92. Aircraft operating at night or under IFR

An AOC holder must ensure that a relevant aircraft that is to be flown at night, in accordance with the Instrument Flight Rules, or when the surface is not in sight, is equipped with a means of measuring and displaying —

magnetic heading;

the time in hours, minutes and seconds;

barometric altitude from 2 independent altimetry sources;

airspeed calibrated in knots, with a means of preventing malfunctioning due to either condensation or icing;

mach number, if the speed limitation specified in the aircraft’s flight manual is expressed in terms of mach number;

aircraft attitude for each pilot required for that operation;

stabilised aircraft heading;

the adequacy of the power supply to any gyroscopic instruments;

outside air temperature; and

rate of climb and descent.

An AOC holder must ensure each attitude indicator required under paragraph (1)(f) —

is powered by a separate power source that is capable of automatically continuing to power the indicator for at least 30 minutes after total failure of the main electrical generating system; and

has an indicator on the instrument panel of the aircraft to inform the pilot when the attitude indicator is being operated by emergency power.

When a relevant aircraft is to be flown at night, the AOC holder must ensure the aircraft is equipped with the following lights:

lights as required by the Rules of the Air;

illumination for all flight instruments and equipment that are essential for the safe operation of the aircraft;

lights in all passenger compartments;

an independent portable light for each crew member station;

a landing light, which must be trainable in the vertical plane if the aircraft is a helicopter.

When the aircraft mentioned in paragraph (1) is a small aeroplane, the AOC holder —

must ensure that the aeroplane is equipped with a means of measuring and displaying turn and slip (called a turn and slip indicator);

must ensure that equipment used to measure barometric altitude (as required under paragraph (1)(c)) —

comprise at least one sensitive pressure altimeter; and

have counter‑drum pointer or equivalent presentation, if the aeroplane is a pressurised aeroplane; and

may equip the aeroplane with an additional turn and slip indicator in lieu of one of the aircraft attitude indicators required under paragraph (1)(f).

When the aircraft mentioned in paragraph (1) is a helicopter, the AOC holder must ensure that —

the helicopter is equipped with —

a means of indicating aircraft attitude in addition to the requirements in paragraph (1)(f); and

a stabilisation system, unless the helicopter has been certified as having adequate stability without such a system; and

the equipment used to measure barometric altitude indicators (as required under paragraph (1)(c)) are both sensitive pressure altimeters.

Where an aeroplane to be flown at night, or in accordance with the Instrument Flight Rules, is to be operated by a single pilot pursuant to regulation 129(2), the AOC holder must ensure that the aeroplane is equipped with —

a serviceable autopilot with at least altitude and heading modes; and

a means of displaying charts that enables the charts to be readable in the available lighting.

In this regulation, “the surface is not in sight” means that —

the flight crew is not able to see sufficient surface features; or

the surface illumination is insufficient to enable the flight crew to maintain the aircraft in a desired attitude without reference to any flight instrument.

An AOC holder must ensure that a relevant aircraft that is to be flown at night, in accordance with the Instrument Flight Rules, or when the surface is not in sight, is equipped with a means of measuring and displaying —

magnetic heading;

the time in hours, minutes and seconds;

barometric altitude from 2 independent altimetry sources;

airspeed calibrated in knots, with a means of preventing malfunctioning due to either condensation or icing;

mach number, if the speed limitation specified in the aircraft’s flight manual is expressed in terms of mach number;

aircraft attitude for each pilot required for that operation;

stabilised aircraft heading;

the adequacy of the power supply to any gyroscopic instruments;

outside air temperature; and

rate of climb and descent.

An AOC holder must ensure each attitude indicator required under paragraph (1)(f) —

is powered by a separate power source that is capable of automatically continuing to power the indicator for at least 30 minutes after total failure of the main electrical generating system; and

has an indicator on the instrument panel of the aircraft to inform the pilot when the attitude indicator is being operated by emergency power.

When a relevant aircraft is to be flown at night, the AOC holder must ensure the aircraft is equipped with the following lights:

lights as required by the Rules of the Air;

illumination for all flight instruments and equipment that are essential for the safe operation of the aircraft;

lights in all passenger compartments;

an independent portable light for each crew member station;

a landing light, which must be trainable in the vertical plane if the aircraft is a helicopter.

When the aircraft mentioned in paragraph (1) is a small aeroplane, the AOC holder —

must ensure that the aeroplane is equipped with a means of measuring and displaying turn and slip (called a turn and slip indicator);

must ensure that equipment used to measure barometric altitude (as required under paragraph (1)(c)) —

comprise at least one sensitive pressure altimeter; and

have counter‑drum pointer or equivalent presentation, if the aeroplane is a pressurised aeroplane; and

may equip the aeroplane with an additional turn and slip indicator in lieu of one of the aircraft attitude indicators required under paragraph (1)(f).

When the aircraft mentioned in paragraph (1) is a helicopter, the AOC holder must ensure that —

the helicopter is equipped with —

a means of indicating aircraft attitude in addition to the requirements in paragraph (1)(f); and

a stabilisation system, unless the helicopter has been certified as having adequate stability without such a system; and

the equipment used to measure barometric altitude indicators (as required under paragraph (1)(c)) are both sensitive pressure altimeters.

Where an aeroplane to be flown at night, or in accordance with the Instrument Flight Rules, is to be operated by a single pilot pursuant to regulation 129(2), the AOC holder must ensure that the aeroplane is equipped with —

a serviceable autopilot with at least altitude and heading modes; and

a means of displaying charts that enables the charts to be readable in the available lighting.

In this regulation, “the surface is not in sight” means that —

the flight crew is not able to see sufficient surface features; or

the surface illumination is insufficient to enable the flight crew to maintain the aircraft in a desired attitude without reference to any flight instrument.