AIM

4/3/14

10−1−7

Helicopter IFR Operations

(a)

The helicopter must be equipped for IFR

operations and equipped with IFR approved GPS

navigational units.

(b)

The operator must obtain prior written

approval from the appropriate Flight Standards

District Office through a Letter of Authorization or

Operations Specification, as appropriate.

(c)

The operator must be a signatory to the

Houston ARTCC Letter of Agreement.

4.

Operators who wish to benefit from ADS−B

based ATC separation services must meet the

following additional requirements:

(a)

The Operator’s installed ADS−B Out

equipment must meet the performance requirements

of one of the following FAA Technical Standard

Orders (TSO), or later revisions: TSO−C154c,

Universal Access Transceiver (UAT) Automatic

Dependent Surveillance−Broadcast (ADS−B) Equip-

ment, or TSO−C166b, Extended Squitter Automatic

Dependent Surveillance−Broadcast (ADS−B) and

Traffic Information.

(b)

Flight crews must comply with the

procedures prescribed in the Houston ARTCC Letter

of Agreement dated December 17, 2009, or later.

NOTE

−

The unique ADS

−B architecture in the Gulf of Mexico

depends upon reception of an aircraft’s Mode C in addition
to the other message elements described in 14 CFR 91.227.
Flight crews must be made aware that loss of Mode C also
means that ATC will not receive the aircraft’s ADS

−B

signal.

5.

FAA/AeroNav publishes the grid system

waypoints on the IFR Gulf of Mexico Vertical Flight

Reference Chart. A commercial equivalent is also

available. The chart is updated annually and is

available from a FAA chart agent or FAA directly,

web site address:
http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aerona
v

.