SPA.HEMS.130 Crew requirements

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

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

(1)     either:

(i)      1 000 hours as pilot-in-command/commander of aircraft of which 500 hours are as pilot-in-command/commander on helicopters; or

(ii)     1 000 hours as co-pilot in HEMS operations of which 500 hours are as pilot-in-command under supervision and 100 hours pilot-in-command/commander of helicopters;

(2)     500 hours’ operating experience in helicopters, gained in an operational environment similar to the intended operation; and

(3)     for pilots engaged in night operations, 20 hours of VMC at night as pilot-in-command/commander.

(c)      Operational training. Successful completion of operational training in accordance with the HEMS procedures contained in the operations manual.

(d)     Recency. All pilots conducting HEMS operations shall have completed a minimum of 30 minutes’ flight by sole reference to instruments in a helicopter or in an FSTD within the last six months.

(e)     Crew composition

(1)     Day flight. The minimum crew by day shall be one pilot and one HEMS technical crew member.

(i)      This may be reduced to one pilot only when:

(A)     at a HEMS operating site the commander is required to fetch additional medical supplies. In such case the HEMS technical crew member may be left to give assistance to ill or injured persons while the commander undertakes this flight;

(B)     after arriving at the HEMS operating site, the installation of the stretcher precludes the HEMS technical crew member from occupying the front seat; or

(C)     the medical passenger requires the assistance of the HEMS technical crew member in flight.

(ii)     In the cases described in (i), the operational minima shall be as defined by the applicable airspace requirements; the HEMS operating minima contained in Table 1 of SPA.HEMS.120 shall not be used.

(iii)     Only in the case described in (i)(A) may the commander land at a HEMS operating site without the technical crew member assisting from the front seat.

(2)     Night flight. The minimum crew by night shall be:

(i)      two pilots; or

(ii)     one pilot and one HEMS technical crew member in specific geographical areas defined by the operator in the operations manual taking into account the following:

(A)     adequate ground reference;

(B)     flight following system for the duration of the HEMS mission;

(C)     reliability of weather reporting facilities;

(D)     HEMS minimum equipment list;

(E)     continuity of a crew concept;

(F)     minimum crew qualification, initial and recurrent training;

(G)     operating procedures, including crew coordination;

(H)     weather minima; and

(I)      additional considerations due to specific local conditions.

(f)      Crew 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 HEMS working environment and equipment; improve crew coordination; and include measures to minimise the risks associated with en-route transit in low visibility conditions, selection of HEMS operating sites and approach and departure profiles.

(ii)     The measures referred to in (f)(2)(i) shall be assessed during:

(A)     VMC day proficiency checks, or VMC night proficiency checks when night HEMS operations are undertaken by the operator; and

(B)     line checks.

[applicable until 24 May 2024 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012]

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

(b)     INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

(c)      Operational training. Crew members shall successfully complete operational training in accordance with the HEMS procedures contained in the operations manual.

(d)     Flight training by sole reference to instruments. Flight crew members that conduct HEMS operations without a valid instrument rating shall complete flight training to proficiency by sole reference to instruments in a helicopter or in an FSTD to have the skills to escape unintended IMC conditions. The validity period of the flight training shall be 6 calendar months.

(e)     Crew composition

(1)     Day flight. The minimum crew composition shall at least satisfy the following requirements:

(i)      comprise either two pilots or one pilot and one HEMS technical crew member;

(ii)               the crew composition may be reduced to only one pilot only if one of the situations below occur; once the crew composition is reduced to one pilot, the commander shall only operate to or from HEMS operating sites if they have previously conducted an in-flight reconnaissance with two crew members during the same HEMS mission:

(A)     the commander is required to fetch additional medical supplies, refuel, or reposition while the HEMS technical crew member provides medical assistance on the ground;

(B)     the medical passenger requires the assistance of the HEMS technical crew member in flight;

(C)     the HEMS technical crew member disembarks to supervise a HEMS HEC cargo sling operation from outside the helicopter;

(2)     Night flight. The minimum crew composition shall be:

(i)      either two pilots or one pilot and one HEMS technical crew member;

(ii)     one pilot where the following conditions are met:

(A)     the medical passenger requires the assistance of the HEMS technical crew member during the flight;

(B)     neither the departure nor the destination is a HEMS operating site.

(3)     The operator shall ensure that the continuity of the crew concept is maintained throughout the HEMS mission.

(f)      Flight and technical crew training and checking

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

(2)     Crew members

(i)      All relevant elements of the crew training programmes defined in Subpart FC and TC of Annex III (Part-ORO), including helicopter/FSTD training, shall improve the crew’s knowledge of the HEMS working environment and equipment, improve crew coordination, and include measures to minimise the risks associated with en‑route transit in low-visibility conditions, the selection of HEMS operating sites, and approach and departure profiles.

(ii)     The measures referred to in point (i) shall be assessed during both of the following:

(A)     VMC day proficiency checks, or VMC night proficiency checks when night HEMS operations are undertaken by the operator;

(B)     line checks.

(iii)     the HEMS components of the proficiency checks and line checks referred to in point (ii) shall both have a validity period of 12 calendar months.

[for HEMS operations covered by point (61)(a) of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012

applicable from 25 May 2024 — Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1020

for HEMS operations covered by point (61)(b) of Annex I to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012

applicable from 25 May 2026 — Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1020]