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## nhPARTMEN TO F ;SPORTATIO N <= ! OPERATION S U.S
. Departmen t o fTransportatio n 1200NewJerseyAvenue , SE
. RoomW12-14 0 o Aci 9 Wes t Buildin g Groun d Floo r3i 0 ilGV- 2 AS : U ^ Washington , D C 20590-0001
. 2 7 Octobe r201 0 Kevi n Dougla s McLemor e 51 5 Idlewoo d Driv e Clarksville , T N 3704 3 Reference : Departmen t o fTransportation , Federa l Aviatio n Administration , 1 4 CF R Part s 1 , 91 , 120 , an d 135 , docke t No
. FAA-2010-0982 ; Notic e No
. 10-13 , RI N 2120 - AJ5 3 ^
. - _. _ T o Who m I t Ma yConcern ,

1 . Th e NPR M state s the following : Operation s contro l center s (Sec . 135.617 ) Th e FA Ai s proposing t o ad d Sec . 135.61 7 t o requir e certificat e holder s wit h1 0 o r mor e helicopter s engage d i n helicopte r ai r ambulanc e operation s t o establis hoperation s contro l centers . Certificat e holder s woul d b e require d t o staf f thes e operation s contro l center s wit h operation s contro l specialist s traine d an d equippe d t o communicat e wit h pilots , advis e pilot s o f weathe r conditions , an d monito r th e progres s o f eac hflight . Eac hcertificat e holde r covere d b ythi s requiremen t woul d b e responsibl e fo r establishing it s ow n individua l operation s contro l center . Eac hcertificat e holde r woul d b e require d t o provid e enoughoperation s contro l specialist s a t eac hoperation s contro l cente r t o ensur e prope r operationa l contro l o f eac hflight . FA Aregulation s currentl yd o no t requir e helicopte r ai r ambulanc e operator s t o hav e an operation s contro l center . I n 2008 , the FA Aissue d AC 120-96 , whic hprovide s recommendation s t o assis t helicopte r ai r ambulanc e operator s wit hthe development , implementation , an d integratio n o f an operation s contro l center , an d enhance d operationa l contro l procedure s simila r t o thos e foun d i n par t 121 . Member s o f the helicopte r air~'SrffiuIanc e industr

yhav e note d tha t the AC i s a " "~produc t o f a surveyo f bes t practice s i n th e ai r medica l industr yan d give s guidanc e t o othe r ai r medica l service s a s t o the benefit s o f thi s typ e o f operation.' ' \19 \ I n developing thi s proposal , th e FA Asough t t o standardiz e operation s contro l center s b ycodifying th e concept s o f AC 120-9 6 int o a framewor k appropriat e fo r helicopte r ai r ambulanc e operations . The FA

Anote s tha t a January200 9 FA Asurveyo f inspector s wit hoversigh t o f helicopte r ai r ambulanc e operation s showe d tha t 8 9 percen t o f helicopte r ai r ambulanc e operator s hav e voluntaril y establishe d some typ e o f operation s contro l center . S o th e poin t o fth e propose d 135.61 7 i s t o requir e wha t 8 9 percen t o foperator s alread y do , bu t exemp t th e othe r1 1 percent , man yo fwho m hav e les s tha n 1 0 helicopters ? I t is , i n fact , a nearl yworthles s additio n t o Part 135
. Eithe rhavin g a comm . Cente ri s a goo d idea , o ri t isn't
. I t doe s no t matte rho wman yaircraf t th e certificat e holde roperates
. Fo r

### al l th e reason s cited , i t i s clearl ya goo d idea , meets wit h industr ybest practices , an d provide s a leve l ofsafet

yt o th e flyin g publi cthat i s clearl ynot met b yoperators withou t a comm . Center
. So , b

ywhat justificatio n doe s th e FA Apropos e exemptin g an yHEM S operators ? B

ydoin g s o the yare clearl yrewardin g th e least equippe d an d least safe
. I f a n operato rneed s t o contrac t comm . Cente rservice s becaus e thei roperatio n i s ofs o limite d a scop e the ycannot afford on e ofthei rown , s o b e it
. That cost i s passe d o n t o th e custome ran d make s i t a mor e leve l playin g fiel d fo rthos e operator s wh o have alread ymad e that investmen t an d are alread yprovidin g tha t intende d leve l ofsafety
. Delet e th e exemptio n base d o n numbe ro fhelicopters
. Thi s i s 2010 , not 1930. 1 ca n tal k t o anyon e anywhere vi a AC H 1000
. I t i s tim e th e governmen t regulate d th e industr yt o a moder n standard , not a standard base d o n what operators thin k ma yo rma ynot cu t to o deepl yinto thei rprofi t margin
.

2 . Th e NPR M state s th e following : Certificat e holder s woul d b e require d t o compl ywit h thi s provisio n " ' b yth e effectiv e dat e o f th e fina l rule . 2 . Equipmen t Requirement s a . Helicopte r Terrai n Awarenes s an d Warnin g System s (HTAWS ) (Sec . 135.605 ) Th e FA Ai s proposin g t o ad d Sec . 135.605(a ) t o requir e tha t al l helicopter s use d i n ai r ambulanc e operation s b e equippe d wit hHTAWS . Th e FA Abelieve s tha t HTAW S woul d assis t helicopte r ai r ambulanc e pilot s i n maintainin g situationa l awarenes s o f surroundin g terrai n an d obstacles , an d therefor e hel p prevent accident s cause d b yCFIT , los s o f control , inadverten t fligh t int o IMC , an d nigh t operations . HTAW S ha s particula r relevanc e t o helicopte r ai r ambulanc e operations , whic h ofte n ar e conducte d a t nigh t an d int o unimprove d landin g sites . I n 2006 , RTCA , Inc . establishe d a specia l committe e tha t develope d RTCA/DO-309 , Minimu mOperationa l Performanc e Standard s (MOPS ) fo r Helicopte r Terrai n Awarenes s an d Warnin g Syste m(HTAWS ) Airborn e Equipment . Th e FA Asubsequentl yissue d TSO-C194 , whic hset s ou t th e minimu mperformanc e standard s fo r HTAWS . Asurve yo f FA Ainspector s reveale d tha t 4 1 percent o f certificate d helicopte r ai r ambulanc e operator s hav e starte d equippin g thei r helicopte r fleet s wit hTAWS . However , th e FA

Adi d no t as k i n it s surve ywhethe r thes e device s wer e complian t wit h TSO s fo r TAW S (TS0-C151 , Terrai n Awarenes s an d Warnin g System ) o r HTAW S (TSO-C194) . Th e FA Arecognize s tha t som e certificat e holder s voluntaril yequippe d thei r helicopter s wit hTAWS , o r othe r TAWS-lik e devices , tha t ma yno t meet th e standard s o f TSO-C19 4 fo r HTAWS . Nevertheless , th e FA Ai s proposin g tha t thes e certificat e holder s equi p thei r helicopte r ai r ambulance s wit hHTAW S becaus e o f th e difference s betwee n TAW S an d HTAWS . Th e FA Apropose s t o incorporat e th e standard s articulate d i n TSO-C19 4 b yreferenc e i n Sec . 135.605(a) . Th e FA Abelieve s th e followin g acciden t i s illustrativ e o f th e typ e o f acciden t tha t ma yb e prevente d i f helicopter s ar e equippe d wit h HTAWS . O n Marc h 21 , 2002 , a Eurocopte r AS-350 B helicopter , returnin g t o it s bas e i n Susanville , California , collide d wit hth e surfac e o f a lake . Th e pilo t becam e disoriente d a s the yfle wove r th e ''glass y smooth' ' water , an d subsequentl ydescende d ''withi n 2 0 t o 5 0 fee t o f th e lak e surface' ' an d eventuall ystruc k th e lak e surfac e causin g fata l injurie s t o th e pilo t an d seriou s injurie s t o th e medica l personnel . Th e NTS B determine d tha t th e causa l effec t o f th e acciden t wa s th epilot' s failur e ''t o maintai n sufficien t altitude/clearanc e abov e the

wate r whil e performing a lowaltitud e flight.' ' Th e NTS B als o cite d a s contributing factor s th e ''th e glass ywate r conditions , an d lac k o f visua l cue s concerning perceptio n o f altitude.' ' Se e NTS B Acciden t Repor t LAX02FA11 4 (Apr . 28 , 2004) . 

### I believe th e FA

Ai s settin g u p a n unintende d competitio n betwee n HTAWS an d NVG s b yth e wordin g ofthi s proposal
. I t i s perhap s somewhat disingenuou s that th e FA Ai s usin g a da

yCFI Tacciden t t o illustrat e th e nee d fo rHTAWS
. B yfa rth e CFI Tris k

i n HEM S operation s i s greate rat night
. Ye t b ytyin g th e propose d Tabl e 1 weathe rminim a t o NVG o rHTAWS , th e FA Ai s givin g th e certificat e holder' s a cheape rou t b yallowin g the m t o operat e at reduce d minimum s at nigh t usin g onl yHTAWS
. HTAWS i s cheaper , doe s not require initia l pilot trainin g an d aircraf t modification , an d recurren t trainin g a s NVG s do
. Thes e sam e certificat e holder s wil l have crews fl yint o lowe rminimum s base d o n bein g HTAWS equipped , bu t withou t th e abilityt o maintai n adequat e outsid e visua l reference fo rhelicopte rcontrol , the ywil l stil l eventuall ycrash
. HTAWS i s a wonderfu l too l fo rpreventin g inadverten t collisio n wit h terrai n o robstacle s - once . I t doe s not provid e yo u wit h th e mean s t o continu e flight , o rse e t o lan d th e aircraft , onc e outsid e visua l reference s are lost
. I t th e exampl e provide d above th e AS-35 0 ma ystil l have crashe d eve n wit h HTAWS , i fth e pilo t had not switche d t o instrumen t flight
. Lowe r weathe rminim a nee d t o b e base d o n th e abilityt o maintai n contro l ofth e aircraft , not jus t avoidin g impac

t wit h terrain
. Th e lowe rminim a i n Tabl e 1 shoul d b e tie d t o HTAWS an d a n IF R equippe d aircraf t an d 135.29 7 curren t pilo t fo rday , an d eithe rHTAWS an d NVG , o rHTAWS an d IF R equippe d aircraf t an d 135.29 7 curren t pilot fo rnigh t operations
. 3
. Whil e I believe thi s NPR M i s a ste p i n th e righ t direction , I don' t believe i t i s a bi g enoug h step
. Th e HEM S industr yi s stil l killin g th e flyin g publi ci n th e sam e wa ythe y were bac k

i n th e 1980s
. W e stil l have VF R onl yaircraft legall yoperatin g i n les s tha n 100 0 foo t ceiling s an d 3 mile s visibility , at night , wit h patient s o n board - ofte n wit h a minimu m equipmen t lis t that allows eve n furthe rdegradatio n ofnavigatio n o rfligh t instruments
. I fthi s NPR M i s adopte d withou t modification , that wil l stil l b e th e case . I fin d th e wordin g ofth e propose d 135.29 3 illustrative : Initia l and recurren t pilo t testing requirements . (a ) * * * (9 ) Fo r rotorcrsf t pilots , procedure s for—aircraf t handling i n flat-light , whiteout , an d brownou t conditions , including method s fo r recognizing an

d avoiding thos e conditions .

*•*•* * * (c ) Eac hcompetenc ychec k fo r a rotorcraf t pilo t mus t includ e a demonstratio n o f the pilot' s abilit yt o maneuve r the rotorcraf t solel y b yreferenc e t o instruments . The chec k mus t determin e the pilot' s abilit yt o safel ymaneuve r the rotorcraf t int o visua l meteorologica l condition s following an inadverten t encounte r wit hinstrumen t meteorologica l conditions . Fo r competenc ycheck s i n non-IFR-certifie d rotorcraft , th e pilo t mus t performsuc hmaneuver s a s ar e appropriat e t o th e rotorcraft' s installe d equipment , th e certificat e holder' s operation s specifications , an d the operating environment .

### Thi s i s no t providin g th e flyin g publi cwit h th e greates t du e care . Th e answe rt o

transportin g patient s i n poo rweathe ri s NVG s an d HTAWs , o rHTAW S an d IF R - no t sendin g a VF R onl yaircraf t ou t i n weathe rles s tha n 100 0 an d 3 t o fetc h them
. Particularl yi n a n aircraf t wher e th e pilo t i s traine d "appropriat e t o th e rotorcraft' s installe d equipment"
. I t i s tim e fo rth e FAAt o b e a goo d stewar d fo rth e taxpayin g an d flyin g public , an d no t th e 13 5 certificat e holders
. I fth e standar d i s raised , perhap s fewe rpatient s wil l b e flow n i n helicopter s an d mor e drive n i n ambulance s i n poo rweather
. However , almos t certainl yfewe rpatient s wil l b e kille d i n CFI Taccidents
.

Kevi n Dougla s McLemor e AT P 313703 6