Helicopters

Helicopter manufacturers certifying their products in the USA will face multiple new requirements made necessary by "technological advances in design and operational trends" in performance and handling qualities, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Included in the new rules which begin on 31 March, are requirements to determine the out-of-ground effect (OGE) hover performance, a change the FAA says is needed because "OGE operations have become commonplace".

The agency will also require manufacturers of multi-engine helicopters to demonstrate landings with one engine inoperative, "initiated from an established approach", and will require engine restart capability, "which is a fundamental necessity for any aircraft to minimise the risk of a forced landing".

The FAA notes that the most recent "major rulemaking" that addressed rotorcraft performance and handling qualities was more than 20 years ago, though it notes that "most rotorcraft manufacturers have routinely exceeded the minimum safety requirements in the certification rules".