510 

14 CFR Ch. I (1–1–19 Edition) 

§ 135.611 

§ 135.611

IFR operations at locations 

without weather reporting. 

(a) If a certificate holder is author-

ized to conduct helicopter IFR oper-
ations, the Administrator may author-
ize the certificate holder to conduct 
IFR helicopter air ambulance oper-
ations at airports with an instrument 
approach procedure and at which a 
weather report is not available from 
the U.S. National Weather Service 
(NWS), a source approved by the NWS, 
or a source approved by the FAA, sub-
ject to the following limitations: 

(1) The certificate holder must obtain 

a weather report from a weather re-
porting facility operated by the NWS, a 
source approved by the NWS, or a 
source approved by the FAA, that is lo-
cated within 15 nautical miles of the 
airport. If a weather report is not 
available, the certificate holder may 
obtain the area forecast from the NWS, 
a source approved by the NWS, or a 
source approved by the FAA, for infor-
mation regarding the weather observed 
in the vicinity of the airport; 

(2) Flight planning for IFR flights 

conducted under this paragraph must 
include selection of an alternate air-
port that meets the requirements of 
§§ 135.221 and 135.223; 

(3) In Class G airspace, IFR depar-

tures with visual transitions are au-
thorized only after the pilot in com-
mand determines that the weather con-
ditions at the departure point are at or 
above takeoff minimums depicted in 
the published Obstacle Departure Pro-
cedure or VFR minimum ceilings and 
visibilities in accordance with § 135.609. 

(4) All approaches must be conducted 

at Category A approach speeds as es-
tablished in part 97 or those required 
for the type of approach being used. 

(b) Each helicopter air ambulance op-

erated under this section must be 
equipped with functioning severe 
weather detection equipment. 

(c) Pilots conducting operations pur-

suant to this section may use the 
weather information obtained in para-
graph (a) to satisfy the weather report 
and forecast requirements of § 135.213 
and § 135.225(a). 

(d) After completing a landing at the 

airport at which a weather report is 
not available, the pilot in command is 
authorized to determine if the weather 

meets the takeoff requirements of part 
97 of this chapter or the certificate 
holder’s operations specification, as ap-
plicable. 

[Doc. No. FAA–2010–0982, 79 FR 9975, Feb. 21, 
2014, as amended by Amdt. 135–131, 79 FR 
43622, July 28, 2014] 

§ 135.613

Approach/departure IFR 

transitions. 

(a) 

Approaches. 

When conducting an 

authorized instrument approach and 
transitioning from IFR to VFR flight, 
upon transitioning to VFR flight the 
following weather minimums apply— 

(1) For Point-in-Space (PinS) Copter 

Instrument approaches annotated with 
a ‘‘Proceed VFR’’ segment, if the dis-
tance from the missed approach point 
to the landing area is 1 NM or less, 
flight visibility must be at least 1 stat-
ute mile and the ceiling on the ap-
proach chart applies; 

(2) For all instrument approaches, in-

cluding PinS when paragraph (a)(1) of 
this section does not apply, if the dis-
tance from the missed approach point 
to the landing area is 3 NM or less, the 
applicable VFR weather minimums 
are— 

(i) For Day Operations: No less than 

a 600-foot ceiling and 2 statute miles 
flight visibility; 

(ii) For Night Operations: No less 

than a 600-foot ceiling and 3 statute 
miles flight visibility; or 

(3) For all instrument approaches, in-

cluding PinS, if the distance from the 
missed approach point to the landing 
area is greater than 3 NM, the VFR 
weather minimums required by the 
class of airspace. 

(b) 

Departures. 

For transitions from 

VFR to IFR upon departure— 

(1) The VFR weather minimums of 

paragraph (a) of this section apply if— 

(i) An FAA-approved obstacle depar-

ture procedure is followed; and 

(ii) An IFR clearance is obtained on 

or before reaching a predetermined lo-
cation that is not more than 3 NM from 
the departure location. 

(2) If the departure does not meet the 

requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this 
section, the VFR weather minimums 
required by the class of airspace apply. 

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