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NOAA
Circular 05-05, July 1, 2005
Aviation Safety Policy
PDF
version for printing (signed version
of the policy will be posted soon)
The text that follows
is from the NOAA Circular 05-05,
the formatting has been changed for web display.
See the PDF version for printing. The attachments
are separate files and are linked at the end of this page.
NOAA Circular 05-05
July 1, 2005
Please file as NAO 209-124
SUBJECT: AVIATION SAFETY POLICY
TO: All NOAA Personnel Who Fly on Any Aircraft
in the Performance of Their Official Duties and
to All Individuals Who Fly on Aircraft Owned
or Operated by NOAA
SECTION 1. POLICY & PURPOSE.
.01 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) has a responsibility
to provide a safe working environment for its
workforce and partners who are exposed to the
risks associated with flying on behalf of the
Agency. The purpose of this Order is to make
aviation safety, a core value, the number one
priority for all aviation operations:
a. by ensuring aircraft meet NOAA’s
airworthiness and operational safety standards;
b. by requiring medical screening of personnel;
c. by providing personnel with aviation safety
training and aviation life support equipment
(ALSE); and
d. by establishing a corporate NOAA Aviation
Safety Board (NASB) and Aviation Safety Program
(ASP) to provide policies, procedures, tools
and training which follow the Safety Standards
Guidelines for Federal Flight Programs codified
in sections 102-33.140 of title 41 of the Code
of Federal Regulations (41 CFR 102-33.140)
and 41 CFR 102-33.155-185.
SECTION 2. SCOPE.
.01 Except as provided in Section 2.02, this
Order applies to all NOAA personnel who fly
on any aircraft in the performance of their
official duties and to all individuals who
fly on aircraft owned or operated by NOAA.
For purposes of this Order, aircraft operated
by NOAA include:
a. aircraft rented, chartered, leased,
or owned by NOAA or NOAA personnel, and
used for purposes of conducting official
business; and
b. aircraft operated by public or private
entities on behalf of NOAA through written
support agreements.
.02 This Order does not apply:
a. to use of scheduled air carriers for
point to point transportation;
b. to use of aircraft for the acquisition
of products or data (including products
or data acquired through grants) where no
NOAA personnel fly on the aircraft in any
capacity; or
c. to use of aircraft for movement
of cargo where no NOAA personnel fly
on the aircraft in any capacity.
SECTION 3. BACKGROUND.
.01 NOAA operations often require flights
for purposes of transportation or mission operations
made in both rotary and fixed wing aircraft
operated by NOAA personnel, other Federal Agencies
(including armed forces); state and local governments;
foreign governments; and civilian aviation
service providers. These aircraft operators
may be providing the service directly to NOAA
or to another party. Examples of routine NOAA
flight operations include hazardous
weather research, aerial damage assessment,
air chemistry, forecaster training, coastal
and
October 15, 2007 11:35 AM
portation.
.02 When operated by a department, agency
or instrumentality of the U.S. Government (Federal
Agency), an aircraft used exclusively for the
U.S. Government may be considered to be operating
as a “public aircraft” defined
in sections 40102 and 40125 of title 49 of
the U.S Code (49 U.S.C. 40102 and 40125). Except
for certain airspace rules that apply to all
aircraft, (reference Federal Aviation Act of
1958, Title 49 U.S.C., Subtitle VII), the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) has no legal
jurisdiction over public aircraft operations.
As such, public aircraft are not subject to
many federal aviation regulations, including
requirements relating to aircraft certification,
maintenance, and pilot certification.
.03 To ensure the safety of federal employees
while operating in public aircraft, Federal Agencies
are required to develop agency-specific flight
program standards that meet or exceed applicable
civil or military rules. These standards must
be incorporated in contracts and agreements as
set forth in Safety Standards Guidelines for
Federal Flight Programs codified by regulations
set forth in 41 CFR 102-33.140 and 41 CFR 102-33.155-185. .04
NOAA has a responsibility to ensure: a.
all aircraft owned or operated by NOAA meet NOAA’s
airworthiness and operational safety standards;
and b. all individuals who fly on aircraft
owned or operated by NOAA, and all NOAA personnel
who fly on any aircraft in the performance of
their official duties, are: 1. medically
screened to ensure fitness for flight; 2.
appropriately trained in aviation safety; and 3.
provided appropriate ALSE equipment.
SECTION 4. DEFINITIONS.
Definitions used in this Order are set forth in
the Appendix to this Order.
SECTION 5. STRUCTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES.
.01 The Director, NOAA Marine and Aviation Operations
(OMAO). The Director, OMAO, shall broadly
administer NOAA’s aviation safety policy through
the Aviation Safety Program Manager (ASPM).
.02 NOAA Aviation Safety Board (NASB).
a. The NASB is composed of the following personnel:
Voting Members:
- Aviation Safety Program Manager (ASPM) - Chairperson
- NOAA Aircraft Operations Center (AOC) Representative
- NOAA Safety Office Representative
- National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Representative
- National Ocean Service (NOS) Representative
- Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) Representative
- National Weather Service (NWS) Representative
- National Environmental Satellite and Data Information
Service (NESDIS) Representative
Non-Voting Observers:
- NOAA General Counsel
- NOAA Acquisitions and Grants Office
- NOAA Human Resources Management Office
- NOAA Program Planning and Integration
Executive Secretary:
- Aviation Safety Program staff designee
b. The NASB shall:
1. approve aviation safety training and ALSE requirements;
2. approve minimum aviation safety standards to
be included in NOAA’s contracts for aircraft
services;
3. approve aviation safety and risk assessment
tools developed by the NOAA ASP;
4. solicit and address the aviation issues and
needs of NOAA;
5. review all reported NOAA aviation accidents
and potentially dangerous incidents and recommend
preventative measures to the ASPM;
6. review results of NOAA aviation safety audits
to monitor compliance with NOAA aviation safety policy;
7. seek pertinent expertise on aviation safety
matters before the Board; and
8. report to the NOAA Safety Council circumstances
adversely impacting safety and/or efficiency of the
NOAA Aviation Safety Program.
.03 The ASPM shall:
a. possess significant aviation operational field
experience and maintain Interagency Committee for
Aviation Policy (ICAP) Federal Aviation Safety Officer
credentials;
b. maintain the NOAA Aircraft Operator Database
(NAOD) described in Section 6.03 of this Order;
c. facilitate the acquisition of aviation safety
training identified in the Exhibit to this Order;
d. acquire, distribute, and maintain ALSE identified
in the Exhibit to this Order;
e. provide aviation safety tools and instruction
on the use of such tools, including risk assessment
matrices and mishap response checklists;
f. provide assistance to NOAA contracting officials
via the following:
1. provide contract language that incorporates
NOAA’s airworthiness and operational safety
standards for aviation services procurement; and
2. serving as a source evaluation board advisor
to evaluate potential offeror’s proposals by
verifying vendor FAA certification and pilot qualifications;
g. hosting an annual NOAA aviation safety conference;
h. administering the NOAA aviation safety awards
program; and
i. maintaining a NOAA aircraft accident and incident
database and entering data from NOAA aircraft accidents
and incidents into the Federal Aviation Accident
Incident Reporting System (AAIRS) as required by
41 CFR 102-33.390, Management of Government Aircraft.
.04 NOAA Line Office Assistant Administrators (AAs)
shall:
a. designate in writing primary and alternate Line
Office representatives to the NASB;
b. hold the Line Office NASB representatives accountable
for NASB duties in their performance appraisals;
and
c. ensure Line Office compliance with NOAA aviation
safety policy.
.05 NOAA Contracting Officers and Contracting Officers
Technical Representatives (COTRs) shall ensure that:
a. no aviation contract, memorandum of agreement,
or other written or verbal agreement for aviation
services involving NOAA personnel flying on board
the aircraft in any capacity for which the contracting
official is responsible is entered into with an aircraft
operator that is neither listed on the NAOD nor exempt
in accordance with Section 2.02 of this Order;
b. the NOAA ASPM or his/her designee is consulted
as a source selection board advisor for all aviation
services agreements subject to the provisions of
this Order in order to evaluate the air service provider’s
technical proposals for ability to comply with NOAA
aviation safety standards; and
c. contract language provided by the ASPM, which
incorporates NOAA’s airworthiness and operational
safety standards, is inserted into contracts and
agreements for aviation services for which the contracting
official is responsible.
.06 NOAA Flight Surgeon (NFS) shall:
a. medically screen individuals who request to
fly on aircraft owned or operated by NOAA, and all
NOAA personnel who fly on any aircraft in the performance
of their official duties, to determine fitness for
flight:
1. by expeditiously evaluating responses to
questions on the NOAA Health Services Aviation Questionnaire
and following up if additional information is provided
by the requestor;
2. by receiving confirmation
that the individual holds a valid FAA first, second,
or third class medical certificate; or
3. by
receiving confirmation that the individual holds
a valid Department of Defense Aeromedical Clearance
Notice;
b.
issue written authorization in the form of
a NOAA Aeromedical Clearance Notice to all personnel
medically qualified to fly;
c. adhere to the FAA third class medical
certificate standards regarding currency of
a NOAA Aeromedical Clearance Notice (for individuals
under 40 years of age it is valid for 36 months,
and for individuals 40 and older it is valid for
24 months); and
d. maintain a secure database of NOAA
Health Services Aviation Questionnaire data.
.07 NOAA Crewmembers shall:
a. be appointed in writing as a NOAA Aviator by
the Commanding Officer of AOC;
b. meet or exceed all flight crew/crewmember certification
and medical standards, training qualifications, flight
experience, and flight currency prescribed in the
NOAA AOC Aircraft Operations Manual for the type(s)
of aircraft and the flight environment exposed to
when flying for NOAA;
c. ensure copies of all pilot certificates, medical
certificates, training received, results from standardization/evaluation
check flights, and copies of flight logs are in their
aviator information file at NOAA’s AOC;
d. abide by all operational procedures prescribed
by the NOAA AOC Aircraft Operations Manual;
e. notify the NFS of any changes in medical condition
that might impact their fitness for flight duty;
and
f. when renting an aircraft for operational flights,
rent exclusively from operators listed on the NAOD.
SECTION 6. PROCEDURES.
.01 Except as provided for in Section 6.04 of this
Order, NOAA personnel are authorized to fly under
the following circumstances:
a. the aircraft is:
1. a NOAA aircraft; or
2. a non-NOAA aircraft:
(a) owned by an air service provider listed on
the NAOD; or
(b) owned and operated by other departments, agencies,
instrumentalities of the United States; by state
or local governments; or by the governments of countries
that meet the Federal Aviation Administration International
Safety Assessment Program Category 1 rating (including
the armed forces of those countries); and
b. the individual:
(1) possesses a valid NOAA Aeromedical Clearance
Notice;
(2) has completed the appropriate aviation safety
training prescribed in the Exhibit to this Order,
or if deemed an observer by the Line or Staff office
manager responsible for the flight, has received
a pre-flight safety briefing from a member of the
aircraft flight crew; and
(3) possesses, or has immediate accessibility in
the aircraft to, applicable ALSE prescribed in the
Exhibit to this Order.
.02 Non-NOAA personnel are authorized to fly on
aircraft owned or operated by NOAA upon the following
conditions:
a. possession of a valid NOAA Aeromedical Clearance
Notice;
b. completion of appropriate aviation safety training
prescribed in the Exhibit to this Order, or if deemed
an observer by the Line or Staff office manager responsible
for the flight, receipt of a pre-flight safety briefing
from a member of the aircraft flight crew; and
c. possession of, or immediate accessibility in
the aircraft to, applicable ALSE prescribed in the
Exhibit to this Order.
.03 NOAA Aircraft Operator Database (NAOD). The
NOAA ASPM shall maintain a web-based NAOD, which
is a list of air service providers (both foreign
and domestic) qualified to do business with NOAA.
Operators in this database have been approved by
the ASP and found to meet or exceed NOAA airworthiness
and operational safety standards.
a. Use of aircraft in the NAOD shall be limited
to those types of operations for which they have
been qualified (e.g., an aircraft qualified for remote
sensing may not be used for transportation unless
specifically cleared for transportation). Privately
owned aircraft (POA) will not be listed on the NAOD;
b. NOAA personnel may request additional aircraft
operators be evaluated for inclusion on the NAOD
by submission of a written request to the NOAA ASPM.
.04 Transportation shall be accomplished using
scheduled air carrier service whenever practical.
When scheduled air carrier service is not practical,
NOAA may:
a. use government aircraft in accordance with the
Federal Travel Regulations; Use of Government Aircraft
(41 CFR 300.3, 301.10, 301.70);
b. procure aircraft services with aircraft operators
listed on the NAOD authorized for transportation;
or
c. authorize NOAA personnel to use their POA for
official travel in accordance with the Federal Travel
Regulations (41 CFR 301-10.300). Personnel
flying POA on official NOAA business are not authorized
to carry passengers.
.05 Medical Screening for persons requesting clearance
to fly will be initiated by the requester filling
out a secure web-based NOAA Health Services Aviation
Questionnaire.
a. Upon submission of the completed questionnaire:
1. a NOAA Aeromedical Clearance Notice will be issued
that can be printed out; or
2. the requester will receive notice that additional
information must be provided to the NFS for evaluation.
b. Additional screening by the NFS will result in
the requestor receiving in writing:
1. a NOAA Aeromedical Clearance Notice; or
2. a NOAA Aeromedical Grounding Notice.
c. NOAA supervisors will be notified of all personnel
under their supervision who are deemed not medically
qualified for NOAA flight duty.
.06 Aviation Safety Training for NOAA personnel
who fly on any aircraft in the performance of their
official duties and for all individuals who fly on
aircraft owned or operated by NOAA can be found in
the Exhibit to this Order.
a. Each Line and Staff Office shall be responsible
for ensuring all individuals under their supervision
receive aviation safety training required by this
Order.
.07 ALSE will be provided to individuals who fly
on aircraft owned or operated by NOAA, as appropriate.
Examples of NOAA ALSE are in the Exhibit to this
Order and shall be:
a. issued to the individual, or required by contractual
agreement to be provided by the aircraft operator;
b. maintained and inspected to industry standards
by the ASP if owned by NOAA;
c. issued by the ASP to NOAA units in sufficient
quantity to support unit flight requirements; and
d. worn by, or readily accessible to, personnel
at all times while in flight.
.08 Aircraft Accidents and Incidents are required
to be reported to the National Transportation and
Safety Board (NTSB) as prescribed by 49 CFR 830, “Notification
and Reporting of Aircraft Accidents or Incidents
and Overdue Aircraft, and Preservation of Aircraft
Wreckage, Mail, Cargo, and Records."
a. All NTSB-reportable accidents and incidents
that occur while conducting official NOAA business
must be reported by the aircraft operator working
under contract or other written agreement with NOAA:
1. to the NOAA ASPM; and
2. to the NOAA Contracting Officer overseeing the
contract.
b. NOAA personnel involved in an accident, incident
or near-miss involving an aircraft owned or operated
by NOAA must report the occurrence in accordance
with NOAA Administrative Order (NAO) 209-1, NOAA
Safety Policy, and any superseding Department of
Commerce (DOC) and/or NOAA guidance.
c. Accidents and incidents involving aircraft owned
or operated by NOAA will be investigated in accordance
with the policies and procedures set forth by the
NOAA Incident Investigation Program.
.09 Request for Waiver to provisions of this Order
shall be presented in writing to the Director, OMAO,
with a copy to the ASPM. The Director, OMAO, is the
approval authority for all waivers to provisions
of this Order. Waivers may be requested for the following:
a. use of an aircraft provided by an operator
not listed on the NAOD (a waiver may be granted for
a single event which can include multiple flights
(e.g., marine mammal stranding or post-storm damage
assessment in a location not served by an aircraft
operator on the NAOD));
b. aviation safety training currency (e.g.,
training currency expires due to no fault of the
individual who is awaiting available scheduling for
training); and
c. medical screening requirements given
the individual involved or the nature of the flight.
SECTION 7. EFFECT ON OTHER
ISSUANCES.
Use of aircraft for NOAA operations is also governed
by NAO 216-104, Management and Utilization of Aircraft,
and by NAO 217-106, Transportation of Nongovernment
Personnel as Passengers on NOAA Vessels, Aircraft,
and Motor Vehicles. This Order should be read in
conjunction with the others. If there is a conflict,
this Order shall govern.
_____________________________________
Under Secretary of Commerce
for Oceans and Atmosphere
Office of Primary Interest:
NOAA Marine and Aviation
Operations (OMAO)
Attachments:
Appendix - Definitions and List of Acronyms
Exhibit - NOAA Aviation Safety Training and ALSE
Requirements
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