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CS 27.1415  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 rafts 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 showing compliance with CS 27.801(e).

(2)      Each life raft must be attached to the rotorcraft by a short retaining line to keep it alongside the rotorcraft and a long retaining line designed to keep it attached to the rotorcraft. Both retaining lines must be weak enough to break before submerging the empty life raft to which they are attached. 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.

(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 or emergency flotation provisions.

[Amdt No: 27/5]