AMC1 SPA.HEMS.120(a) HEMS operating minima
ED Decision 2023/007/R
HEMS VFR MINIMA:
CEILING, CLOUD BASE AND VISIBILITY
(a) The operator should define minimum ceiling, cloud base and
visibility no lower than those defined in Table 1.
Table 1 — HEMS
operating minima
|
DAY |
|||
|
Ceiling |
Visibility |
||
|
500 ft and above |
As defined by the
applicable airspace VFR minima (*) |
||
|
499–300 ft |
1 500 m (*) |
||
|
NIGHT |
|||
|
NVIS |
No NVIS |
||
|
Cloud base (***) |
Visibility |
Cloud base(***) |
Visibility |
|
1 200 ft (**) |
3 000 m |
1 200 ft (**) |
5 000 m |
|
|
|
1 500 ft (**) |
3 000 m |
(*) During
the en-route phase, visibility may be reduced to 800 m for short periods
when in sight of land if the helicopter is manoeuvred at a speed that will
give adequate opportunity to observe other traffic or any obstacles in time to
avoid a collision.
(**) During
the en-route phase, ceiling or cloud base may be reduced to 1 000 ft
for short periods.
(***) For the
dispatch phase, ceiling can be used instead of cloud base if the clouds below
the ceiling are not relevant to the planned flight path.
REDUCED VFR MINIMA TO
BE USED WHEN INSTRUCTED TO ‘PROCEED VFR’
(b) The operator may define lower HEMS operating minima than those
defined in Table 1 above, when an IFR departure or approach chart
instructs the pilot to ‘proceed VFR’ prior to an IFR departure or following an
IFR approach procedure, both for day and night. If the corresponding HEMS
operating minima for the VFR segment of this flight are lower than those
defined in Table 1, they should not be lower than those defined in Tables 2
and 3 below. The applicable minima should be published in the operations
manual.
Table 2 — Reduced
HEMS operating minima when instructed to ‘proceed VFR’ following an IFR
approach
|
DAY |
||
|
|
Visibility |
Ceiling |
|
x ≤ 1 500
m |
x but at least 800 m |
MDH |
|
x > 1 500 m |
1 500 m |
MDH or 300 ft (*) |
|
NIGHT |
||
|
|
Visibility |
Ceiling |
|
x < 2 000 m |
x + 500 m but at least 1
500 m |
MDH |
|
with NVIS: 2 000 ≤ x < 5 000 m |
2 500 m |
MDH or 400 ft (*) |
|
no NVIS: 2 000 ≤ x < 5000 m |
x+500 or 3 000 m whichever is lower |
MDH or 500 ft (*) |
x is the distance between the
missed approach point (MAPt) and the heliport or operating site
(*)
whichever is higher
Table 3 — Reduced
HEMS operating minima when instructed to ‘proceed VFR’ prior to an IFR
departure
|
DAY |
||
|
|
Visibility |
Crossing height at IDF |
|
x ≤ 3000 m |
800 m |
Crossing height at IDF |
|
3 000 m < x ≤ 5 000 m |
1 500 m |
Crossing height at IDF |
|
NIGHT |
||
|
|
Visibility |
Ceiling |
|
x < 2 500 m |
x but at least 1 500 m |
Crossing height at IDF |
|
with NVIS: 2 500 ≤ x < 5 000 m |
2 500 m |
Crossing height at IDF |
|
no NVIS: 2 500 ≤ x < 5 000 m |
x or 3 000 m whichever is lower |
Crossing height at IDF |
x is the distance between the
heliport or operating site and the initial departure fix (IDF)
HEMS VFR OPERATING MINIMA:
VERTICAL DISTANCE TO OBSTACLES
(c) When operating VFR in HEMS below minimum flight altitudes
prescribed by the rules of the air or with visibility lower than prescribed in
the rules of the air, the operator should define in the operations manual:
(1) the minimum safe cruising height(s) for the area(s) overflown, the
minimum distance to obstacles and, when necessary, the appropriate maximum
helicopter speed(s);
(2) the minimum safe height (safety height) over relevant obstacles
in the flight path during the cruise phase for VFR operations, which should
not be less than 200 ft during the day and 500 ft during the night.
EASA regulations define Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operating minima for ceiling, cloud base, and visibility, varying for day/night and NVIS. Reduced minima are allowed when instructed to "proceed VFR" during IFR procedures. Operators must define safe cruising heights, obstacle distances, and speeds when flying below standard VFR conditions, ensuring minimum obstacle clearance.
* Summary by Aviation.Bot - Always consult the original document for the most accurate information.
Loading collections...