The obstacle clearance panel (OCP), a group of experts in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), is designing more suitable IFR procedures for helicopters, taking advantage of new navigation equipment. Under the proposed rules, scheduled to take effect in the fall of next year, precision guidance on low-level routes to so-called points in space will become common.
“Until recently, there was almost no operating a helicopter under instrument flight rules,” Yves Coutier, a French representative on the OCP, told AIN. He said there are few dedicated heliports compatible with IFR obstacle clearances, which are basically standards for fixed-wing aircraft. In addition, there is no suitable means of guidance for helicopters, as these standards, too, were designed for airplanes. Finally, he said, “helicopter pilots…have skills in flying visually in marginal weather, which airplanes can’t do.” As a result, helicopters have long been subject to the same rules as light piston aircraft because the two types have similar approach speeds.
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