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129.—(1) Articles and animals (whether or not attached to a parachute) must not be dropped, or permitted to drop, from an aircraft in flight so as to endanger persons or property.
(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), articles and animals (whether or not attached to a parachute) must not be dropped, or permitted to drop, to the surface from an aircraft flying over the United Kingdom except under and in accordance with the terms of an aerial application certificate granted under article 131.
(3) Paragraph (2) does not apply to the dropping of articles by, or with the authority of, the commander of the aircraft in any of the following circumstances—
(a)the dropping of articles for the purpose of saving life;
(b)the jettisoning, in case of emergency, of fuel or other articles in the aircraft;
(c)the dropping of ballast in the form of fine sand or water;
(d)the dropping of articles solely for the purpose of navigating the aircraft in accordance with ordinary practice or with the provisions of this Order;
(e)the dropping at an aerodrome of tow ropes, banners, or similar articles towed by aircraft;
(f)with the permission of the CAA, the dropping of articles for the purposes of public health or as a measure against weather conditions, surface icing or oil pollution, or for training for the dropping of articles for any such purposes; or
(g)with the permission of the CAA, the dropping of wind drift indicators for the purpose of enabling parachute descents to be made.
(4) Paragraph (2) does not apply to the lowering of any article or animal from a helicopter to the surface, if—
(a)there is a certificate of airworthiness issued or rendered valid for the helicopter under the law of the country in which it is registered; and
(b)that certificate or the flight manual for the helicopter includes an express provision that it may be used for that purpose.
(5) In this article ‘dropping’ includes projecting and lowering.