S.I. No. 263/1938 - Air Navigation (Aircraft Equipment) Directions, 1938.

STATUTORY RULES AND ORDERS. 1938. No. 263.

AIR NAVIGATION (AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT) DIRECTIONS, 1938.

The Minister for Industry and Commerce, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Regulation 88 of the Air Navigation (General) Regulations, 1930 (Statutory Rules and Orders, No. 26 of 1930), and of every and any other power him in this behalf enabling, hereby for the purpose of amplifying and giving full effect to Regulation 24 of the said Regulations issues the following directions :—

1. These Directions may be cited as the Air Navigation (Aircraft Equipment) Directions, 1938.

2. The Interpretation Act, 1937 (No. 38 of 1937), applies to these Directions.

3. In these Directions—

the expression " the Regulations of 1930 " means the Air Navigation (General) Regulations, 1930 (Statutory Rules and Orders, No. 26 of 1930) ;

the expression " flight by night " means a flight any part of which takes place between sunset and sunrise ;

every word and expression to which a particular meaning is given by the Regulations of 1930 for the purposes of those Regulations has in these Directions the meaning so given to it.

4. These Directions do not apply to any aircraft which is not registered in Ireland.

5. These Directions shall come into operation on the 1st day of November, 1938.

6. All flying-machines shall, while flying, carry and maintain in working order—

(a) for all flights :—

(i) an air speed indicator,

(ii) an altimeter,

(iii) such gauges as are considered necessary by the Minister for the particular installation,

(iv) a revolution indicator ;

(b) for flights which extend beyond a radius of three miles from the point of departure:—

such equipment as may be required for making the signals prescribed for aircraft by section II of Schedule III to the Regulations of 1930 ;

(c) for flights by night :—

(i) navigation lights,

(ii) adequate electrical illumination, supplied from the main source of supply in the flying-machine, for the instruments and equipment (including maps) the carriage of which is prescribed either by the Regulations of 1930 or by these Directions, and the illumination of which is necessary in order to enable use to be made of them during the flight.

7. Each of the following classes of flying-machine shall, while flying, for each of the kinds of flight hereinafter specified in respect of such flying-machine, carry and maintain in working order, in addition to the instruments and equipment specified in the next preceding Direction, the following instruments and equipment, that is to say :—

I. All flying-machines operated in accordance with conditions applicable to the normal category shall carry and maintain in working order—

(i) a safety belt for every seat provided in such machines for use by persons when piloting such machines,

(ii) a lap strap for every other seat provided in such machines ;

II. All flying-machines operated in accordance with conditions applicable to the acrobatic category shall carry and maintain in working order—

safety harness for every seat provided in such machines ;

III. All amphibian flying-machines shall carry and maintain in working order—

an indicator of the position of the landing wheels ;

IV. All boat seaplanes whose weight, when fully loaded, exceeds 5,000 lbs. shall carry and maintain in working order—

such fittings and accessories as are necessary for manoeuvring in harbour, including at least two drogues capable of being paid out astern while such seaplanes are being towed ;

V. All flying-machines used for aerial work shall carry and maintain in working order—

a hand fire-extinguisher in each main compartment ;

VI. All flying-machines in which smoking is permitted shall carry and maintain in working order—

a hand fire-extinguisher in each compartment in which smoking is permitted ;

VII. All flying-machines which carry passengers or goods either for hire or reward, or where the carriage is effected by an air transport undertaking, whether the passengers or goods are or are not carried for hire or reward, shall carry and maintain in working order—

(a) for all flights :—

(i) a hand fire-extinguisher;

(b) for all flights in flying-machines capable of carrying ten or more persons including the crew :—

(i) an artificial horizon,

(ii) a directional gyro,

(iii) a hand fire-extinguisher in each main passenger compartment, with a minimum of two such extinguishers ;

(c) for flights which extend beyond a radius of 20 miles from the point of departure :—

(i) a compass,

(ii) a watch,

(iii) an artificial horizon or longitudinal incline indicator,

(iv) a directional gyro, or turn indicator,

(v) maps or a map to cover the whole route of the proposed flight ;

(d) for flights on which, under Regulation 20 (2) of the Regulations of 1930, a licensed navigator is required to be on board :—

a drift indicator, except in the case of flying-machines in which the number of seats (including those for the crew) is not more than five ;

(e) for flights on which a licensed navigator other than the pilot is on board :—

(i) a chart table,

(ii) navigation instruments,

and also, (when the pilot's instruments are not readily visible to the navigator),

(iii) a second air speed indicator,

(iv) a second altimeter,

(v) a second compass ;

(f) for flights at any point of which the machine is more than ten miles from the nearest land :—

a lifebelt for each person on board ;

(g) for flights on which an altitude of 15,000 feet above sea level is reached otherwise than in an emergency :—

a supply of oxygen, together with suitable apparatus for the use thereof, in case of need, by passengers and crew ;

(h) for flights by night :—

landing lights, which shall consist of at least one of the following arrangements :—

two wing tip flares, or

one single filament lamp and one wing tip flare, or two single filament lamps, or

one dual filament lamp with separately energized filaments.

8. (1) All instruments and equipment which are carried in accordance with the foregoing Direction shall be of types approved by the Minister.

(2) Where only one fire-extinguisher is carried in accordance with the foregoing Direction, it shall be readily available for use by the pilot, and where two or more such fire-extinguishers are so carried, one of them shall be readily available for use by the pilot.

(3) Where a supply of oxygen and apparatus for the use thereof are carried in accordance with the foregoing Direction, the said supply and apparatus shall be placed under the control of a member of the crew of the flying-machine in which they are carried.

(4) Where lifebelts are carried in accordance with the foregoing Direction in any flying-machine, notices shall be displayed in the cabin of such flying-machine stating where the lifebelts are situated and instructing passengers how to use them in case of need, and the place or places where the lifebelts are stowed shall be clearly and prominently marked with the word " lifebelt " or " lifebelts " (as the case may be).

GIVEN under the Seal of Office of the Minister for Industry and

Commerce this 28th day of September, 1938.

JOHN LEYDON,

Secretary,

Department of Industry and Commerce.