Commonwealth Consolidated Regulations

CIVIL AVIATION SAFETY REGULATIONS 1998 - REG 133.010

Areas of ground

  (1)   An area of ground is a suitable forced landing area for a flight of a rotorcraft if the rotorcraft could make a forced landing in the area with a reasonable expectation that there would be no injuries to persons in the rotorcraft or on the ground.

Areas of water

  (2)   An area of water that meets the requirements mentioned in subregulation   (3) is a suitable forced landing area for a flight of a rotorcraft if the rotorcraft:

  (a)   is equipped with emergency flotation equipment; or

  (b)   has a type certificate or supplemental type certificate for landing on water.

  (3)   For the purposes of subregulation   (2), the requirements are the following:

  (a)   the rotorcraft must be able to ditch in the area of water with a reasonable expectation that there would be no injuries to persons in the rotorcraft or on the water;

  (b)   there must be a reasonable expectation that persons in the rotorcraft would survive in the area of water for the time that it would take to rescue the persons;

  (c)   if the flight is a passenger transport operation or a medical transport operation--the area of water must be:

  (i)   adjacent to land; or

  (ii)   adjacent to an offshore installation with search and rescue capabilities; or

  (iii)   in a location, set out in the rotorcraft operator's exposition, that has search and rescue capabilities.

  (4)   Factors that affect whether there is a reasonable expectation about the matters mentioned in paragraphs   (3)(a) and (b) include the following:

  (a)   the surface condition of the area of water, including the wave height, wind conditions and swell;

  (b)   the limits of the capability of the rotorcraft's emergency flotation system to stay upright and floating in certain sea states.