Federal Aviation Administration, DOT

Section 136.31

Section 136.11 Helicopter floats for over
water.
(a) A helicopter used in commercial
air tours over water beyond the shoreline must be equipped with fixed floats
or an inflatable flotation system adequate 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 critical 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 flotation system must have:
(1) The activation switch for the flotation system on one of the primary
flight controls, and
(2) The flotation system armed when
the helicopter is over water and is flying 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 flotation system is not required for a helicopter 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 shoreline for the duration of the flight and
each occupant is wearing a life preserver 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 requirements on or before September 5,
2008.
Section 136.13 Helicopter performance plan
and operations.
(a) Each operator must complete a
performance plan before each helicopter 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 performance plan on the day the flight is
flown. The performance plan must be
based on the information in the Rotorcraft 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 hovering 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 takeoff and landing, the pilot in command
must make a reasonable plan to operate the helicopter outside of the caution/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 compliance with the plan described in paragraph (b) of this section.
SectionSection 136.15-136.29

[Reserved]

Subpart B - National Parks Air Tour
Management
SOURCE: Docket No. FAA-1998-4521, 72 FR
6912, Feb. 13, 2007, unless otherwise noted.

Section 136.31

Applicability.

(a) This part restates and paraphrases several sections of the National 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 requirements for the development of an air
tour management plan for each park in
the national park system where commercial 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 system;
(2) Tribal lands as defined in this subpart; or

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