Helicopter operation

Helicopter operations onboard (daylight conditions)

• A so called "STASS" or "CA-EBS" - briefing is required for all helicopter passengers and can be carried out on board. (CA-EBS = Compressed Air-Emergency Breathing System; STASS = Short Term Air Supply System). An instruction can be given by the pilots on board for persons that are occasionally flying, but this is not the same as a training ashore and the heli operator assumes no liability for this on board training.
  Halfday STASS trainings can be completed at commercial training centres. Frequent flyer are strongly recommended to take part in a full "Helicopter Underwater Escape Training" (HUET) before the expedition. Commercial companies  offer courses. Please register yourself for any suitable training course on your own costs.  (AWI-Logistics does not organize or pay for courses)
  To take part in a training course mentioned above you will have to prove your medical fitness by presenting a medical certificate for offshore duties. Information on how to receive such a certificate can be found here: Medical Examination

• A survival package is taken along for each person and a group survival equipment bag for 9 persons. The equipment is present onboard.
  The equipment is weight-optimized and planned for an absence of max. 17h. (max. rescue time). There is no food in the equipment and the fuel bottle for the cooker must be filled on board !
  
  

• Helmets must be worn in the helicopter for safety reasons at all times. Immersion suites with a self-inflatable life vest are obligatory during flights. The equipment is available onboard.
  
  
• One helicopter stays onboard or in the close vincinity of the ship ( < 3 nm) for safety reasons, while the other is in use.
  
  
• The used helicopter is flown by one pilot, the other pilot is at the "Tower" onboard.
  
  
• 5 passengers can come along plus the pilot because all 6 persons must be rescued in case of emergency. (Pilot+Doc. + 6 persons of helicopter 1 ==> 8 persons in the rescue helicopter) 
  
  
• Rescue of all persons on the ice has to be possible with only one helicopter flight so that no one stays behind in case of e.g. a weather deterioration, helicopter crash, break-up of ice floes or polar bear attack. Only one group will be allowed in the field at the same time due to the above mentioned reasons.
  
  
• It must always be expected that the group can not be collected in time because of weather conditions. The position of the working area has to be chosen thus that rescue by the ship or other means is possible in an acceptable time.
  
  
• Stand-by of a helicopter on site is about 45 minutes. If longer stays are required the helicopter flys back to the ship and collects the group later.  In this case the group must be equipped with GPS and Iridium telephone. There are 2 Iridium telephones available onboard from the communication electronics engineer.
  
  
• Operation below -30°C air temperature is limited, below -45°C prohibited
  
  

• There will be a meeting of chief scientist, captain, pilot and meteorologist before every flight for discussing the flight plan. The flight programme must be documented in writing. The decision if flying is possible or not has to be unanimous.  The pilot always has the final word .
  
  

• The pilot can always abort the operation. His/her decision is mandatory and must be followed immediately.
  
  

• If only one helicopter is operational for technical reasons, the other helicopter may operate within 10 NM of the ship only. Thus, in case of emergency, rescue measures can be undertaken from the ship in due time.
  
  
• It might be that the helicopter operator needs to obtain permissions for take-off and landing before the expedition through local air administrations. Therefore you should announce your flight plans to the chief scientist at an early stage.
  
  

Examples for load and range:

Ask the pilots on board about the payloads and external loads of your specific flight operations.

If you want to bring your own devices for installation or use on board.

The basis for the use of the helicopters on board during an expedition is an application approved by the GPF as main or secondary user and the agreement of the scientific coordination to participate in a specific Polarstern expedition. 

The need to install and/or obtain a license for equipment on board the helicopters must be notified to the ship's coordination team at a very early stage due to the long-term deployment planning of the aircraft and the expected approval times from the aviation authorities (LBA, EASA). The scope is determined jointly and an implementation concept with a time and cost plan is then drawn up with the helicopter operator. The helicopter operator and the applicant then conclude a contract for the agreed measures and settle the costs incurred directly with each other.

The AWI provides the helicopter, the costs incurred for the entire installation, authorization and test phase must be paid by the applicant. (e.g. personnel, pilots, fuel, take-off and landing fees, conversion costs, certification costs, inspectors, LBA fees, administrative fees, etc.). AWI and helicopter operator are to be indemnified against all possible risks. Any additional costs incurred due to delays, changes to plans, defects, weather-related delays, damage, etc. shall be borne by the applicant.

The three helicopters used on the Polarstern will be utilized and maintained on a rotational basis. For this purpose, two helicopters are always on board and one remains with the helicopter operator each season for maintenance and as a reserve. Requests for modifications, installations, licenses, etc. will be included in the long-term maintenance planning. Depending on actual flight utilization and the technical condition of the helicopters (unforeseeable circumstances), no binding guarantee can be given as to when which helicopter will be available. Expedition operations and maintenance/servicing have priority over installations, modifications, test flights, etc.. The applicant shall bear the resulting risks.