27 October, 2018

In South Africa, can a helicopter land anywhere?

Here are the rules and regulations:

&91.07.4 
(1) No pilot-in-command of a helicopter shall land at or take-off from any place unless the place is so situated to permit the helicopter, in the event of an engine failure arising during such landing or take-off, continue to operate in a manner that allows safe operation without undue hazard to persons or property on the surface.

(2) The pilot-in-command of a helicopter shall ensure that any place used for landing, take-off or hover—

(a) shall have—
(i) physical characteristics;
(ii) obstacle limitation surfaces,
commensurate with the ambient light conditions and the characteristics of the helicopter being operated;

(b) allows the helicopter to operate clear of obstacles and without causing nuisance to third parties through its rotor wash;

(c) has a surface area suitable for touch-down and lift-off; and 

(d) meets the requirements of regulation 91.08.2.

(3) No pilot of a helicopter shall land on, or take-off from, any elevated helicopter landing place, unless such place meets the design requirements prescribed in Part 139 of these regulations for the operation of heliports, and unless such elevated helicopter landing place, if situated within a build-up area, the place has been licensed or approved in terms of Part 139. 

(4) No pilot-in-command of a helicopter shall land or take-off from any place within a build-up area unless he or she has assured him- or herself that local by-laws do not prohibit such take-off or landing without specific permission by the local authority; provided that this restriction shall not apply to a helicopter engaged in an emergency medical service operation, referred to in Part 138, of undertaking a flight necessary for the exercising of any power in terms of any law. 

(5) The Director may, in the interests of aviation safety, impose conditions or institute restrictions as to the use of any building, structure or place for the landing or take-off of helicopters, or require special flight procedures to be adopted at, or special routes to be followed to or from, such building, structure or place by helicopters, and the Director may impose different conditions, institute different restrictions or require different special flight procedures to be adopted in respect of different buildings, structures or places.

(6) Nothing in this regulation shall be construed as conferring any right to land at any building, structure or place against the wishes of the owner of, or any other person who has an interest in, the building, structure or place or as prejudicing the rights or remedies of any person in respect of any injury to persons or property caused by the helicopter or its occupants.