMS?????? Are you flying on this during your landings and takeoffs??????
In the police world only 2 (I think) do night HEMS:
Wilts and Sussex (in fact I'm not sure if it's only one of these).
They do it single pilot, because:
(a) They have auto pilot (serviceable!)
(b) The CAA have allowed them to fly 'specific to their geographical area' with only one pilot. Unlike us who would never get this dispensation!
(c) They have a qualified 'HEMS' crewmember onboard.
(d) They must remain VMC.
The caveat 'night casevac' remains. All police helos can do night casevacs whenever and wherever they wish provided they comply with the PAOM 1. Though I suspect this will be removed when the PSAOM comes out.
Your turn..................
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The CAA have always considered those police units who have a formal arangement with their ambulance service (ie full time paramedics, funding etc) as conducting HEMS ops under their PAOC.
The legal position was clarified 1998 when we received an exemption from the requirement to hold an AOC for HEMS and since the introduction of the JAROPS compliant HEMS Appendix to the PAOM we have operated under a PAOC HEMS approval.
The FLIR is used to select and recce ad hoc landing sites as the nightsun just isn't enough when you're putting down in a black hole.
The legal position was clarified 1998 when we received an exemption from the requirement to hold an AOC for HEMS and since the introduction of the JAROPS compliant HEMS Appendix to the PAOM we have operated under a PAOC HEMS approval.
The FLIR is used to select and recce ad hoc landing sites as the nightsun just isn't enough when you're putting down in a black hole.
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TC, are you admitting that you can do night HEMS under VFR single pilot. Providing of course, you have the specific geographical area defined to the satisfaction of the man at CAA?
(and of course your unit has an approval from the same man to commit an act of HEMS!!)
(and of course your unit has an approval from the same man to commit an act of HEMS!!)
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Question.
The Police ASUs that are using NVG. What are the limitations placfed upon you for landings, take offs and minimum weather limits?
Question.
If night operations are proving to be such an operational and rule obeying nightmare, why not just use the mil SAR force who can quite happily fly at night in most weathers?
The Police ASUs that are using NVG. What are the limitations placfed upon you for landings, take offs and minimum weather limits?
Question.
If night operations are proving to be such an operational and rule obeying nightmare, why not just use the mil SAR force who can quite happily fly at night in most weathers?
Oops 78: Currently, you can't land nor takeoff, using NVG. It's only allowed as an 'aid' to cruise flight.
We use it to identify bad weather, obstructions, wires, and at scene, with the nightsun, to search "visually" as well as thermally.
However, the Home office 'may' consider recommending more general use of NVG's in the not too distant future. The CAA might even allow us to take off and land too
As MG said, should the goggles fail, you have to be able to revert to existing night weather limits.
Fantastic piece of supplemental equipment...should be mandatory for rural flying.
We use it to identify bad weather, obstructions, wires, and at scene, with the nightsun, to search "visually" as well as thermally.
However, the Home office 'may' consider recommending more general use of NVG's in the not too distant future. The CAA might even allow us to take off and land too
As MG said, should the goggles fail, you have to be able to revert to existing night weather limits.
Fantastic piece of supplemental equipment...should be mandatory for rural flying.
