AIM

10/12/17

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/AIS publishes the grid system way-

points 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 an FAA approved print
provider or FAA directly, website address:
http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/flight_info/aeronav.