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UK: twins AOC (CAT) over water

Some confusion.

ANO says 15 mins unless floats are fitted; and

JAR-OPS 3 says 10 mins unless:
1. Lifejackets; and
2. Liferaft with a survival Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT(S)).

So which is the relevant rule for Perf Class 1 or 2??

I guess you are looking for CAT to/from rigs. However I only found this:

Quote:

SPO.IDE.H.195 Flight over water — other-than-complex motor-powered helicopters

(a) Helicopters shall be equipped with a life-jacket for each person on board, that shall be worn or stowed in a position that is readily accessible from the seat or station of the person for whose use it is provided, when:
(1) flying over water beyond autorotational distance from the land where in case of the critical engine failure, the helicopter is not able to sustain level flight; or
(2) flying over water at a distance of land corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying at normal cruising speed, where in case of the critical engine failure, the helicopter is able to sustain level flight; or
(3) taking off or landing at an aerodrome/operating site where the take-off or approach path is over water.
(b) Each life-jacket shall be equipped with a means of electric illumination for the purpose of facilitating the location of persons.
(c) The pilot-in-command of a helicopter operated on a flight over water at a distance from land corresponding to more than 30 minutes flying time at normal cruising speed or 50 NM, whichever is less, shall determine the risks to survival of the occupants of the helicopter in the event of a ditching, based on which he/she shall determine the carriage of:
(1) equipment for making the distress signals;
(2) life-rafts in sufficient numbers to carry all persons on board, stowed so as to facilitate their ready use in emergency; and
(3) life-saving equipment to provide the means of sustaining life, as appropriate to the flight to be undertaken.
(d) The pilot-in-command shall determine the risks to survival of the occupants of the helicopter in the event of a ditching, when deciding if the life-jackets required in (a) shall be worn by all occupants.

Quote:

SPO.IDE.H.203 All helicopters on flights over water — ditching
Complex motor-powered helicopters operated on a flight over water in a hostile environment at a distance from land corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying time at normal cruising speed and other-than-complex motor-powered helicopters flying over water in a hostile environment beyond a distance of 50 NM from land shall be:

(a) designed for landing on water in accordance with the relevant airworthiness code;
(b) certified for ditching in accordance with the relevant airworthiness code; or
(c) fitted with emergency flotation equipment.

It seems it is distinguished between complex motor-powered aircraft and other-than complex motor-powered aircraft only and then referred to whether a helicopter is able to sustain level flight in case of critical engine failure (not even at what stage of flight), doesn't it?

Quote:

Complex motor-powered aircraft are defined in Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 216/2008:
‘complex motor-powered aircraft’ shall mean:

(i) an aeroplane:

with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg, or
certificated for a maximum passenger seating configuration of more than nineteen, or
certificated for operation with a minimum crew of at least two pilots, or
equipped with (a) turbojet engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine, or

(ii) a helicopter certificated:

for a maximum take-off mass exceeding 3 175 kg, or
for a maximum passenger seating configuration of more than nine, or
for operation with a minimum crew of at least two pilots,

or

(iii) a tilt rotor aircraft.

And maybe it is worth looking at this piece:
http://www.helitechevents.com/RXUK/R...esentation.pdf

For ditching requirements (floatation equipment) you are looking for JAR-OPS 3.843:

JAR-OPS 3.843 All helicopters on flights
over water - Ditching

(a) An operator shall not operate a helicopter
in Performance Class 1 or 2 on a flight over water
in a hostile environment at a distance from land
corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying
time at normal cruise speed unless that helicopter
is so designed for landing on water or is
certificated in accordance with ditching
provisions.

(b) An operator shall not operate a helicopter
in Performance Class 1 or 2 on a flight over water
in a non-hostile environment at a distance from
land corresponding to more than 10 minutes
flying time at normal cruise speed unless that
helicopter is; so designed for landing on water; or
is certificated in accordance with ditching
provisions; or is fitted with emergency flotation
equipment.

(c) An operator shall not operate a helicopter
in Performance Class 2, when taking-off or
landing over water, unless that helicopter is; so
designed for landing on water; or is certificated in
accordance with ditching provisions; or is fitted
with emergency floatation equipment. (See IEM
OPS 3.843(c)). Except where, for the purpose of
minimising exposure, the landing or take-off at a
HEMS operating site located in a congested
environment is conducted over water – unless
otherwise required by the Authority.

(d) An operator shall not operate a helicopter
in Performance Class 3 on a flight over water
beyond safe forced landing distance from land
unless that helicopter is; so designed for landing
on water; or is certificated in accordance with
ditching provisions; or is fitted with emergency
flotation equipment.

For liferafts and survival ELT

JAR-OPS 3.830 Life-rafts and survival
ELTs o[n] extended overwater flights
(See AMC OPS 3.830)

(a) An operator shall not operate a helicopter
on a flight over water at a distance from land
corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying
time at normal cruising speed when operating in
Performance Class 1 or 2, or 3 minutes flying
time at normal cruising speed when operating in
Performance Class 3 unless it carries:

(1) In the case of a helicopter carrying
less than 12 persons, a minimum of one liferaft
with a rated capacity of not less than the
maximum number of persons on board;

(2) In the case of a helicopter carrying
more than 11 persons, a minimum of two liferafts
sufficient together to accommodate all
persons capable of being carried on board.
Should one life-raft of the largest rated
capacity be lost, the overload capacity of the
remaining life-raft(s) shall be sufficient to
accommodate all persons on the helicopter
(See AMC OPS 3.830(a)(2));

(3) At least one survival Emergency
Locator Transmitter (ELT(S)) for each liferaft
carried (but not more than a total of 2 ELTs are
required), capable of transmitting on the
distress frequencies prescribed in [Appendix 1
to JAR-OPS 3.830]. (See [also] AMC OPS
3.830(a)(3));

(4) Emergency exit illumination; and

(5) Life saving equipment including
means of sustaining life as appropriate to the
flight to be undertaken.

For lifejackets:

JAR-OPS 3.825 Life Jackets
(See IEM OPS 3.825)

(a) An operator shall not operate a helicopter
for any operations on water or on a flight over
water:

(1) When operating in Performance
Class 3 beyond autorotational distance from
land; or

(2) When operating in Performance
Class 1 or 2 at a distance from land
corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying
time at normal cruise speed; or

(3) When operating in Performance
Class 2 or 3 when taking off or landing at a
heliport where the take-off or approach path is
over water,

unless it is equipped with life
jackets equipped with a survivor locator light,
for each person on board, stowed in an easily
accessible position, with safety belt or harness
fastened, from the seat or berth of the person
for whose use it is provided and an individual
infant flotation device, equipped with a
survivor locator light, for use by each infant on
board.

Nowadays all is here:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/...01:0148:EN:PDF

Quote:

COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 965/2012
of 5 October 2012
laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to air operations pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council

...

Quote:

CAT.IDE.H.310 Additional requirements for helicopters conducting offshore operations in a hostile sea area
Helicopters operated in offshore operations in a hostile sea area, at a distance from land corresponding to more than 10
minutes flying time at normal cruising speed, shall comply with the following:
(a) When the weather report or forecasts available to the commander indicate that the sea temperature will be less than
plus 10 °C during the flight, or when the estimated rescue time exceeds the calculated survival time, or the flight is
planned to be conducted at night, all persons on board shall wear a survival suit.
(b) All life-rafts carried in accordance with CAT.IDE.H.300 shall be installed so as to be usable in the sea conditions in
which the helicopter’s ditching, flotation and trim characteristics were evaluated in order to comply with the ditching
requirements for certification.
(c) The helicopter shall be equipped with an emergency lighting system with an independent power supply to provide a
source of general cabin illumination to facilitate the evacuation of the helicopter.
(d) All emergency exits, including crew emergency exits, and the means for opening them shall be conspicuously marked
for the guidance of occupants using the exits in daylight or in the dark. Such markings shall be designed to remain
visible if the helicopter is capsized and the cabin is submerged.
(e) All non-jettisonable doors that are designated as ditching emergency exits shall have a means of securing them in the
open position so that they do not interfere with occupants’ egress in all sea conditions up to the maximum required
to be evaluated for ditching and flotation.
(f) All doors, windows or other openings in the passenger compartment assessed as suitable for the purpose of
underwater escape shall be equipped so as to be operable in an emergency.
(g) Life-jackets shall be worn at all times, unless the passenger or crew member is wearing an integrated survival suit that
meets the combined requirement of the survival suit and life-jacket.

CAT.IDE.H.315 Helicopters certified for operating on water — miscellaneous equipment
Helicopters certified for operating on water shall be equipped with:
(a) a sea anchor and other equipment necessary to facilitate mooring, anchoring or manoeuvring the helicopter on water,
appropriate to its size, weight and handling characteristics; and
(b) equipment for making the sound signals prescribed in the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea,
where applicable.

CAT.IDE.H.320 All helicopters on flights over water — ditching
(a) Helicopters shall be designed for landing on water or certified for ditching in accordance with the relevant
airworthiness code when operated in performance class 1 or 2 on a flight over water in a hostile environment at
a distance from land corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying time at normal cruise speed.
(b) Helicopters shall be designed for landing on water or certified for ditching in accordance the relevant airworthiness
code or fitted with emergency flotation equipment when operated in:
(1) performance class 1 or 2 on a flight over water in a non-hostile environment at a distance from land
corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying time at normal cruise speed;
(2) performance class 2, when taking off or landing over water, except in the case of helicopter emergency medical
services (HEMS) operations, where for the purpose of minimising exposure, the landing or take-off at a HEMS
operating site located in a congested environment is conducted over water;
(3) performance class 3 on a flight over water beyond safe forced landing distance from land.

9Aplus,

You have picked up the 'oil related' text in the first excerpt - that does not apply to flights outside the definition of 'offshore operations'. You have also missed out the 'liferaft' and 'lifejackets' texts.

EASA text is not applicable in the UK at present.

Jim, stick with the JAR text for the time being.