SPO.GEN.005 Scope

Regulation (EU) 2019/1384

(a) This Annex applies to any specialised operation where the aircraft is used for specialised activities such as agriculture, construction, photography, surveying, observation and patrol, aerial advertisement or maintenance check flights.

(b) Notwithstanding (a), non-commercial specialised operations with other-than complex motor-powered aircraft shall comply with Annex VII (Part-NCO).

(c) Notwithstanding point (a), the following operations with other-than complex motor-powered aircraft may be conducted in accordance with Annex VII (Part-NCO):

(1) competition flights or flying displays, on the condition that the remuneration or any valuable consideration given for such flights is limited to recovery of direct costs and a proportionate contribution to annual costs, as well as prizes of no more than a value specified by the competent authority.

(2) parachute dropping, sailplane towing with an aeroplane or aerobatic flights performed either by a training organisation having its principal place of business in a Member State and being referred to in Article 10a of Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, or by an organisation created with the aim of promoting aerial sport or leisure aviation, on the condition that the aircraft is operated by the organisation on the basis of ownership or dry lease, that the flight does not generate profits distributed outside of the organisation, and that whenever non-members of the organisation are involved, such flights represent only a marginal activity of the organisation.

AMC1 SPO.GEN.005 Scope

ED Decision 2014/018/R

CRITERIA

The operators should consider the following criteria to determine whether an activity falls within the scope of specialised operations:

(a) the aircraft is flown close to the surface to fulfil the mission;

(b) abnormal manoeuvres are performed;

(c) special equipment is necessary to fulfil the mission and which affects the manoeuvrability of the aircraft;

(d) substances are released from the aircraft during the flight where these substances are either harmful or affect the manoeuvrability of the aircraft;

(e) external loads or goods are lifted or towed; or

(f) persons enter or leave the aircraft during flight.

LIST OF SPECIALISED OPERATIONS

(a) Specialised operations include the following activities:

(1) helicopter external loads operations;

(2) helicopter survey operations;

(3) human external cargo operations;

(4) parachute operations and skydiving;

(5) agricultural flights;

(6) aerial photography flights;

(7) glider towing;

(8) aerial advertising flights;

(9) calibration flights;

(10) construction work flights, including stringing power line operations, clearing saw operations;

(11) oil spill work;

(12) avalanche mining operations;

(13) survey operations, including aerial mapping operations, pollution control activity;

(14) news media flights, television and movie flights;

(15) special events flights, including such as flying display and competition flights;

(16) aerobatic flights;

(17) animal herding, animal rescue flights and veterinary dropping flights;

(18) maritime funeral operations;

(19) scientific research flights (other than those under Annex II to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008);

(20) cloud seeding; and

(21) sensational flights: flights involving extreme aerobatic manoeuvres carried out for the purpose of allowing the persons on board to experience zero gravity, high G-forces or similar sensations.

(b) For other operations, the operator can apply the criteria specified in AMC1 SPO.GEN.005 to determine whether an activity falls within the scope of specialised operations.