541 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 136.31 

§ 136.11

Helicopter floats for over 

water. 

(a) A helicopter used in commercial 

air tours over water beyond the shore-
line must be equipped with fixed floats 
or an inflatable flotation system ade-
quate to accomplish a safe emergency 
ditching, if— 

(1) It is a single-engine helicopter; or 
(2) It is a multi-engine helicopter 

that cannot be operated with the crit-
ical engine inoperative at a weight 
that will allow it to climb, at least 50 
feet a minute, at an altitude of 1,000 
feet above the surface, as provided in 
the Rotorcraft Flight Manual (RFM). 

(b) Each helicopter that is required 

to be equipped with an inflatable flota-
tion system must have: 

(1) The activation switch for the flo-

tation system on one of the primary 
flight controls, and 

(2) The flotation system armed when 

the helicopter is over water and is fly-
ing at a speed that does not exceed the 
maximum speed prescribed in the 
Rotorcraft Flight Manual for flying 
with the flotation system armed. 

(c) Fixed floats or an inflatable flota-

tion system is not required for a heli-
copter under this section if: 

(1) The helicopter is over water only 

during the takeoff or landing portion of 
the flight, or 

(2) The helicopter is operated within 

power-off gliding distance to the shore-
line for the duration of the flight and 
each occupant is wearing a life pre-
server from before takeoff until the 
aircraft is no longer over water. 

(d) Air tour operators required to 

comply with paragraphs (a) and/or (b) 
of this section must meet these re-
quirements on or before September 5, 
2008. 

§ 136.13

Helicopter performance plan 

and operations. 

(a) Each operator must complete a 

performance plan before each heli-
copter commercial air tour, or flight 
operated under 14 CFR 91.146 or 91.147. 
The pilot in command must review for 
accuracy and comply with the perform-
ance plan on the day the flight is 
flown. The performance plan must be 
based on the information in the Rotor-
craft Flight Manual (RFM) for that 
helicopter, taking into consideration 

the maximum density altitude for 
which the operation is planned, in 
order to determine: 

(1) Maximum gross weight and center 

of gravity (CG) limitations for hov-
ering in ground effect; 

(2) Maximum gross weight and CG 

limitations for hovering out of ground 
effect; and 

(3) Maximum combination of weight, 

altitude, and temperature for which 
height/velocity information in the 
RFM is valid. 

(b) Except for the approach to and 

transition from a hover for the purpose 
of takeoff and landing, or during take-
off and landing, the pilot in command 
must make a reasonable plan to oper-
ate the helicopter outside of the cau-
tion/warning/avoid area of the limiting 
height/velocity diagram. 

(c) Except for the approach to and 

transition from a hover for the purpose 
of takeoff and landing, during takeoff 
and landing, or when necessary for 
safety of flight, the pilot in command 
must operate the helicopter in compli-
ance with the plan described in para-
graph (b) of this section. 

§§ 136.15–136.29

[Reserved] 

Subpart B—National Parks Air Tour 

Management 

S

OURCE

: Docket No. FAA–1998–4521, 72 FR 

6912, Feb. 13, 2007, unless otherwise noted. 

§ 136.31

Applicability. 

(a) This part restates and para-

phrases several sections of the Na-
tional Parks Air Tour Management Act 
of 2000, including section 803 (codified 
at 49 U.S.C. 40128) and sections 806 and 
809. This subpart clarifies the require-
ments for the development of an air 
tour management plan for each park in 
the national park system where com-
mercial air tour operations are flown. 

(b) Except as provided in paragraph 

(c) of this section, this subpart applies 
to each commercial air tour operator 
who conducts a commercial air tour 
operation over— 

(1) A unit of the national park sys-

tem; 

(2) Tribal lands as defined in this sub-

part; or 

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