Airworthiness Manual Chapter 529 Appendix B - Airworthiness Criteria for Helicopter Instrument Flight - Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs)

Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) 2019-1

Preamble

SUBCHAPTERS 

  • A (529.1-529.20), 
  • B (529.21-529.300), 
  • C (529.301-529.600), 
  • D (529.601-529.900), 
  • E (529.901-529.1300), 
  • F (529.1301-529.1500), 
  • G (529.1501-529.1589)

APPENDICES 

ABCDE

Appendix B
Airworthiness Criteria For Helicopter Instrument Flight

I. General

A transport category helicopter may not be type certificated for operation under the instrument flight rules (IFR) unless it meets the design and installation requirements contained in this Appendix.

II. Definitions

  1. (a) VYI means instrument climb speed, utilized instead of VY for compliance with the climb requirements for instrument flight.
  2. (b) VNEI means instrument flight never exceed speed, utilized instead of VNE for compliance with maximum limit speed requirements for instrument flight.
  3. (c) VMINI means instrument flight minimum speed, utilized in complying with minimum limit speed requirements for instrument flight.

III. Trim

It shall be possible to trim the cyclic, collective and directional control forces to zero at all approved IFR airspeeds, power settings and configurations appropriate to the type.

IV. Static Longitudinal Stability

  1. (a) General. The helicopter shall possess positive static longitudinal control force stability at critical combinations of weight and centre of gravity at the conditions specified in paragraphs IV (b) through (f) of this Appendix. The stick force shall vary with speed so that any substantial speed change results in a stick force clearly perceptible to the pilot. The airspeed shall return to within 10 percent of the trim speed when the control force is slowly released for each trim condition specified in paragraphs IV (b) through (f) of this Appendix.
  2. (b) Climb. Stability shall be demonstrated in climb throughout the speed range 20 knots either side of trim with:
    1. (1) the helicopter trimmed at VYI;
    2. (2) landing gear retracted (if retractable); and
    3. (3) power required for limit climb rate (at least 1,000 fpm) at VYI or maximum continuous power, whichever is less.
  3. (c) Cruise. Stability shall be demonstrated throughout the speed range from 0.7 to 1.1 VH or VNEI, whichever is lower, not to exceed ±20 knots from trim with:
    1. (1) the helicopter trimmed and power adjusted for level flight at 0.9 VH or 0.9 VNEI, whichever is lower; and
    2. (2) landing gear retracted (if retractable).
  4. (d) Slow cruise. Stability shall be demonstrated throughout the speed range from 0.9 VMINI to 1.3 VMINI or 20 knots above trim speed, whichever is greater, with:
    1. (1) the helicopter trimmed and power adjusted for level flight at 1.1 VMINI; and
    2. (2) landing gear retracted (if retractable).
  5. (e) Descent. Stability shall be demonstrated throughout the speed range 20 knots either side of trim with:
    1. (1) the helicopter trimmed at 0.8 VH or 0.8 VNEI (or 0.8 VLE for the landing gear extended case), whichever is lower;
    2. (2) power required for 1,000 fpm descent at trim speed; and
    3. (3) landing gear extended and retracted, if applicable.
  6. (f) Approach. Stability shall be demonstrated throughout the speed range from 0.7 times the minimum recommended approach speed to 20 knots above the maximum recommended approach speed with:
    1. (1) the helicopter trimmed at the recommended approach speed or speeds;
    2. (2) landing gear extended and retracted, if applicable; and
    3. (3) power required to maintain a 3° glide path and power required to maintain the steepest approach gradient for which approval is requested.

V. Static Lateral-Directional Stability

  1. (a) Static directional stability must be positive throughout the approved ranges of airspeed, power and vertical speed. In straight and steady sideslips up to ±10° from trim, directional control position must increase without discontinuity with the angle of side-slip, except for a small range of sidslip angles around trim. At greater angles up to the maximum sideslip angle appropriate to the type, increased directional control position must produce an increased angle of sideslip. It must be possible to maintain balanced flight without exceptional pilot skill or alertness.
    (amended 2009/05/11; previous version)
  2. (b) During sideslips up to ±10° from trim throughout the approved ranges of airspeed, power and vertical speed there must be no negative dihedral stability perceptible to the pilot through lateral control motion or force. Longitudinal cyclic movement with sideslip must not be excessive.
    (amended 2009/05/11; previous version)

VI. Dynamic Stability

  1. (a) Any oscillation having a period of less than 5 seconds shall damp to 1/2 amplitude in not more than one cycle.
  2. (b) Any oscillation having a period of 5 seconds or more but less than 10 seconds shall damp to 1/2 amplitude in not more than two cycles.
  3. (c) Any oscillation having a period of 10 seconds or more but less than 20 seconds shall be damped.
  4. (d) Any oscillation having a period of 20 seconds or more may not achieve double amplitude in less than 20 seconds.
  5. (e) Any a periodic response may not achieve double amplitude in less than 9 seconds.

VII. Stability Augmentation System (SAS)

  1. (a) If a SAS is used, the reliability of the SAS must be related to the effects of its failure. Any SAS failure condition that would prevent continued safe flight and landing must be extremely improbable. It must be shown that, for any failure condition of the SAS that is not shown to be extremely improbable:
    (amended 2009/05/11; previous version)
    1. (1) the helicopter is safely controllable when the failure or malfunction occurs at any speed or altitude within the approved IFR operating limitations; and
      (amended 2009/05/11; previous version)
    2. (2) the overall flight characteristics of the helicopter allow for prolonged instrument flight without undue pilot effort. Additional unrelated probable failures affecting the control system must be considered. In addition:
      (amended 2009/05/11; previous version)
      1.  (i) The controllability and manoeuvrability requirements in Subchapter B must be met throughout a practical flight envelope;
        (amended 2009/05/11; no previous version)
      2. (ii) The flight control, trim, and dynamic stability characteristics must not be impaired below a level needed to allow continued safe flight and landing;
        (amended 2009/05/11; no previous version)
      3. (iii) For Category A helicopters, the dynamic stability requirements of Subchapter B must also be met throughout a practical flight envelope; and
        (amended 2009/05/11; no previous version)
      4. (iv) The static longitudinal and static directional stability requirements of Subchapter B must be met throughout a practical flight envelope.
        (amended 2009/05/11; no previous version)
  2. (b) The SAS shall be designed so that it cannot create a hazardous deviation in flight path or produce hazardous loads on the helicopter during normal operation or in the event of malfunction of failure, assuming corrective action begins within an appropriate period of time. Where multiple systems are installed, subsequent malfunction conditions shall be considered in sequence unless their occurrence is shown to be improbable.

VIII. Equipment, Systems, and Installation

The basic equipment and installation shall comply with sections 529.1303, 529.1431, and 529.1433, with the following exceptions and additions: (effective 2024/01/24)

  1. (a) Flight and navigation instruments. The following modifications apply:
    1. (1) A magnetic gyro-stabilized direction indicator instead of the gyroscopic direction indicator required by 529.1303 (h); and
    2. (2) A standby attitude indicator which meets the requirements of 529.1303 (g)(1) through (7), instead of a rate-of-turn indicator required by 529.1303 (g). If standby batteries are provided, they may be charged from the aircraft electrical system if adequate isolation is incorporated. The system shall be designed so that the standby batteries may not be used for engine starting.
  2. (b) Miscellaneous requirements. The following modifications apply:
    1. (1) instrument systems and other systems essential for IFR flight that could be adversely affected by icing shall be provided with adequate ice protection whether or not the rotorcraft is certificated for operation in icing conditions;
    2. (2) there shall be means in the generating system to automatically de-energize and disconnect from the main bus any power source developing hazardous overvoltage;
    3. (3) each required flight instrument using a power supply (electric, vacuum, etc.) shall have a visual means integral with the instrument to indicate the adequacy of the power being supplied;
    4. (4) when multiple systems performing like functions are required, each system shall be grouped, routed, and spaced so that physical separation between systems is provided to ensure that a single malfunction will not adversely affect more than one system;
    5. (5) for systems that operate the required flight instruments at each pilot’s station:
      1. (i) for pneumatic systems, only the required flight instruments for the first pilot may be connected to that operating system, (effective 2024/01/24),
      2. (ii) additional instruments, systems, or equipment may not be connected to an operating system for a second pilot unless provisions are made to ensure the continued normal functioning of the required instruments in the event of any malfunction of the additional instruments, systems or equipment which is not shown to be extremely improbable,
      3. (iii) the equipment, systems and installations shall be designed so that one display of the information essential to the safety of flight which is provided by the instruments will remain available to a pilot, without additional crew member action, after any single failure or combination of failures that is not shown to be extremely improbable, and
      4. (iv) for single-pilot configurations, instruments which require a static source shall be provided with a means of selecting an alternate source and that source shall be calibrated;
    6. (6) in determining compliance with the requirements of section 529.1351 (d)(2), the supply of electrical power to all systems necessary for flight under IFR shall be included in the evaluation.
      (amended 1997/04/07)
  3. (c) Thunderstorm lights. In addition to the instrument lights required by 529.1381 (a), thunderstorm lights which provide high intensity white flood lighting to the basic flight instruments shall be provided. The thunderstorm lights shall be installed to meet the requirements of section 529.1381 (b).

IX. Rotorcraft Flight Manual

A Rotorcraft Flight Manual or Rotorcraft Flight Manual IFR Supplement shall be provided and shall contain:

  1. (a) Limitations. The approved IFR flight envelope, the IFR flight crew composition, the revised kinds of operation, and the steepest IFR precision approach gradient for which the helicopter is approved;
  2. (b) Procedures. Required information for proper operation of IFR systems and the recommended procedures in the event of stability augmentation or electrical system failures; and
  3. (c) Performance. If VYI differs from VY, climb performance at VYI and with maximum continuous power throughout the ranges of weight, altitude and temperature for which approval is requested.