Civil Aviation Order 29.6 - Air service operations - Helicopter external sling load operations (02/12/2004)

The Order frames a small set of core concepts and constraints that govern helicopter external sling load work.

• Scope of operation (s 1). The Order applies specifically to "the conduct of operations by helicopters engaged in the pick up, carriage and release of objects suspended from external sling load attachments." That is the defined activity to which the rest of the section applies; other helicopter operations are outside the scope of this section.

• Aircraft-type approval and flight manual supplement (ss 2.1-2.2). Sling load operations are limited to helicopter types that have "a supplement to the aircraft flight manual, specifying the appropriate operating criteria, [that] has been approved" (s 2.1). Further, operations must be conducted in accordance with the limitations and procedures in the approved helicopter flight manual (s 2.2). The Order thus links operational permissibility to an approved, type-specific AFM supplement setting operating criteria.

• Pilot authorisation (s 3). A pilot "must not conduct a sling load operation unless the pilot is authorised under Part 61 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 to conduct the operation." The Order therefore predicates legal entitlement to perform sling load tasks on a Part 61 authorisation; the Order does not restate the content of that authorisation.

• Carriage of persons (s 4). The pilot in command shall not permit any person to be carried in the helicopter during sling load operations other than: a flight crew member; a flight crew member under training; or a person who performs an essential function in connection with sling load operations. The concept limits carriage of non-essential persons.

• Pilot in command duties and site controls (ss 5.1-5.3). The pilot in command has affirmative responsibilities: ensure all personnel are suitably briefed before commencing (s 5.1(a)); take adequate precautions for the safety of persons on the ground (s 5.1(b)); avoid flying over a city, town or populous area except where a specific route is available that will ensure no hazard to persons or property in the event of load jettisoning or forced landing (s 5.2). For operations at a specific location in a city, town or populous area, the Order makes those operations subject to conditions including local civic authority and police approval obtained by the operator, exclusion of non-involved persons from the manoeuvre site, and clearing of building floors below rooftop lift sites so that local fire authorities can provide adequate rescue facilities; specifically the four floors immediately below the roof must be vacated (s 5.3(a)-(c)).

• Company operations manual obligations (s 5.4). The operator's company operations manual must include instructions to pilots and other personnel involved in sling load operations and "shall cover, in detail, all normal and emergency procedures."

• Transitional and definitional links (Table A). The compilation includes Table A, which implements definitions for "continued authorisation" and "new authorisation" by reference to regulation 202.261 of CASR 1998 (Table A s 3) and provides that Civil Aviation Orders apply to a continued authorisation as if it were the equivalent new authorisation (Table A s 31). This connects the substituted CAO provision to the reformed CASR Part 61 authorisation regime.

Collectively, these concepts translate into a permit-like eligibility system (approved AFM supplement; pilot Part 61 authorisation), operational limitations on where and with whom sling load operations may occur, and documentation and briefing requirements designed to manage foreseeable risks inherent to carrying external suspended loads.

The text assigns obligations and imposes constraints on a defined set of actors; those actors will bear the practical and compliance burdens the Order creates.

• Operators and companies. The company (operator) is directly affected by the requirement to ensure aircraft types used for sling load operations have an approved supplement to the aircraft flight manual (s 2.1) and by the requirement that the company operations manual include detailed instructions and normal and emergency procedures relating to sling load operations (s 5.4). The company is also the party required to obtain local civic authority and police approval for sling load operations at a specific location in a city, town or populous area (s 5.3(a)). The instrument therefore places documentary, administrative and coordination duties on operators.

• Pilots and flight crew. A pilot cannot lawfully conduct sling load operations unless authorised under Part 61 of CASR 1998 (s 3). The pilot in command has primary in‑flight responsibility for ensuring personnel are briefed and that precautions for ground safety are taken (ss 5.1(a)-(b)), for not flying over cities, towns or populous areas except where the specified safety criterion is met (s 5.2), and for enforcing carriage restrictions (s 4). Flight crew members and crew under training are explicitly listed as permissible occupants during sling operations (s 4).

• Persons performing essential functions. The Order allows carriage of a person performing an essential function in connection with sling load operations (s 4(c)). That category is de‑limiting in the sense that only people required to perform operationally essential tasks during the sling load operation may be present inside the helicopter.

• Local civic authorities, police and local fire authorities. The Order requires the operator to obtain local civic authority and police approval for specified urban operations (s 5.3(a)), and it conditions rooftop operations on clearing floors down to a level where "the local fire authorities can provide adequate rescue facilities" (s 5.3(c)). Those public authorities thus become necessary participants in the pre‑operation approval and safety assurance process; their decisions and capabilities materially affect whether an operation can proceed.

• Aircraft manufacturers/type certificate holders and documentation custodians. Because the Order ties permissibility to an "approved" supplement to the aircraft flight manual specifying operating criteria (s 2.1), holders of AFM material and those responsible for approving supplements must be engaged. The instrument does not specify in text the approving body for the supplement; nonetheless operators and document custodians will need to secure whatever approval is required under the applicable civil aviation approvals regime to meet s 2.1.

• Building owners and occupants. For rooftop lifts in built-up areas the requirement to vacate the four floors immediately below the roof (s 5.3(c)) imposes practical constraints on building owners/occupants that operators must accommodate. Even though the Order does not name building owners as duty‑holders, the operational condition directly affects building use during the operation.

• Training organisations. The inclusion of flight crew under training as permissible occupants (s 4(b)) and the requirement for detailed procedures in company operations manuals (s 5.4) implicate flight training providers and internal company training functions.

Who pays. The text allocates specific responsibilities (for example, the operator must obtain local approvals (s 5.3(a)) and include procedures in the company operations manual (s 5.4)), which will translate into costs for operators to prepare documentation, obtain approvals, liaise with civic/police/fire authorities, and manage the operational logistics (briefings, personnel exclusion, building clearance). Pilots and training budgets will bear costs associated with obtaining and maintaining Part 61 authorisations (s 3), noting that the instrument itself does not set the fees but requires the underlying authorisation that may carry its own costs under CASR.

In summary, the primary direct duties and compliance costs fall on operators and pilots, with local civic and emergency services playing a gatekeeper role where urban operations are proposed.

The Order sets out prescriptive duties, and it creates conditional rights to conduct operations only where those duties are satisfied. Below are the principal duties and the legal effect the instrument creates.

Duties

• Type‑approval duty (s 2.1). Sling load operations "shall only be carried out in a helicopter type for which a supplement to the aircraft flight manual, specifying the appropriate operating criteria, has been approved." The duty requires operators to ensure the aircraft type used has an approved supplement.

• Operational compliance duty (s 2.2). Once an appropriate supplement exists, sling load operations "shall be carried out in accordance with the limitations and procedures contained in the approved helicopter flight manual." This creates a duty to follow the AFM supplement content.

• Pilot authorisation duty (s 3). The duty sits on the pilot: a pilot must not conduct sling load operations unless authorised under Part 61 CASR 1998. The Order therefore makes a precondition of lawful conduct an external authorisation under Part 61.

• Carriage limitation duty (s 4). The pilot in command must not permit carriage of persons except the three categories listed: flight crew member; flight crew member under training; or a person performing an essential function related to sling load operations.

• Briefing and ground safety precaution duty (s 5.1). The pilot in command must ensure that (a) all personnel involved are suitably briefed prior to commencement; and (b) adequate precautions are taken to ensure the safety of persons on the ground during sling load operations. These are affirmative preparatory duties on the pilot in command.

• Route and overflight constraint (s 5.2). The pilot in command must not fly over a city, town or populous area except where a specific route exists that will ensure in the event of load jettisoning or a forced landing hazard will not be caused to persons or property on the ground.

• Urban operation conditional duties (s 5.3). For sling load operations at a specific location within a city, town or populous area, the operation may proceed only subject to: (a) obtaining local civic authority and police approval by the operator; (b) keeping persons not directly involved clear of the authorised site; and (c) clearing floors during rooftop lifts so that local fire authorities can provide adequate rescue facilities, with the additional specific instruction that the four floors immediately below the roof shall be vacated.

• Company operations manual duty (s 5.4). The company operations manual must include instructions to pilots and other personnel involved in sling load operations and must "cover, in detail, all normal and emergency procedures."

Rights or conditional entitlements

• Conditional entitlement to conduct sling load operations. The Order creates an entitlement to conduct sling load operations where the statutory conditions are met: approved AFM supplement (ss 2.1-2.2), pilot authorised under Part 61 (s 3), and compliance with the operational duties in s 5 and carriage limits in s 4. The text frames permission in a negative form ("must not" or "shall only be carried out") but implicitly grants the right to operate if the requirements are satisfied.

• Discretionary approvals external to the Order. Access to urban sites is contingent on approvals from local civic authority and police (s 5.3(a)). Those approvals are external to the Order but are a legal precondition imposed by the Order for specific categories of operations; the operator therefore has no right to proceed without obtaining those discretionary approvals.

• Documentation and procedural right. Where a company has updated its operations manual to include the detailed instructions and procedures required by s 5.4 and operates in accordance with the AFM supplement and Part 61 authorisations, it has the procedural basis to justify lawful sling load operations under the Order.

What the Order does not do (express limits)

• No express enforcement or penalty clause. The substituted section contains no standalone penalty provisions or administrative enforcement mechanisms; it imposes obligations but does not itself prescribe sanctions in the text supplied.

• No express authorising body for AFM supplement approval. The Order requires an "approved" supplement but does not specify in the text the approving authority or the procedural route for obtaining that approval.

• No definition of "populous area", "specific route", "suitably briefed" or "adequate precautions". The Order sets functional duties but leaves certain key terms operationally undefined within the text.

Together, the duties require operators and pilots to establish compliance systems (documentation, briefings, coordination with local authorities and fire services) and to restrict certain flights and occupants unless conditions are met.

The substituted section 29.6 as presented in this compilation does not itself include express penalty provisions or an enforcement regime within its text. The instrument identifies its legal foundation,made under subregulation 207(1) and regulation 303A of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (instrument header),but it does not set out specific sanctions, infringement penalties or administrative enforcement procedures in the substituted CAO text.

Consequently, enforcement and penalties for non‑compliance with the obligations in section 29.6 would arise through the broader civil aviation regulatory framework established by the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 and the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, and by the enforcement powers those enabling instruments confer on the relevant regulator. The compilation was prepared by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, which is the agency charged with administering the civil aviation legislative framework, but the CAO text itself does not describe enforcement mechanisms or penalties, nor does it identify which agency will take enforcement action for particular contraventions.

Operational implication of absence of internal penalty clauses

• Reliance on enabling legislation. Because the CAO articulates duties but does not itself specify penalties, enforcement will be applied through statutory mechanisms and sanctions provided in the enabling regulations and Acts. Prospective compliance checks, administrative sanctions, licence suspensions or prosecutions for breaches of the CAO would therefore turn on the enforcement provisions in the Civil Aviation Regulations and CASR, rather than on the substituted section 29.6 text.

• Evidentiary and audit considerations. In the absence of prescribed fixed penalties within the CAO text, enforcement action will depend on establishing contravention of the CAO duties as part of broader regulatory proceedings under the enabling legislative framework. Operators should therefore record approvals, briefings, AFM supplements and company operations manual content to facilitate compliance audits or enforcement investigations.

• Role of external authorities. The CAO expressly requires local civic authority and police approval for certain urban operations (s 5.3(a)), and coordination with local fire authorities for rooftop lifts (s 5.3(c)). Local authorities’ decisions regarding approvals and emergency capability will have practical enforcement implications for whether an operation may proceed; the CAO itself does not prescribe sanctions for local authorities’ refusal, but refusal effectively prohibits the operation at that site.

In summary, the CAO imposes duties, but the compilation supplied does not set out penalties; enforcement will depend on the civil aviation regulatory enforcement architecture created in the enabling regulations and statutes and on administrative practice by the regulator and local authorities.

The substituted section 29.6 interacts with the wider civil aviation regulatory framework and with local government and emergency services processes.

Links to the civil aviation regulatory regime

• Part 61 CASR 1998. The Order makes pilot eligibility conditional upon authorisation under Part 61 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998 (s 3). The compilation’s Table A also defines "continued authorisation" and "new authorisation" by reference to regulation 202.261 of CASR 1998 (Table A s 3). Those cross‑references tie compliance with the CAO to the licensing and authorisation mechanics under CASR 1998, meaning the content, conditions and procedures for obtaining or continuing an authorisation under Part 61 will directly affect whether an individual may legally conduct sling load operations.

• Aircraft flight manual and type documentation. The Order requires an approved supplement to the aircraft flight manual specifying appropriate operating criteria for sling load operations (s 2.1). That links the CAO to the documentation and approval processes applicable to AFMs and potentially to type certificate or flight manual amendment pathways under the civil aviation documentation regime. The CAO further requires that operations be carried out in accordance with the limitations and procedures contained in the approved helicopter flight manual (s 2.2), imposing a documentary hierarchy where the AFM supplement frames permissible operating practices.

• Company operations manuals. The requirement in s 5.4 that the company operations manual contain detailed instructions and normal and emergency procedures connects CAO obligations to operator certification and manual content obligations that are likely governed elsewhere in the regulatory framework. The company manual becomes the locus of the operator’s documented standard operating procedures for sling load operations and will be material in audits and inspections under the wider regulatory regime.

References to enabling legislation and administrative practice

• Made under Civil Aviation Regulations 1988. The instrument was made under subregulation 207(1) and regulation 303A of the Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 (instrument header). This indicates that the CAO sits as a delegated instrument within the wider statutory framework and that enforcement, amendment and interpretation occur in that context.

• Compilation and amendments. The compilation reflects amendments up to the CAO (Flight Crew Licensing) Repeal and Amendment Instrument 2014 (No. 1), with transitional provisions that apply Civil Aviation Orders to continued authorisations as if they were the equivalent new authorisation (Table A s 31). The transitional clause affects how legacy licences or authorisations interact with the modern CASR authorisation framework.

Interface with local law and emergency services

• Local civic authority and police approvals. For sling load operations in cities, towns or populous areas the operator must obtain local civic authority and police approval (s 5.3(a)). This creates an intersection between the CAO’s national aviation regulatory content and municipal and policing processes, which may be governed by separate local laws, bylaws, or administrative practices. The operator must secure these local approvals as a precondition for urban operations.

• Fire and rescue capability. The CAO conditions rooftop lifts on clearing floors "to a level where the local fire authorities can provide adequate rescue facilities" and mandates vacating the four floors immediately below the roof (s 5.3(c)). The operation’s feasibility thus depends on local fire authority capability and their assessment of the rescue envelope. The CAO does not itself regulate fire service capabilities; it relies on those external services for a safety gate.

Gaps and delegation

• Unspecified approving authority for AFM supplement. The CAO requires an "approved" AFM supplement but does not specify the approving body or procedures in the substituted section itself. Interpreting the approval pathway will therefore require cross‑reference to the enabling regulations, administrative guidance or standard CASA processes for AFM approvals.

• Terms not defined in this instrument. Several operational terms are left undefined within the CAO text (for example, "populous area", "specific route", "suitably briefed", and "adequate precautions"). Their interpretation will therefore depend on agency guidance, accepted industry practice, or the application of definitions elsewhere in the legal framework.

In short, the CAO operates as a targeted operational rule that must be read and implemented in the context of Part 61 authorisations, AFM/type documentation approvals, operator manual requirements, and local authority approvals and emergency services capabilities, with enforcement and further procedural detail supplied by the enabling regulations and administrative practice.

The substitution of section 29.6 was effected by Civil Aviation Amendment Order (No. R26) 2004. The instrument’s own clauses identify the administrative steps taken:

• Name and commencement. Clause 1 names the Order "Civil Aviation Amendment Order (No. R26) 2004" and clause 2 states the Order commences on gazettal.

• Substitution of s 29.6. Clause 3 of the instrument expressly omits section 29.6 of the Civil Aviation Orders and substitutes a new section, set out in Schedule 1 to the instrument; Schedule 1 contains the full text of the substituted Section 29.6 governing helicopter external sling load operations.

• Compilation date and subsequent amendment note. The compilation accompanying the instrument was prepared on 22 December 2014 and takes into account amendments up to the Civil Aviation Order (Flight Crew Licensing) Repeal and Amendment Instrument 2014 (No. 1). The Table of Amendments in the compilation records that CAO 2004 No. R26 was notified on 8 December 2004 and commenced on that date (see table header and Table of Orders row for CAO 2004 No. R26).

• 2014 instrument interaction. The CAO (Flight Crew Licensing) Repeal and Amendment Instrument 2014 (No. 1) is noted in the compilation (FRLI 29 August 2014) with a commencement date of 1 September 2014 for the provisions of that instrument. Table A of the compilation reproduces sections 3 and 31 of the 2014 instrument, which insert definitions by reference to CASR regulation 202.261 and provide transitional application rules stating that Civil Aviation Orders apply to a continued authorisation as if it were the equivalent new authorisation (Table A s 3 and s 31).

• Table of Amendments. The compilation includes a Table of Amendments (presented in HTML in the source) that records how the provision was affected: s 29.6 is marked as "rs." (repealed and substituted) by CAO 2004 No. R26. The table entries also indicate that subsequent instruments added, amended or repealed related provisions (for example, the CAO (Flight Crew Licensing) Repeal and Amendment Instrument 2014).

Practical reading of the history

• The operative substitution took effect with CAO 2004 No. R26 on 8 December 2004, replacing the earlier version of CAO 29.6 with the text reproduced in Schedule 1.

• The compilation indicates subsequent legislative housekeeping and cross‑references implemented as part of the 2014 flight crew licensing instrument, with transitional provisions ensuring older authorisations are treated as the equivalent of new authorisations for the purposes of applying Civil Aviation Orders.

The compilation does not list later substantive amendments to the text of substituted s 29.6 beyond its inclusion in the 2014 compilation; any further changes after the compilation date are not recorded in the supplied text.

The supplied compilation and substituted section 29.6 do not record any litigation history. There are no cases, determinations, appeals, or judicial interpretations mentioned in the text. The instrument is a statutory substitution and the compilation contains administrative metadata (dates of notification and commencement, table of amendments and transitional provisions) but contains no judicial material.

For practitioners, this absence means that the substituted CAO provision should be treated as a primary source of regulatory obligation without accompanying reported case law in this compilation. If legal disputes arise about interpretation of undefined terms in the Order (for example, what constitutes a "specific route" under s 5.2 or what is "adequate precautions" under s 5.1(b)), the primary guidance will be the CAO text itself, any relevant enabling regulations (Civil Aviation Regulations 1988 and CASR 1998), agency guidance, and subsequent administrative or judicial decisions not recorded in this compilation. The compilation does not provide such decisions.

In short: no litigation history is included in the source material provided.

The CAO’s text appears concise but contains several operational and interpretive traps that practitioners and operators should note; these are drawn directly from the statutory wording and the practical effects that follow.

• Approval requirement is a gate, not merely guidance (s 2.1). The Order permits sling load operations "only" in helicopter types for which an AFM supplement "has been approved." The phrase "only be carried out" makes the approval a strict precondition. Operators cannot rely on informal or provisional documentation; they must secure whatever formal approval is required under the applicable civil aviation approvals regime. The CAO itself does not specify the approval authority or process for that supplement, which creates an evidentiary burden to show an approved supplement exists.

• No definitions of key operational terms. Terms such as "populous area", "specific route", "suitably briefed", "adequate precautions", and "essential function" are not defined in the CAO text. That leaves scope for conservative interpretation by regulators or local authorities and uncertainty for operators. The pilot in command’s duties (s 5.1-5.2) therefore rest on qualitative standards without statutory metrics in the CAO.

• Urban operations hinge on third‑party approvals and capabilities (s 5.3). The operator must obtain local civic authority and police approval for operations in built‑up areas. Those approvals are discretionary and may be refused on grounds outside the CAO (public order, local planning constraints, or municipal safety standards). Additionally, rooftop lifts require vacating four floors below the roof so local fire services can provide adequate rescue facilities (s 5.3(c)). If a local fire authority’s rescue capability is judged inadequate, the operation cannot proceed under the CAO’s condition.

• Vacancy requirement is precise and potentially disruptive (s 5.3(c)). The CAO imposes a mandatory floor‑vacating requirement for rooftop lifts: "In all cases, the 4 floors immediately below the roof shall be vacated." That is a specific logistical constraint likely to interact with building tenancy rights, commercial schedules and insurer expectations. The CAO does not allocate responsibility for clearing the floors, but the operator must ensure the condition is satisfied to proceed.

• Documentation and demonstration obligations (ss 2.2, 5.4). Operators must operate in accordance with the approved HFManual and must include detailed normal and emergency procedures in the company operations manual. These requirements imply documentation will be scrutinised in audits, inspections or incident investigations. Vague or incomplete manuals will be inadequate evidence of compliance.

• Pilot-centric duties create single‑point accountability (ss 5.1-5.2). The pilot in command is given express responsibility for briefing and ground safety and for avoiding hazardous overflight. That places operational accountability on the pilot, who must therefore have clear procedures, authority and resources to manage ground safety, personnel exclusion zones and coordination with local authorities.

• No internal enforcement schedule or penalties in the CAO text. The absence of penalty clauses in the substituted section means enforcement will be pursued under the enabling regime. Operators may face regulatory action under other provisions, but the CAO itself does not specify monetary penalties or their scale.

• Transitional mapping to CASR authorisations may affect legacy operators (Table A). The Table A transitional provision (s 31) treats Civil Aviation Orders as applying to a continued authorisation as if it were the equivalent new authorisation. Operators with legacy authorisations should verify how their continued authorisations map to Part 61 authorisations under CASR 1998, since s 3 requires authorisation under Part 61.

• Local approvals vs national rules. The CAO interacts with local civic and police approvals; operators may find differing local practices and criteria across municipalities. Those differences create compliance complexity for operators working across multiple local jurisdictions.

• Carriage restriction may limit commercial opportunities (s 4). The strict limitation on who can be carried can constrain some work models (for instance, taking non‑operational passengers during lifts is prohibited).

Being alert to these "gotchas" is necessary because the CAO establishes preconditions and precise operational constraints that can be dispositive for whether an operation may proceed.

Compliance with substituted section 29.6 requires a combination of documentation, authorisation, operational planning and local coordination. Steps below map directly to the CAO provisions and cite the relevant sections.

1. Confirm applicable scope and intended activity (s 1)

   • Verify the operation is within the CAO’s scope: the pick up, carriage and release of objects suspended from external sling load attachments. If the activity falls outside that description, this CAO section does not apply.

2. Secure an approved AFM supplement and operate to it (ss 2.1-2.2)

   • Obtain an approved supplement to the aircraft flight manual that specifies the appropriate operating criteria for sling load operations for the helicopter type intended to be used (s 2.1).
   • Ensure all operations are planned and executed strictly in accordance with the AFM supplement’s limitations and procedures (s 2.2).
   • Keep on file the formal approval documentation demonstrating the supplement has been approved; make that material available for inspections or audits.

3. Ensure pilot authorisations under Part 61 (s 3)

   • Confirm each pilot who will conduct sling load operations holds the requisite authorisation under Part 61 of CASR 1998. Maintain records of that authorisation.
   • For pilots under training permitted to occupy the helicopter (s 4(b)), ensure training status is documented and consistent with Part 61 authorisation regimes and company policies.

4. Adhere to carriage restrictions (s 4)

   • Implement policies and boarding checks to ensure only permitted categories of persons are carried: flight crew members, flight crew members under training, or persons performing essential functions connected with the operation.
   • Document the essential function and the necessity of carriage if non‑crew personnel must be onboard.

5. Pilot in command pre‑flight duties and risk management (ss 5.1-5.2)

   • Institute a standardised briefing procedure so that the pilot in command can ensure "all personnel involved in the operation are suitably briefed prior to commencement" (s 5.1(a)). Keep briefing records (who was briefed, topics covered, time/date).
   • Conduct a site‑specific risk assessment and implement "adequate precautions" to ensure safety of persons on the ground (s 5.1(b)). While the CAO does not define "adequate precautions", document risk mitigation measures taken (exclusion zones, spotters, ground communications, load security checks).
   • Plan routes to avoid flying over cities, towns or populous areas whenever possible. If a route over such areas is proposed, ensure a "specific route" is available that demonstrably ensures that, in the event of load jettisoning or a forced landing, no hazard will be caused to persons or property on the ground (s 5.2). Document the route‑planning rationale and contingency measures.

6. Urban operations: obtain local approvals and implement site controls (s 5.3)

   • For operations at a specific location in a city, town or populous area, obtain local civic authority and police approval. Begin approvals early; retain written approvals and any conditions imposed (s 5.3(a)).
   • Ensure persons not directly involved are kept clear of the authorised site over which the helicopter will manoeuvre (s 5.3(b)); implement exclusion zones, signage and marshalls as required and document how exclusion is enforced.
   • For rooftop lifts, coordinate with the building owner and local fire authorities to vacate the required floors and to verify rescue capability. Ensure the four floors immediately below the roof are vacated, and obtain confirmation from fire authorities that they can provide "adequate rescue facilities" to support the operation (s 5.3(c)). Retain records of building owner consent and fire authority confirmations.

7. Update and maintain the company operations manual (s 5.4)

   • Draft or revise the company operations manual to include instructions to pilots and company personnel involved in the conduct of sling load operations.
   • Ensure the manual "covers, in detail, all normal and emergency procedures" related to sling load operations (s 5.4). Include checklists, crew roles, communication protocols, emergency jettison procedures, ground protection steps and coordination templates with local authorities.
   • Train staff to the manual and document training and currency.

8. Recordkeeping and audit readiness

   • Maintain a file for each sling load operation including: AFM supplement approval, pilot authorisations, operations manual extracts, site risk assessment, briefing records, local civic/police approvals, fire service confirmations, building owner consents, and flight logs.
   • Prepare to present documentation in any regulatory inspection or investigation.

9. Address transitional authorisation issues where relevant (Table A)

   • If operating on the basis of a legacy (continued) authorisation, confirm how it maps to the equivalent new authorisation under CASR 1998, in light of the Table A transitional provision that Civil Aviation Orders apply to a continued authorisation as if it were the equivalent new authorisation (Table A s 31).
   • Confirm interpretation and transitional arrangements for authorisations under regulation 202.261 CASR 1998 (Table A s 3).

10. Liaise with local authorities early and document decisions

    • Because local civic, police and fire authorities have decisive roles for urban operations, engage them in planning and secure written approvals and capability confirmations well before operations.
    • If local authorities impose conditions beyond the CAO’s minimum, document those conditions and incorporate them into operational planning and the company manual.

By following these steps and keeping documentary evidence of approvals, briefings, authorisations and procedural compliance, an operator will be positioned to demonstrate compliance with the requirements set out in the substituted section 29.6.