CASA 41/16 - Authorisation, permission, direction and exemption – helicopter winching operations – Helicorp Pty. Ltd (Cth)

Instrument number CASA 41/16

I, GERARD JOHN CAMPBELL, Executive Manager, Operations Division, a delegate of CASA, make this instrument under subregulations 151 (3), 250 (2) and 251 (9) of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR 1988) and regulation 11.160 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998.

[Signed G.J. Campbell]

Gerard J. Campbell
Executive Manager
Operations Division

27 April 2016

Authorisation, permission, direction and exemption – helicopter winching operations – Helicorp Pty. Ltd.

1          Duration

                 This instrument:

(a)   commences on the day of registration; and

(b)   expires at the end of March 2019, as if it had been repealed by another instrument.

2          Definitions

              In this instrument:

daylight means the time of a day that is after the start of morning civil twilight (first light) and before the end of evening civil twilight (last light).

flight means theflight to and from a site:

(a)   commencing at the place mentioned in the operator’s chief pilot’s safety assessment; and

(b)   ending at the place, or any alternative place, mentioned in the assessment.

operator means Helicorp Pty. Ltd., Aviation Reference Number 435780.

site means offshore platform or vessel.

3          Application

                 This instrument applies in relation to the operator when operating an AW139 or B412 helicopter (the helicopter) in winching operations at a site, solely to recover an unserviceable helicopter (the operation).

4          Authority

                 Persons or objects may be winched to and from the helicopter.

5          Permission

                 For the operation, a person may be carried on or in a part of the helicopter that is not designed for the accommodation of the crew or passengers, or on or in anything attached to the helicopter.

6          Direction

                 CASA directs that seat belts need not be worn when the helicopter is flying at a height of less than 1 000 feet above the terrain during the operation.

7          Exemption

The pilot in command of the helicopter is exempt from compliance with regulation 157 of CAR 1988 during the operation.

8          Conditions

                 The authority, permission, direction and exemption are subject to the conditions mentioned in Schedule 1, which are necessary in the interests of the safety of air navigation.

Schedule 1          Conditions

        1     The operator and the pilot in command of the helicopter must comply with Civil Aviation Order 29.11, other than subsections 5 and 7.

        2     Before the operation, the operator must ensure that the operator’s chief pilot:

(a)   has approved a safety assessment for the operation; and

(b)   has provided the operator with a written approval, based on the safety assessment, for the operation.

        3     For the operation and the flight, the pilot in command of the helicopter must operate the helicopter at the minimum practicable weight and the minimum practicable fuel load, including reserves, necessary for:

(a)   successful completion of the operation and the flight; and

(b)   fly-away capability at the site in the event of engine failure.

        4     The operator must ensure that the operation is only conducted:

(a)   in daylight with the horizon visible; and

(b)   using the heave-in line technique in accordance with the procedures set out in the operator’s operations manual:

             (i)  as at the date of this instrument; or

            (ii)  as varied with the written agreement of CASA; and

(c)   at the safest working area of the site that allows fly-away alternatives for the pilot in command of the helicopter.

        5     During an operation, the operator and the pilot in command of the helicopter may only winch maintenance personnel of the operator who have successfully completed a course of training for a winching operation, as set out in the operator’s operations manual.

        6     During the operation, the pilot in command of the helicopter must ensure that the helicopter hovers wholly or partially over the site to the minimum extent necessary for the safe conduct of the operation.

        7     Before commencing an operation, the operator must secure the written permission (the site permission) of the owner or operator of the site for the operation.

        8     The operator and the pilot in command must comply with all conditions of the site permission that are consistent with this instrument, Australian civil aviation legislation or instruments made under civil aviation legislation.

        9     The pilot in command must have a copy of this instrument on the pilot’s person during the operation.

      10     The operator must, within 48 hours of each completed operation, give CASA:

(a)   details of the operation; and

(b)   a copy of the chief pilot’s safety assessment; and

(c)   a copy of the site permission, including any conditions.