Talon Helicopters Ltd COM Edition 2 Amend 0 submission 3 TC Stamped

Talon Helicopters Ltd.
- Edition 2 -
Company Operations Manual
Chapter 7 § Operating Requirements
7.7.5 VFR Flight Minimum Visibility - Day VFR in Uncontrolled Airspace
SA CAR 702.17(2)(a)
SA CAR 703.28(2)(a)
The company has authority for a helicopter to be flown in reduced day VFR visibility limits to a minimum of 1/2
mile in uncontrolled airspace.
Prior to undertaking any flight, especially when reduced visibility conditions are anticipated, PICs shall familiarize
themselves thoroughly with:
§ weather;
§ route;
§ terrain;
§ obstacles;
§ possible diversion routes;
§ alternates; and,
§ fuel requirements.
PICs shall also consider all conditions which may be a possible hazard to the flight such as the:
§ aircraft gross weight;
§ the wind and weather;
§ the route and terrain;
§ the time of day;
§ availability or lack of communications; and,
§ the potential for white-out conditions. If the area ahead looks doubtful - turn around. Do not fly past your
present reference point without the next reference point in sight.
When a PIC decides that the hazard(s) involves an unacceptable level of risk, then the flight shall be revised or
cancelled as required to mitigate the risk. A major factor in accidents during low visibility flights is the failure of the
PIC to realize that the aircraft is travelling too fast for the given conditions. All PICs are cautioned that as visibility
decreases, so must forward airspeed and that they are to remain clear of cloud at all times. Poorly visible objects
that can be difficult to see in normal visibility conditions (dead snags, tree tops, wires etc.) are a further hazard to
flight in reduced visibility.
Causes of reduced visibility can be attributed to small particles of matter being suspended in the air, which in turn
causes an obscuring phenomenon. This can include haze, smoke, sand/dust and precipitation (fog, mist, cloud,
rain, drizzle, snow). Smoke particles are nuclei for condensation of water vapour, so smoke and fog, or stratus, can
very often be mixed together. Rain or drizzle streaming across a windscreen, reduces the visibility from the cockpit
causing refractive error. This causes objects to appear lower than they actually are. For instance, a hilltop at half a
mile ahead could appear to be about 260 feet lower than it actually is.
In the summer months, greater care needs to be taken when operating in forest fire areas, due to the associated
reduced visibility with smoke (and rain on occasion). In the winter months, rain, ice, snow etc., may be
encountered, resulting in greater caution required by all PICs when operating in the associated reduced visibility.
Prior to a flight at less than 1 mile visibility, the following conditions shall be satisfied:
§ the PIC has at least 500 hours of PIC experience in helicopters;
§ the helicopter shall be operated at a reduced air speed that will provide the PIC adequate opportunity to
see and avoid obstacles and make a 180° turn;
§ the following minimum safe airspeeds have been established for each helicopter type:
December 31, 2015 Amendment 0 7-6