Federal Department of the Environment,

Transport, Energy and Communication DETEC

Federal Office of Civil Aviation FOCA
Safety Division - Flight Operations

FOCA AltMoC Alternative Means of Compliance

Helicopter Recurrent Training and Checking

This document is an ‘Alternative Means of Compliance’ issued by FOCA

LC/OPC/TRNG Source: BAZL

Scope Recurrent training and checking on more than one type or variant
Applies to Helicopter Operators
Valid from 18 April 2018
Purpose Compulsory

Process No -
Document Reference COO.2207.111.4.233635
Registration No 151.1-00069
Prepared by N. Mordasini, SBHE
Released by SB AFS / 19 July 2017
Distribution Internal/External

CP ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

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FOCA AltMoC LPC/OPC

This document is an
Alternative Means of Compliance (AltMoC) issued by FOCA
according to
Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011 (Air Crew), ARA.GEN.120, or
Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 (Air Operations), ARO.GEN.120

Preliminary Information
What is an AltMoC issued by FOCA?
The EASA homepage on the internet states (as of end 2016):
‘Since AMCs are non-binding, regulated persons may choose alternative means to comply with the rule.
In this case, however, they lose the presumption of compliance provided by the EASA AMC, and need
to demonstrate to competent authorities that they do comply with the law.
The implementing rules for Aircrew licensing, Air Operations, Aerodromes and Air Traffic Controller
licensing describe the process to be used by regulated persons and competent authorities when they
intend to use an AltMoC to comply with the rules.
Implementing Rules establish that the implementation of AltMoC by organisations is subject to prior
approval by the competent authority and indicate what needs to be done in order to obtain the approval.
Implementing Rules also establish the obligations of competent authorities when giving the prior
approval to an organisation and when they adopt themselves an AltMoC that can be used by the
regulated organisations under their oversight.
One of the obligations stipulated in the Implementing Rules is to notify EASA of such AltMoCs.
Competent authorities are requested to use the EASA prepared AltMoC Notification Form for notifying
AltMoCs proposed by organisations or used by themselves.
For more information from EASA on AMC and AltMoC, please consult the FAQ.’
To these statements FOCA would like to add the following additional information:
- AltMoCs may not only be issued as alternative to an already existing AMC. FOCA may as well
publish AltMoCs that cover issues where no AMC is available. Therefore, the term alternative
may be slightly missleading in some cases.
- AltMoCs may be seen as an administrative ordinance in traditional Swiss legal doctrine.
However, conditions, issuing power and legal effects are pure products of Union legislation.
Legal practitioners, attorneys and courts in Switzerland, therefore, should not attempt to
categorise AltMoCs under traditional national principles of administrative law. They should
always bear in mind that AltMoC are genuine legal instruments of the EU aviation safety
regulation.

What are the effects of an AltMoC issued by FOCA?

AltMoCs issued by FOCA have basically the same legal status and effect as AMCs. Except that the
author of AltMoCs is not EASA but FOCA. AltMoCs are not evaluated by EASA in advance but are only
reviewed during regular standardisation. Therefore, once released by FOCA, AltMoCs become
immediately applicable to all parties under Swiss jurisdiction. In other words, they immediately may be
used as an alternative to existing AMCs or they must be used if no such AMC is available. In either
case they provide presumption of conformity with the essential requirements and the implementing
rules.
However, AltMoCs do not have cross-border effect: an operator under foreign jurisdiction has no legal
claim to his competent authority to allow use of an AltMoC issued by FOCA. And FOCA will not
automatically accept in its jurisdiction the use of an AltMoC issued by foreign competent authorities.

ADMIN

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Different matters are AltMoCs developed and requested by an ATO, operator or regulated person and
which are not issued but only approved by FOCA. These have effect for the applicant only. Third parties
must submit a complete application for their own including full proof that their AltMoC fulfils the legal
requirements.
AltMoC may motivate EASA to initialise own rule making aiming an additional IR or additional AMC.
The start of such rule making procedure does senso stricto not have any effect on the AltMoC until the
time where a revised IR or a new AMC legally replaces the AltMoC. However, such rule making activities
might increase the likelihood that competent authorities accept the underlying foreign AltMoC.

ADMIN

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Log of Revision (LoR)

Date Issue Revision Highlight of Revision
05.04.2018 1 0 First Issue

List of Effective Chapters

CP ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
LoA ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
ToC ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 0 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 0.1 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 0.2 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 0.3 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 0.4 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 0.5 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 1 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 2 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 2.1 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 2.2 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 2.3 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 3 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 3.1 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018
Ch. 3.2 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

ADMIN

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List of Abbreviations
LoA ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

The following abbreviations are within this AltMoC:

Abbreviation Definition

AltMoC Alternative Means of Compliance

AMC Acceptable Means of Compliance

CAT Commercial Air Transport

EASA European Aviation Safety Agency

FCL Flight Crew Licensing

FOCA Federal Office of Civil Aviation

GM Guidance Material

LC Line Check

LFUS Line Flying Under Supervision

LPC Licence Proficiency Check

ME Multi Engine

ODR Operator Differences Requirements

OSD Operational Suitability Data

OPC Operator Proficiency Check

SE Single Engine

ABB 1

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Table of Contents (ToC)

ToC ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

0 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................1
0.1 Legal References ...................................................................................................................1
0.2 Purpose of this AltMoC ...........................................................................................................1
0.3 Scope .....................................................................................................................................1
0.4 Terms and Conditions ............................................................................................................2
0.5 Definitions ..............................................................................................................................2

1 Implementing Rules .............................................................................................................3

2 Cross-Crediting of Checks and Trainings ..........................................................................5

2.1 Recurrent Training and Checking when Operating more than one Single-Engine Helicopter..5
2.2 Line Check on a Specially Arranged Representative Flight ....................................................5
2.3 Combination of Training and Checking ...................................................................................5

3 Cross-Crediting of Operational Checks and Trainings – Examples .................................6

3.1 Variants ..................................................................................................................................6
3.2 Types .....................................................................................................................................6

ToC 1

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0 Introduction
Ch. 0 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

This AltMoC intends to provide a concept for grouping different single-engine helicopters (types and
variants) in order to reduce the amount of checks and to extend the recurrent training cycle for flight
crew members operating more than one single-engine helicopter in commercial air transport (CAT).

0.1 Legal References

Ch. 0.1 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

Reference Issue Subject

Basic Regulation (EC) No 20.02.2008 Common rules in the field of civil aviation and
216/2008 establishing a European Aviation Safety Agency

Laying down technical requirements and administrative

Commission Regulation (EU) 05.10.2012 procedures related to air operations pursuant to
No 965/2012 Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European
Parliament and of the Council

Laying down technical requirements and administrative

Commission Regulation (EU) 03.11.2011 procedures related to civil aviation aircrew pursuant to
No 1178/2011 Regulation (EC) No 216/2008 of the European
Parliament and of the Council

Laying down implementing rules for the airworthiness

Commission Regulation (EU) 03.08.2012 and environmental certification of aircraft and related
No 748/2012 products, parts and appliances, as well as for the
certification of design and production organisations

0.2 Purpose of this AltMoC

Ch. 0.2 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

Some operators conduct operations with different types and/or variants of helicopters. Therefore the
flight crew need to perform multiple checks and trainings on these helicopters in order to establish
compliance with the licence and operational requirements.

According to ORO.FC.230, for the purpose of the operator proficiency check (OPC), the relevant heli-
copter types may be grouped. FCL.740.H allows, under certain conditions, the revalidation of all the
relevant type ratings by completing the proficiency check in only 1 of the relevant types held.

Beside the provision of a grouping concept for helicopters (types and/or variants), the AltMoC intends
to clarify the conditions for checks and trainings according to the concept.

0.3 Scope
Ch. 0.3 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

 Grouping of single-engine helicopters (types and variants) for operational checking and training
purposes
 Combination of operator’s training and checking (OPC, LC) and the LPC
 Extension of the annual reccurent flight training cycle for a third helicopter type

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0.4 Terms and Conditions

Ch. 0.4 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

When used throughout the AltMoC the following terms shall have the meaning as defined below:

Term Meaning Reference

These terms express an obligation, a

shall, must, will EC English Style Guide: Ch. 7.19
positive command.
may This term expresses a positive permission. EC English Style Guide: Ch. 7.21
These terms express an obligation, a
shall not, will not EC English Style Guide: Ch. 7.20
negative command.
may not, must not These terms express a prohibition. EC English Style Guide: Ch. 7.20

need not This term expresses a negative permission. EC English Style Guide: Ch. 7.22
This term expresses an obligation when an EASA Acceptable Means of Compliance
should acceptable means of compliance is to be publications
applied. FOCA policies and requirements
http://oxforddictionaries.com/
could This term expresses a possibility.
definition/english/could
This term expresses a best possible means
ideally of compliance and/or best experienced FOCA recommendation
industry practice.

Note: To highlight information or an editorial note a specific note box is used.

 The use of the male gender should be understood to include male and female persons.

0.5 Definitions
Ch. 0.5 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

‘Alternative Means of Compliance’ means those means that propose an alternative to an existing
acceptable means of compliance or those that propose new means to establish compliance with Reg-
ulation (EC) No 216/2008 and its Implementing Rules for which no associated AMC have been
adopted by the Agency
‘Proficiency check’ means the demonstration of skill to revalidate or renew ratings, and including
such oral examination as may be required.
‘Revalidation’ (of, e.g. a rating or certificate) means the administrative action taken within the period
of validity of a rating or certificate which allows the holder to continue to exercise the privileges of a
rating or certificate for a further specified period consequent upon the fulfilment of specified require-
ments.
‘Type of aircraft’ means a categorisation of aircraft requiring a type rating as determined in the oper-
ational suitability data established in accordance with Part-21, and which include all aircraft of the
same basic design including all modifications thereto except those which result in a change in han-
dling or flight characetristics.

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1 Implementing Rules
Ch. 1 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

ORO.FC.230 Recurrent training and checking

(a) Each flight crew member shall complete recurrent training and checking relevant to the type or
variant of aircraft on which they operate.
(b) Operator proficiency check
(1) Each flight crew member shall complete operator proficiency checks as part of the normal
crew complement to demonstrate competence in carrying out normal, abnormal and emergency
procedures.
…
(c) Line check
(1) Each flight crew member shall complete a line check on the aircraft to demonstrate compe-
tence in carrying out normal line operations described in the operations manual. The validity pe-
riod of the line check shall be 12 calendar months.

ORO.FC.240 Operation on more than one type or variant

(a) The procedures or operational restrictions for operation on more than one type or variant estab-
lished in the operations manual and approved by the competent authority shall cover:
…

Existing Acceptable Means of Compliance – OPS:

 AMC1 to ORO.FC.230 and AMC1 to ORO.FC.240.

FCL.740.H Revalidation of type ratings – helicopters

(a) For revalidation of type ratings for helicopters, the applicant shall:
(1) pass a proficiency check in accordance with Appendix 9 to this Part in the relevant type of hel-
icopter or an FSTD representing that type within the 3 months immediately preceding the expiry
date of the rating; and
(2) complete at least 2 hours as a pilot of the relevant helicopter type within the validity period of
the rating. The duration of the proficiency check may be counted towards the 2 hours.
(3) When applicants hold more than 1 type rating for single-engine piston helicopters, they may
achieve revalidation of all the relevant type ratings by completing the proficiency check in only 1
of the relevant types held, provided that they have completed at least 2 hours of flight time as PIC
on the other types during the validity period.
The proficiency check shall be performed each time on a different type.
(4) When applicants hold more than 1 type rating for single-engine turbine helicopters with a max-
imum certificated take-off mass up to 3 175 kg, they may achieve revalidation of all the relevant
type ratings by completing the proficiency check in only 1 of the relevant types held, provided that
they have completed:
(i) 300 hours as PIC on helicopters;
(ii) 15 hours on each of the types held; and
(iii) at least 2 hours of PIC flight time on each of the other types during the validity period.
The proficiency check shall be performed each time on a different type.
(5) A pilot who successfully completes a skill test for the issue of an additional type rating shall
achieve revalidation for the relevant type ratings in the common groups, in accordance with (3)
and (4).

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(6) The revalidation of an IR(H), if held, may be combined with a proficiency check for a type rat-
ing.
(b) An applicant who fails to achieve a pass in all sections of a proficiency check before the expiry
date of a type rating shall not exercise the privileges of that rating until a pass in the proficiency
check has been achieved. In the case of (a)(3) and (4), the applicant shall not exercise his/her
privileges in any of the types.

Existing Acceptable Means of Compliance – FCL:

 AMC1 FCL.740.H(a)(3) Revalidation of type ratings — helicopters

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2 Cross-Crediting of Checks and Trainings

Ch. 2 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

2.1 Recurrent Training and Checking when Operating more than one Single-Engine
Helicopter
Ch. 2.1 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

Grouping
According to ORO.FC.230 (b) (4) and for the purpose of this AltMoC, single engined turbine helicopters
(or single engined pistion helicopters) with a MTOM up to 3175 kgs may be, due to the similar
characteristics, considered as part of the same single-engine turbine group (or the same singleengine
piston group). Operators may use the grouping for their flight crew members, provided they meet the
requirements of FCL.740.H (a) (3) or/and (a) (4).

Variants
When credits defined for training and checking requirements in data established in accordance with
Regulation (EU) No 748/2012, the flight crew member may complete his training, OPC and the LC in
only one of the variants held if said variants fall under a single licence endorsement and the operations
of the relevant variants are sufficiently similar*. Differences between variants according to OSD (or an
ODR table, if no OSD is available) should be addressed, on a yearly basis during the recurrent training,
through a briefing or training, as appropriate.

Types
Furthermore, when the cross-crediting of checks on various types are allowed for type rating
revalidation purposes according to paragraph FCL.740.H of regulation (EU) Nr. 1178/2011 and the
operations of the relevant types are sufficiently similar*, the same type related crediting is possible for
the OPC and the LC required in ORO.FC.230, in which case all applicable conditions of FCL.740.H
should be met.
The OPC should be performed each time on the type least recently used for the checks. The relevant
single-engine helicopter types that may be grouped for the purpose of the OPC should be contained in
the operations manual.
When three different helicopters types are operated, the recurrent flight training on the third type may
be extended to 18 months, provided that
 the different types are part of the same group of helicopters and
 the recurrent flight training covers all major system failures.

* sufficiently similar in terms of

1) use of aerodromes or operating sites;
2) normal procedures, including take-off and landing procedures;
3) use of automation.

2.2 Line Check on a Specially Arranged Representative Flight

Ch. 2.2 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

The line check should be completed on a commercial flight, where the person conducting the line check
occupies an observer’s seat. To be able to perform the LC on a specially arranged representative flight,
the operator shall have an appropriate AltMoC according to ORO.GEN.120.

2.3 Combination of Training and Checking

Ch. 2.3 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

According to AMC1 ORO.FC.230 the aircraft / FSTD training may be combined with the operator pro-
ficiency check. Furthermore the OPC may be combined with the LPC. It should be noted that the flight
training shall be prior or adjacent to, but not simultaneous, with the check(s). The flight shall be inter-
rupted by a landing to allow a clear disjunction between the different objectives.

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3 Cross-Crediting of Operational Checks and Trainings – Examples

Ch. 3 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

3.1 Variants
Ch. 3.1 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

A pilot operating three different variants of the AS350 / EC130 helicopter type should perform the
operational checks (OPC, LC) and the recurrent flight trainings as follows:

Month/Year OPC Line Check Flight Training Performed in License Endorsement

(variant)
January 2018 X X X* AS 350 B3 AS350 / EC130

June 2018 X * AS 350 B2 AS350 / EC130

January 2019 X X X* EC 130 T2 AS350 / EC130

June 2019 X * AS 350 B3 AS350 / EC130

January 2020 X X X* AS 350 B2 AS350 / EC130

*Differences between variants according to OSD should be addressed, on a yearly basis during the recurrent training, through a briefing or
training, as appropriate.

3.2 Types
Ch. 3.2 ISS 1 / REV 0 / 05.04.2018

A pilot operating three different helicopter types should perform the operational checks (OPC, LC) and
the recurrent flight trainings as follows:

Month/Year OPC Line Check Flight Training Performed in License Endorsement

(type)
January 2018 X X X* AS 350 B3 AS350 / EC130
June 2018 X X* R66 R66

Agusta Bell 206

January 2019 X X X* Bell 206
B

June 2019 X X* AS 350 B3 AS350 / EC130

January 2020 X X X* R66 R66
*Training of all major system failures.

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