PART 5Operations

CHAPTER 7Additional requirements for public transport operations

SECTION 8State aircraft operations

Requirement for, and grant of, police air operator's certificate134

1

A flight by an aircraft registered in the United Kingdom in the service of a police authority is, for the purposes of this Order, deemed to be a public transport flight.

2

If any passenger is carried on such a flight it is deemed to be for the purpose of the public transport of passengers.

3

Save as otherwise expressly provided, the provisions of this Order and of any regulations made under this Order must be complied with in relation to a flight in the service of a police authority as if that flight were for the purpose of public transport or the public transport of passengers.

4

An aircraft registered in the United Kingdom must not fly on any flight in the service of a police authority otherwise than under and in accordance with the terms of—

a

a police air operator's certificate granted to the operator;

b

a national air operator's certificate granted to the operator;

c

both—

i

a Part-CAT air operator certificate granted to the operator; and

ii

Part-CAT and Part-ORO as though the flight were a commercial air transport operation; or

d

a permission given by the CAA.

F15

The CAA must grant a police air operator’s certificate if it is satisfied that the applicant is competent to secure that the operation of aircraft of the types specified in the certificate will be as safe as is appropriate when flying on flights of the description and for the purposes specified, having regard in particular to the applicant’s—

a

previous conduct and experience; and

b

equipment, organisation, staffing, maintenance and other arrangements.

Police operations manual135

1

This article applies to an aircraft flying, or intended by the operator of the aircraft to fly, solely under and in accordance with the terms of a police air operator's certificate.

2

An aircraft to which this article applies must not fly except under and in accordance with the terms of Part 1 and Part 2 of a police operations manual, Part 1 of which must have been approved for the aircraft by the CAA.

3

The operator of every aircraft to which this article applies must—

a

make available to each member of its operating staff a police operations manual which complies with paragraph (4);

b

ensure that each copy of the operations manual is kept up to date; and

c

ensure that on each flight every member of the crew has access to a copy of every part of the operations manual which is relevant to the crew member's duties on the flight.

4

A police operations manual complies with this paragraph if it contains all information and instructions necessary to enable the operating staff to perform their duties as such.

5

An aircraft to which this article applies must not fly unless, at least 30 days before such flight, the operator of the aircraft has supplied to the CAA a copy of Part 2 of the police operations manual in effect for the aircraft.

6

Any amendments or additions to Part 2 of the police operations manual must be supplied to the CAA by the operator before or immediately after they come into effect.

7

If an amendment or addition relates to the operation of an aircraft to which the police operations manual did not previously apply, that aircraft must not fly in the service of a police authority under and in accordance with the terms of the police operator's certificate until the amendment or addition has been supplied to the CAA.

8

The operator must make such amendments or additions to the police operations manual as the CAA may require for the purpose of ensuring the safety of the aircraft, or of persons or property carried in it, or for the safety, efficiency or regularity of air navigation.