APPENDIX C
EXTRACT FROM PLM HELICOPTERS LTD OPERATIONS MANUAL
All the text below was copied from the Operations Manual carried
in the helicopter at the time of the accident with the intention
of using the same words, punctuation and spelling as the original,
but not the identical page layout.
SECTION 3
AERIAL WORK
3.4.1
Definition Aerial work and Public Transport are defined and differentiated in Article 107 of the Air Navigation Order. The definition is long and complicated. As far as the Company is concerned the definitions are paraphrased and detailed as below.
3.4.2 Public Transport
Whenever a person is carried in a Company Aircraft who is not
a member of staff or a member of the crew directly paid for and
employed by the Company then that flight shall be Public Transport
and Public Transport regulations in the operation of the aircraft
shall apply at all times,
3.4.3
Aerial Work Any other operation, other than empty positioning
flights with crew only, is aerial work. Essentially, as far as
this Company is concerned, the area of our operations that relate
to aerial work is restricted to underslung operations where no
passengers are carried at any stage.
3.4.4
Interaction with Public Transport
Detailed below are flight and duty time limitation for Flight Crew whilst engaged on aerial work operations. These limitations are a relaxation of the Flight Time Limitations Scheme for A.O.C. operations detailed in Section 5 of this Manual. As they are a relaxation there is a great danger that Flight Crews may revert from Aerial Work operations to Public Transport operations and be outside the limitations of the F.T.L. Scheme detailed in Section 5. Let there be no doubt, it is the joint responsibility of crew members, the Company Chief Pilot and the Operations Department not to allow this to occur. The responsibilities are detailed below.
3.4.5.
Flight and Duty Time Limitations - Aerial Work
3.4.6. Applicability
The limitations shall apply to all Flight Crew engaged SOLELY on Aerial Work operations at the behest of the Company and will normally apply to Aerial Work undertaken in Spring and Summer.
3.4.7
a). The Company will be responsible, in the form of the Chief Pilot and the Operations Manager for the following:
i). The rostering and scheduling of crews to ensure that when
they transfer from Aerial Work operations to Public Transport
they do not exceed any of the limitations laid down in the F.T.L.
Scheme detailed in Section 5 of this manual before they return
to Public Transport operations.
ii). To ensure that records of Flight and Duty Times are maintained
and up to date. To this end crew members shall continue to record
Flight and Duty times on the Duty Record Sheet as detailed in
Appendix B of Section 5.
iii). That they take and receive sufficient rest and time off
before returning to Public Transport Operations. See Table 3.4.15
3.4.8. Checks
Regular checks and inspections shall be carried out by both the
Chief Pilot and the Operations Department to ensure that records
are kept up to date. Crew members who do not keep records up to
date will be suspended from flying until such time as their records
are completely up to date.
3.4.9. Definitions
All definitions are as per the definitions detailed in Section
5.5
3.4.10. Maximum Flying Duty Periods (FDP)
3.4.11
The standard reporting time prior to flight is 30 minutes, 15
minutes duty must be allowed for post flight activities. All pre-flight
and post flight duties count toward the calculation of subsequent
rest periods.
3.4.12. The maximum daily F.D.P. is 12 hours.
3.4.13. Cumulative Duty Limitations
The maximum duty hours for flight crew shall not exceed: 200 hours
in any 28 consecutive days.
3.4.14. Cumulative Flying Hour Limitations
The maximum number of flying hours which a pilot may be permitted to undertake are:
Single Day 7 hours
Any consecutive 28 days 100 hours
Except a crew member may be allowed to exceed 100 hours in 28
days provided.
a). He undertakes an aviation medical
AND
b). Whilst he remains over 100 hours in 28 days he undertakes an aviation medical every 25 hours.
In any period of 12 months 900 hours
3.4.15. Days Off
The minimum days off whilst engaged on Aerial Work operations are:
a). After 7 days consecutive duty 1 day
b). After 14 days, ie 7 days duty, one day off, 6 day duty 2 days
Unless
If the following flying hours have been achieved in 14 days then the following table of hours flown to days off taken must be adhered to.
| Fly Hours | Days Off Min |
| 61-70 | 3 |
| 71-75 | 4 |
| 76-80 | 5 |
| 81-85 | 6 |
| 86-91 | 7 |
3.4.16 Records to be Maintained
Records for the duty and flying hours of all flying staff shall
be recorded on the Pilot Duty Record sheet in Appendix B of Section
5 of this manual and their preservation shall be in accordance
with para 5.24 of that section.
3.4.17. Returning from Aerial Work to Public Transport Flying
Prior to returning to Public Transport Flying Operations all criteria relating to the following must be complied with according to the relevant sections of the AOC FTL Scheme contained in Section 5 of this manual.
a). Duty hours - 7 day and 28 day maximum
b). Flying hours - 3, 7, 14, 28, 84 and Annual maximum:
c). Days off - Minimum number bit not necessarily exactly as per the cycle of duty to days off:
The remainder of Section 3.4 was concerned with Aerial Work procedures and not flight time limitations