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Part I

Introduction, Interpretation and Application

Part I Table

• Introduction
• Interpretation
• Application

Introduction ^

These Guidelines may be cited as the Ships’ Helicopter Facilities Guidelines.

1 (1) The Guidelines prescribe Transport Canada Marine and Aviation Groups’ standards for ships’ helicopter operational facilities.

2 (1) The Guidelines are divided into five parts:

1. Part I: Introduction, Interpretation and Application;
   
   
2. Part II: Helicopter decks and winching areas;
   
   
3. Part III: Helicopter fuelling and servicing facilities;
   
   
4. Part IV: Fire-protection and personnel-rescue facilities; and
   
   
5. Part V: Helicopter operations.

Interpretation ^

3 (1) "Act" means the Canada Shipping Act.

"Approved" means approved by the Board of Steamship Inspection.

"Aviation Group" means the Transport Canada Aviation Group, responsible for aviation safety.

"Board" means the Board of Steamship Inspection authorized under the Act.

"Bridge" means the location of the command position of the ship.

"Design Helicopter" means the most demanding helicopter used to determine the dimensions, bearing strength and other aspects of the helicopter deck design, which has been identified from the helicopters the deck is intended to serve.

"Downwash" means the volume of air displaced downward by the lifting rotor, which, when it strikes the helicopter deck or other solid surface, causes a turbulent outflow from beneath the helicopter.

"Ground Effect" means the improvement in flight capability that develops whenever a helicopter flies or hovers near the helicopter deck or other solid surface, as a result of the cushion of denser air built up between the surface and the helicopter by the air displaced downward by the lifting rotor.

"Harmful Substance" means any substance subject to control under the Canada Shipping Act and the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act that, if introduced into the sea, is liable to create hazards to human health, to harm living resources and marine life, to damage amenities or to interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea.

"Helicopter" means any heavier-than-air aircraft supported in flight by the reactions of the air on one or more power-driven rotors on a substantially vertical axis.

"Helicopter Approach-and-Departure Area" means the area where a helicopter may safely approach and manoeuvre during any part of the landing or takeoff operation.

"Helicopter Deck" means a helicopter landing and takeoff area aboard a ship.

"Helicopter Operations Officer" means the senior aviation officer aboard ship.

"Helicopter Overall Length" means the distance between the extremities of the helicopter including the rotors.

"Inspector" means a steamship inspector appointed under the provisions of the Act.

"Jet A-1 Fuel" means an aviation turbine fuel having a minimum flashpoint of 38°C (approved closed-cup test)

"Jet B (JP4) Fuel" means an aviation turbine wide-cut fuel that has a minimum flashpoint estimated to be between -2°C and -23°C (approved closed-cup test) and a Reid vapour pressure such that, at normal temperature and pressure, the vapour-air mixture above the liquid in a closed tank may settle in the flammability range.

"JP5 (High Flashpoint) Fuel" means an aviation turbine fuel having a minimum flashpoint of 60° (approved closed cup-test)

"Limited Obstacle Area" means an area on a ship adjacent to the helicopter deck and within which the height of objects is limited.

"Markers" means objects displayed above deck level in order to indicate an obstacle or delineate a boundary.

"Markings" means symbols or groups of symbols displayed on the surface of the deck in order to convey aeronautical information.

"Obstacle" means any fixed obstacle, whether temporary or permanent, any mobile obstacle, or any part thereof, located on an area intended for the surface movement of aircraft or extending above a defined surface intended to protect aircraft in flight.

"Regional Manager" means the Manager, Ship Safety, for a Canadian Coast Guard Region.

"Ship" means any type of vessel, boat or craft designed, used, or capable of being used, solely or partly, for marine navigation, without regard to method, or lack, of propulsion.

"Ship Safety Branch" means the branch of Transport Canada Marine Group responsible for ship safety.

"Winching" means the transfer of personnel or materiel between the internal spaces of a helicopter and a ship’s deck by means of a hoisting mechanism fitted in the helicopter.

"Winching Area" means the clear deck area over which a helicopter may hover for winching personnel and materiel to and from a ship, where no landing facilities are provided.

(2) Unless otherwise stated, the numerical units used in these Guidelines are as defined in the Metric Practice Guide, published by the Canadian Standards Association; unless otherwise specified, pressures are gauge pressures.

Application ^

4 (1) These Guidelines apply to:

1. all Canadian-registered ships,
   
   
2. foreign-registered ships certificated for operations under the Non-Canadian Ships Safety Order, and
   
   
3. foreign-registered ships subject to, and operating in those areas under, the jurisdiction of the Canada Oil and Gas Lands Administration.

(2) These Guidelines apply to new ships or existing ships to be outfitted with permanent facilities for helicopter operations.

(3) In the case of ships with existing permanent helicopter facilities, these Guidelines apply as far as is reasonable and practicable.

(4) Notwithstanding subsections (1) to (3), these Guidelines do not apply in emergency situations involving safety of life or prevention of pollution at sea; in such circumstances, helicopter operations shall be conducted in accordance with the judgment of the ship’s Master and the helicopter Pilot-in-Command.

(5) Where a ship is being outfitted for temporary helicopter operations, facilities should be acceptable to the Regional Manager, Ship Safety, and the Regional Director General, Aviation and the outfitting should take into account:

1. the characteristics of the design helicopter;
   
   
2. the area in which the ship will operate;
   
   
3. the length of the period and the time of year during which the ship will engage in helicopter operations;
   
   
4. the proposed operations and expected visibility.
   
   
5. the potential safety hazards presented by other systems aboard the ship;
   
   
6. the ship’s weight, trim and stability characteristics;
   
   
7. the helicopter deck and its support structure materials and scantlings;
   
   
8. the helicopter-securing arrangements and the helicopter-deck markings;
   
   
9. the Dangerous Goods Shipping Regulations and the International Maritimes Dangerous Goods Code covering shipping and storing arrangements for aviation fuel in portable tanks or drums;
   
   
10. the amount and type of aviation fuel to be used;
    
    
11. the dispensing and bunkering arrangements for aviation fuel;
    
    
12. provisions for ship’s personnel and equipment associated with:
    1. helicopter landing and take off; and
       
    2. firefighting and personnel rescue; and
       
       
13. the radio and visual-communication arrangements between ship and helicopter.

(6) Except where otherwise prescribed in these Guidelines, the design, construction, installation, inspection and testing of helicopter decks, including securing arrangements, winching areas and fuelling and firefighting facilities, should be in accordance with relevant Ship Safety Branch regulations.

(7) The Board, on receipt of written application, may exempt any ship from standards prescribed in these Guidelines, provided that the ship meets standards that, in the opinion of the Board or Aviation Group, as applicable, are adequate for the overall safety of the ship and the helicopter.

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