scope:

a. This instruction does not apply to government-operated civilian helicopters. Examples include helicopters from the Drug Enforcement Agency, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and state/local law enforcement, fire department and emergency services. Naval component and fleet commanders are responsible for establishing operational procedures for rendering assistance to and embarking civilian law enforcement aircraft and personnel per reference (a).

b. During humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HADR) operations, civilian helicopters are not required to follow the helicopter equipment, aircrew training, and aircrew equipment requirements of this instruction. Naval component and fleet commanders are responsible for establishing operational procedures for assisting and embarking civilian helicopters during HADR operations.

c. The provisions of this instruction apply to all civilian helicopter take-offs, landings, external load operations, and hoist transfers on U.S. Navy vessels. For the purposes of this instruction, "U.S. Navy vessels" include aviation ships (carrier vessel nuclear (CVN)), amphibious aviation ships (general purpose (LHA)/helicopter (LPH)/multipurpose (LHD)), and all air capable ships (all other ships from which helicopters can takeoff, land or routinely receive and transfer logistic support) whose mission includes the conduct of flight operations in the following categories:

(1) Commissioned ships.

(2) Government-owned or Government-chartered ships operated by Military Sealift Command, the Maritime Administration and/or the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency.

(3) Ships under construction for the U.S. Navy under U.S. government contracts which are executed after the effective date of this instruction.

(4) Navy vessels undergoing overhaul, conversion, repair, preservation, or storage regardless of their commissioned status.

(5) Ships owned by private companies and on lease or contracted to the U.S. Government.

(6) Civilian helicopters providing radar tracking and other ship services for which there is no intent for landing or hovering are not subject to the provisions of this instruction.

Purpose. To provide policy, procedural guidance, equipment requirements, and pilot qualification standards for commercially-operated civilian helicopters flown by civilian pilots on U.S. Navy vessels.