Civil Aviation Act, 2009 (Act No. 13 of 2009)

Regulations

Civil Aviation Regulations, 2011

Part 127 : Commercial Helicopter Operations: Passengers Cargo and Mail

Subpart 7 : Flight Operations

Division One : General

127.07.15 Surface contamination programme
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(1)No person shall conduct or attempt to conduct a take-off in a helicopter that has frost, ice or snow adhering to any of its critical surfaces.

 

(2)Where conditions are such that frost, ice or snow may reasonably be expected to adhere to the helicopter, no person shall conduct or attempt to conduct a take-off in a helicopter unless the operator has established a helicopter inspection programme in accordance with a surface contamination programme approved by the Director and the dispatch and take-off of the helicopter are in accordance with that programme.

 

(3)The inspection referred to in subregulation (2) shall be performed by—
(a)the pilot-in-command (PIC);
(b)a qualified flight crew member of the helicopter who is designated by the PIC; or
(c)a person, other than a person referred to in paragraph (a) or (b), who—
(i)is designated by the operator of the helicopter; and
(ii)has successfully completed a helicopter surface contamination training programme approved for such operator.

 

(4)Where, before commencing take-off, a crew member of a helicopter observes that there is frost, ice or snow adhering to any critical part of the helicopter, the crew member shall immediately report that observation to the PIC and the PIC, or a flight crew member designated by the PIC, shall inspect the affected part of the helicopter before take-off.

 

(5)Before a helicopter is de-iced or anti-iced, the PIC of the helicopter shall ensure that the crew members and passengers are informed of the decision to do so.

 

(6)An operator is not required to have a programme as required by subregulation (2) if it includes a statement in its operations manual that the operator will not dispatch its helicopters into any region or country where it could be reasonably expected that surface contamination could at anytime form on the helicopter, while parked or operating on the ground.