SPA.HEMS.140 Information, procedures and documentation

OPERATIONS MANUAL The operations manual should include all of the following:

(a)the use of portable equipment on board;

(b)guidance on take-off and landing procedures at previously unsurveyed HEMS operating sites;

(c)the final reserve fuel, in accordance with SPA.HEMS.150;

(d)operating minima;

(e)recommended routes for regular flights to surveyed sites, including the minimum flight altitude;

(f)guidance for the selection of the HEMS operating site in case of a flight to an unsurveyed site;

(g)the safety altitude for the area overflown;

(h)abnormal procedures including procedures to be followed in case of inadvertent entry into cloud;

(i)operational dispatch criteria;

(j)a description of the crew composition for all phases of flight and conditions, standard operating procedures for the described crew composition including any procedures to ensure the continuity of the crew concept;

(k)flight crew and technical crew training and checking syllabi, as required by SPA.HEMS.130.

HEMS RISK ASSESSMENT The operator’s HEMS risk assessment should take into account, but not be limited to, all of the following for both day and night operations:

(a)adequate ground reference;

(b)reliability of weather reporting facilities;

(c)crew composition, minimum crew qualification, initial and recurrent training;

(d)flight time limitations and crew fatigue;

(e)operating procedures, including crew coordination;

(f)weather minima;

(g)equipment of the helicopter;

(h)additional considerations due to specific local conditions.

HEMS TACTICAL RISK ASSESSMENT — SPECIFIC RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HEMS MISSION The commander’s HEMS tactical risk assessment may be included in the daily briefing and amended as necessary. The following may be considered:

(a)operating environment, including airspace and local geography;

(b)weather;

(c)NOTAMs;

(d)performance;

(e)aircraft, equipment and defects, MEL, and medical equipment;

(f)fuel planning;

(g)crew fatigue, recency and qualifications;

(h)dispatch criteria;

(i)tasking, roles and responsibilities;

(j)in-flight replanning;

(k)for NVIS, the elements in GM4 SPA.NVIS.130(f); and

(l)relevant threats.