CASA EX31/16 Exemption — from life jacket standard (Rotor-Lift Aviation) (Cth)

Instrument number CASA EX31/16

I, Mark alan skidmore, Director of Aviation Safety, on behalf of CASA, make this instrument under regulation 11.160 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (CASR 1998).

[Signed Mark Skidmore AM]

Mark Skidmore AM
Director of Aviation Safety

3 March 2016

Exemption — from life jacket standard (Rotor-Lift Aviation)

1          Duration

                 This instrument:

(a)   commences on the day of registration; and

(b)   expires at the end of January 2019, as if it had been repealed by another instrument.

2          Application

                 This instrument applies to:

(a)   helicopters operated by Skyplan Australia Pty Ltd, trading as Rotor-Lift Aviation, Aviation Reference Number (ARN) 554908 (the operator), that are equipped with Personal Floatation Devices, part number SOS‑6343, manufactured by Case Investments Pty Ltd, trading as SOS Marine (SOS‑6343 PFDs); and

(b)   flight crew, emergency personnel and search and rescue personnel (collectively SAR personnel) directly engaged insearch and rescue operations, emergency medical operations or police operations conducted by the operator (the SAR operations).

3          Exemptions

        (1)     Helicopters equipped with SOS-6343 PFDs and SAR personnel using SOS‑6343 PFDs are exempt from compliance with subparagraph 5.1.6 (a) of Civil Aviation Order 20.11 (CAO 20.11) in relation to the requirement that a life jacket must comply with a standard approved by CASA.

        (2)     The operator and the pilot in command of a helicopter operated by the operator are exempt from regulation 252 of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (CAR 1988), but only to the extent that the operator and the pilot in command must not contravene a direction, in subparagraph 5.1.6 (a) of CAO 20.11, for SOS-6343 PFDs to comply with a standard approved by CASA.

Note   CAO 20.11 applies in all other respects to the aircraft and to aircraft occupants who are not using SOS-6343 PFDs.

4Conditions

                 The exemptions are subject to the conditions mentioned in Schedule 1.

Schedule 1          Conditions

        1     The operator must ensure that SOS-6343 PFDs are used only by SAR personnel during SAR operations.

        2     The operator must ensure that SAR personnel are suitably trained in the use of SOS-6343 PFDs (the required training), including:

(a)   correct use and fitment of SOS-6343 PFDs and the Helicopter Emergency Escape Device; and

(b)   helicopter emergency escape procedures.

        3     The required training must be conducted by the operator every 12 months.

        4     The operator must ensure that all SOS-6343 PFDs used during a SAR operation have:

(a)   reflective markings; and

(b)   a whistle; and

(c)   a light; and

(d)   a manual inflation function; and

(e)   passed annual servicing and testing in accordance with manufacturer’s instructions (the required maintenance), performed by:

(i) a maintenance organisation approved by CASA under regulation 30 of CAR 1988 that is able to service and test flotation equipment; or

(ii) a maintenance organisation approved by CASA under Part 145 of CASR 1998 that is able to service and test flotation equipment; or

           (iii)  the manufacturer.

        5     The operator must keep the following records in accordance with the procedures set out in the operator’s operations manual for managing life‑saving equipment and personnel training records (also referred to as emergency and role equipment records):

(a)   records of the required training;

(b)   records of the required maintenance.

        6     The operator must ensure that the pilot in command of a helicopter to which this instrument applies, and any SAR personnel using SOS-6343 PFDs on board the helicopter, have reviewed a copy of this instrument and are aware of its conditions.