CS 29.1415 Ditching equipment

ED Decision 2018/007/R

If certification with ditching provisions or emergency flotation provisions is requested by the applicant, the additional safety equipment required by any applicable operating rule must meet the requirements of this CS.

(a) All equipment must be approved.

(b) Life rafts.

(1) Required life raft(s) must be remotely deployable for use in an emergency. Remote controls capable of deploying the life raft(s) must be located within easy reach of the flight crew, occupants of the passenger cabin and survivors in the water, with the rotorcraft in the upright floating or capsized position. It must be substantiated that life raft(s) sufficient to accommodate all rotorcraft occupants, without exceeding the rated capacity of any life raft, can be reliably deployed with the rotorcraft in any reasonably foreseeable floating attitude, including capsized, and in the sea conditions chosen for demonstrating compliance with CS 29.801(e).

(2) Each life raft must have a short retaining line designed to hold the life raft near the rotorcraft and a long retaining line designed to keep the life raft attached to the rotorcraft. Both retaining lines must be designed to break before submerging the empty raft to which they are attached if the rotorcraft becomes totally submerged. The long retaining line must be of sufficient length that a drifting life raft will not be drawn towards any part of the rotorcraft that would pose a danger to the life raft itself or the persons on board.

(3) Each life raft must be substantiated as suitable for use in all sea conditions covered by the certification with ditching or emergency flotation provisions.

(4) The number of life rafts installed must be no less than two. The life rafts must be of an approximately equal rated capacity and buoyancy to accommodate all the occupants of the rotorcraft and unless excess life rafts of sufficient capacity are provided, the buoyancy and seating capacity beyond the rated capacity of each life raft (overload rating) must accommodate all occupants of the rotorcraft in the event of loss of one life raft of the largest rated capacity.

(c) Life preservers.

If the applicable operating rule allows for life preservers not to be worn at all times, stowage provisions must be provided that accommodate one life preserver for each occupant for which certification with ditching provisions is requested. A life preserver must be within easy reach of each occupant while seated.

(d) Survival equipment.

Approved survival equipment must be attached to each liferaft.

[Amdt No: 29/5]