Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012Show full title

SUBPART I HELICOPTER HOIST OPERATIONS U.K.

Valid from 25/09/2019

SPA.HHO.100 Helicopter hoist operations (HHO) U.K.

(a) Helicopters shall only be operated for the purpose of CAT hoist operations if the operator has been approved by the competent authority. U.K.

(b) To obtain such approval by the competent authority, the operator shall: U.K.

(1)

operate in CAT and hold a CAT AOC in accordance with Annex III (Part-ORO);

(2)

demonstrate to the competent authority compliance with the requirements contained in this Subpart.

SPA.HHO.110 Equipment requirements for HHO U.K.

(a) The installation of all helicopter hoist equipment, including any radio equipment to comply with SPA.HHO.115, and any subsequent modifications, shall have an airworthiness approval appropriate to the intended function. Ancillary equipment shall be designed and tested to the appropriate standard as required by the competent authority. U.K.

(b) Maintenance instructions for HHO equipment and systems shall be established by the operator in liaison with the manufacturer and included in the operator’s helicopter maintenance programme as required by Regulation (EC) No 2042/2003. U.K.

SPA.HHO.115 HHO communication U.K.

Two-way radio communication shall be established with the organisation for which the HHO is being provided and, where possible, a means of communicating with ground personnel at the HHO site for:

(a)

day and night offshore operations;

(b)

night onshore operations, except for HHO at a helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operating site.

SPA.HHO.125 Performance requirements for HHO U.K.

Except for HHO at a HEMS operating site, HHO shall be capable of sustaining a critical engine failure with the remaining engine(s) at the appropriate power setting without hazard to the suspended person(s)/cargo, third parties or property.

Valid from 25/09/2019

SPA.HHO.130 Crew requirements for HHO U.K.

(a) Selection. The operator shall establish criteria for the selection of flight crew members for the HHO task, taking previous experience into account. U.K.

(b) Experience. The minimum experience level for the commander conducting HHO flights shall not be less than: U.K.

(1)

Offshore:

(i)

1 000 hours as pilot-in-command/commander of helicopters, or 1 000 hours as co-pilot in HHO of which 200 hours is as pilot-in-command under supervision; and

(ii)

50 hoist cycles conducted offshore, of which 20 cycles shall be at night if night operations are being conducted, where a hoist cycle means one down-and-up cycle of the hoist hook.

(2)

Onshore:

(i)

500 hours as pilot-in-command/commander of helicopters, or 500 hours as co-pilot in HHO of which 100 hours is as pilot-in-command under supervision;

(ii)

200 hours operating experience in helicopters gained in an operational environment similar to the intended operation; and

(iii)

50 hoist cycles, of which 20 cycles shall be at night if night operations are being conducted.

(c) Operational training and experience. Successful completion of training in accordance with the HHO procedures contained in the operations manual and relevant experience in the role and environment under which HHO are conducted. U.K.

(d) Recency. All pilots and HHO crew members conducting HHO shall have completed in the last 90 days: U.K.

(1)

when operating by day: any combination of three day or night hoist cycles, each of which shall include a transition to and from the hover;

(2)

when operating by night: three night hoist cycles, each of which shall include a transition to and from the hover.

(e) Crew composition. The minimum crew for day or night operations shall be as stated in the operations manual. The minimum crew will be dependent on the type of helicopter, the weather conditions, the type of task, and, in addition for offshore operations, the HHO site environment, the sea state and the movement of the vessel. In no case shall the minimum crew be less than one pilot and one HHO crew member. U.K.

(f) Training and checking U.K.

(1) Training and checking shall be conducted in accordance with a detailed syllabus approved by the competent authority and included in the operations manual. U.K.

(2) Crew members: U.K.

(i) Crew training programmes shall: improve knowledge of the HHO working environment and equipment; improve crew coordination; and include measures to minimise the risks associated with HHO normal and emergency procedures and static discharge. U.K.

(ii) The measures referred to in (f)(2)(i) shall be assessed during visual meteorological conditions (VMC) day proficiency checks, or VMC night proficiency checks when night HHO are undertaken by the operator. U.K.

SPA.HHO.135 HHO passenger briefing U.K.

Prior to any HHO flight, or series of flights, HHO passengers shall have been briefed and made aware of the dangers of static electricity discharge and other HHO considerations.

SPA.HHO.140 Information and documentation U.K.

(a) The operator shall ensure that, as part of its risk analysis and management process, risks associated with the HHO environment are minimised by specifying in the operations manual: selection, composition and training of crews; levels of equipment and dispatch criteria; and operating procedures and minima, such that normal and likely abnormal operations are described and adequately mitigated. U.K.

(b) Relevant extracts from the operations manual shall be available to the organisation for which the HHO is being provided. U.K.