SPA.HHO.130 Crew requirements for HHO

(a)Selection. The operator shall establish criteria for the selection of flight crew members for the HHO task, taking previous experience into account.

(b)Experience. The minimum experience level for the commander conducting HHO flights shall not be less than:

(1)Offshore:

(i)1000 hours as pilot-in-command/commander of helicopters, or 1000 hours as co-pilot in HHO of which 200 hours is as pilot-in-command under supervision; and

(ii)50 hoist cycles conducted offshore, of which 20 cycles shall be at night if night operations are being conducted, where a hoist cycle means one down-and-up cycle of the hoist hook.

(2)Onshore:

(i)500 hours as pilot-in-command/commander of helicopters, or 500 hours as co-pilot in HHO of which 100 hours is as pilot-in-command under supervision;

(ii)200 hours operating experience in helicopters gained in an operational environment similar to the intended operation; and

(iii)50 hoist cycles, of which 20 cycles shall be at night if night operations are being conducted.

(c)Operational training and experience. Successful completion of training in accordance with the HHO procedures contained in the operations manual and relevant experience in the role and environment under which HHO are conducted.

(d)Recency. All pilots and HHO crew members conducting HHO shall have completed in the last 90 days:

(1)when operating by day: any combination of three day or night hoist cycles, each of which shall include a transition to and from the hover;

(2)when operating by night: three night hoist cycles, each of which shall include a transition to and from the hover.

(e)Crew composition. The minimum crew for day or night operations shall be as stated in the operations manual. The minimum crew will be dependent on the type of helicopter, the weather conditions, the type of task, and, in addition for offshore operations, the HHO site environment, the sea state and the movement of the vessel. In no case shall the minimum crew be less than one pilot and one HHO crew member.

(f)Training and checking

(1)Training and checking shall be conducted in accordance with a detailed syllabus approved by the competent authority and included in the operations manual.

(2)Crew members:

(i)Crew training programmes shall: improve knowledge of the HHO working environment and equipment; improve crew coordination; and include measures to minimise the risks associated with HHO normal and emergency procedures and static discharge.

(ii)The measures referred to in (f)(2)(i) shall be assessed during visual meteorological conditions (VMC) day proficiency checks, or VMC night proficiency checks when night HHO are undertaken by the operator.