ORO.AOC.125 Non-commercial operations of an AOC holder with aeroplanes or helicopters listed on its AOC

FLIGHT AND DUTY TIME LIMITATIONS AND REST REQUIREMENTS When aircrew members are assigned to perform a series of flights that combine several types of operation (CAT, NCC/NCO), the operator should:

(a)for aeroplanes, comply at any time with the provisions of ORO.FTL.210 ‘Flight times and duty periods’ or, as applicable, the provisions of Council Regulation (EEC) No 3922/91 (EU-OPS, Subpart Q), to ensure compliance with Subpart FTL for any CAT operation; and

(b)include any combination of types of operation in its safety risk management process to ensure that the fatigue risks arising from such operations do not affect the CAT operation.

APPLICABLE REQUIREMENTS Aeroplanes and helicopters are referred to here as ‘aircraft’. An AOC holder should apply either of the options below to its non-commercial operations:

(a)the same operational procedures as those used for its CAT operations. In this case, the AOC holder should state this option in the operations manual and ensure that the procedures comply with Part-CAT. No further descriptions are required; or

(b)different operational procedures from those used for its CAT operations. In this case, the procedures should comply with Part-ORO, except for Subpart-DEC, and Part-NCC for complex motor-powered aircraft or with Part-NCO for other than complex motor-powered aircraft, as appropriate.

DIFFERENT OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR NON-COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS Aeroplanes and helicopters are referred to here as ‘aircraft’. When developing operating procedures for non-commercial operations that are different from the ones used for its CAT operations, the AOC holder should identify the hazards and assess and mitigate the risks associated with each specific non-commercial operation, as part of the safety risk management process in compliance with ORO.GEN.200. This process should consider at least the following elements:

(a)Flight profile (including manoeuvres to be performed, any simulated abnormal situations in flight, duties and responsibilities of the crew members);

(b)Continuing airworthiness, as applicable. This includes the case when the aircraft is returned to the AOC holder after having been used by another operator for operations in accordance with ORO.GEN.310;

(c)Levels of functional equipment and systems (MEL, CDL);

(d)Operating procedures, minima, and dispatch criteria;

(e)Operating a flight with a double purpose (e.g. a relocation flight used as a line training flight or a maintenance check flight used as a line training flight);

(f)Specific approvals held by the AOC holder;

(g)Flight and duty time limitations and rest requirements and cumulative fatigue;

(h)Selection, composition, and training of flight crew and cabin crew;

(i)Multi-pilot operation as per Part-CAT vs single-pilot operation when operating according to Part-NCC or Part-NCO;

(j)Flights performed with aircrew that includes aircrew members of another operator, who have not completed a familiarisation training and who may not be familiar with the AOC holder’s operational procedures;

(k)Categories of passengers on board, including when non-commercial operations are performed with no cabin crew.

PLANNING FLIGHTS WITH AN INCREASED LEVEL OF RISK

(a)Significant aspects such as the ones below should be addressed in the risk assessment and risk mitigation process by any operator conducting such flights:

(1)which pilots are involved in their operation;

(2)what is the purpose of the flight; and

(3)how it is to be accomplished — what flight procedures are to be applied.

(b)The AOC holder should prepare the non-commercial operations with an increased level of risk taking into consideration the following elements, as applicable:

(1)pre-flight briefing;

(2)duties and responsibilities of the flight crew members involved, task sharing;

(3)special operating procedures;

(4)manoeuvres to be performed in flight, minimum and maximum speeds and altitudes for all portions of the flight;

(5)operational limitations;

(6)potential risks and contingency plans;

(7)adequate available airspace and coordination with the air traffic control (ATC);

(8)selection of flight crew members; and

(9)additional flight crew training at regular intervals to ensure recency (considering also a flight of a similar risk profile in the simulator, if needed).

EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENT OPERATING PROCEDURES APPLIED TO NON-COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS The provisions of ORO.AOC.125 enable an AOC holder to apply the most appropriate requirements when conducting non-commercial operations, based on the risk assessment and risk mitigation processes. Below is a non-exhaustive list of elements that an AOC holder may identify and describe as being different in its non-commercial operations from those used for its CAT operation and for which the provisions of Part-ORO and Part-NCC or the provisions of Part-NCO should apply as appropriate:

(a)Qualification, training and experience of aircrew members, including aerodrome and route competence requirements.

(b)Flight crew and cabin crew composition requirements

(1)CAT operations contain more stringent requirements for aircrew members, e.g. multi-pilot vs single-pilot requirements.

(2)The AOC holder should specify the minimum number of flight crew and cabin crew and the applicable aircrew composition.

(c)Fuel requirements

(d)Performance requirements

(e)Serviceable instruments, data and equipment and MEL considerations

(f)Non-ETOPS/ETOPS ETOPS are applicable to CAT operations only and thus a flight operated according to Part-NCC/Part-NCO may be performed without the ETOPS restrictions.

(g)Non-commercial flights with no cabin crew (see ORO.CC.100(d) and the associated AMC).