(a) All
cargo shall be loaded and secured under the direction of the pilot or pilot's
designee.
(b) No passenger shall be
transported in the helicopter with a sling load and no person shall be
transported as an external or sling load, except in an emergency.
EXCEPTION: Unless authorized by the
F.A.A.
(c) Explosives and
other "dangerous materials" shall not be transported except as authorized by
F.A.A.
(d) All sling loads,
including line stringing devices, shall be attached only to quick-release
devices. Steel or metallic sling ends shall be of the pressed sleeve or swedged
eye-type, or equivalent. Tag lines shall be of a length or secured in such a
manner that will not allow their being drawn up into the rotors.
(e) Automatic release devices are prohibited
in all construction operations where ground crews are used. The devices shall
be activated only for actual placement of loads. Electrical release devices
shall have mechanical back-up, be checked each day of operation, and be
designed to prevent inadvertent operation.
(f) When stringing conductive lines or
conductors, there shall be radio communication between the helicopter and the
ground crew.
(g) When stringing
lines or conductors close to or parallel to energized lines, conductive lines
or reels, pay-out machines, and conductors shall be grounded as required by the
High Voltage Electrical Safety Orders. Hoist wires or other gear shall not be
attached to any fixed ground structure.
EXCEPTION: When pulling lines or conductors that are
allowed to "pay-out" from a container or roll off a reel.
(h) External sling load operations shall not
be performed if electrical storms in the immediate vicinity make the work
unsafe.
(i) Load landing operations
shall not be performed when the wind conditions are deemed too unsafe by the
pilot or ground crew.
(j) There
shall be a minimum clearance of at least 25 feet between any energized power
line, rated 50 KV or below, and any part of the rotorcraft load combination.
This clearance requirement shall increase at the rate of ½ inch for each
1 KV.
EXCEPTION: These minimum clearances shall not apply to
helicopters or their external loads specifically utilized for power line
construction, maintenance, and repair where the work in progress is under the
direct supervision of the utility.