AC 120-114

editorial update 4

Advisory circular · Pilot Training and Checking (14 CFR Part 121 Subparts N and O, Including Appendices E and F)

Approved
August 31, 2020
Last reviewed
August 28, 2024
This change
Fourth editorial update to AC 120-114.
Family
AC 120-114 · 5 versions
14 CFR parts
1, 60, 61, 91, 121, 135, 142
Cited by
1 AD

Guidance, not mandatory unless a rule or AD requires it. DRS record last changed November 21, 2025.

Show pages 57–68

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4.4.5.2 Action Criteria. The pilot will participate in the following ditching drill as applicable to the air carrier’s operations:

1. Complete procedures to prepare flight deck.

2. Communicate and coordinate with flight attendants (F/A) and other crewmembers.

3. Conduct passenger briefing or verify F/As conducted passenger briefing.

4. Verify completion of procedures to prepare cabin including locating the portable emergency locator transmitter (ELT) if installed for stowage in the raft.

5. Don and inflate life preserver.

6. Remove and inflate raft.

7. Deploy and inflate emergency evacuation slide-raft.

8. Attach raft to airplane.

9. Identify boarding station and board raft.

10. Review the need to crawl and stay low.

11. Distribute the load.

12. Review the need to stay attached to the airplane as long as possible.

13. Review operation of the quick disconnect.

14. Review the need to get clear of fuel-covered water and debris.

15. Locate and deploy the sea anchor.

16. Retrieve the survival kit and review contents.

17. Identify inflation valve and review operation of inflation pump and raft repair kit.

18. Identify equipment for bailing raft dry (e.g., bailing bucket or sponge).

19. Install the canopy and discuss methods for collecting rain water and water purification techniques.

20. Demonstrate how canopy can be used in both hot and cold climates.

21. Review the use of signaling devices located in survival kits.

22. Discuss the cautions associated with flares and sea dye marker and proper use.

23. Point out raft lights.

24. Review alternate signaling devices (e.g., mirrors).

25. Locate and demonstrate use of heaving line. Review techniques to retrieve survivors.

26. Review raft maintenance techniques to include the need to relocate the portable onboard ELT to the raft.

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4.5 Recurring Observation Drills.

4.5.1 Emergency Evacuation (Airplane Equipped with Emergency Evacuation Slide(s)).

4.5.1.1 Condition(s). The pilot will observe the specific procedural drill being conducted by other persons in a live setting or through an audiovisual medium.

4.5.1.2 Action Criteria. Each pilot qualifying or serving on an airplane equipped with emergency evacuation slide(s) will observe the evacuation of the airplane with passengers using the emergency evacuation slide. The observation will include:

1. Correct methods of evacuation.

2. Correct methods of entering the emergency evacuation slide.

3. Necessity for helpers at the bottom of the emergency evacuation slide.

4.5.2 Emergency Evacuation (Airplane Not Equipped with Emergency Evacuation Slide(s)).

4.5.2.1 Condition(s). The pilot will observe the specific procedural drill being conducted by other persons in a live setting or through an audiovisual medium.

4.5.2.2 Action Criteria. Each pilot qualifying or serving on an airplane not equipped with an emergency evacuation slide will observe the evacuation of the airplane. The observation will include:

1. Correct methods of evacuation at each emergency exit.

2. Necessity for helpers at each emergency exit.

4.5.3 Removal, Deployment, Inflation and Detachment of Emergency Evacuation Slide, Raft, or Emergency Evacuation Slide-Raft.

4.5.3.1 Condition(s). The pilot will observe the specific procedural drill being conducted by other persons in a live setting or through an audiovisual medium.

4.5.3.2 Action Criteria. Each pilot will observe the deployment, inflation, and detachment from the airplane of each type of installed emergency evacuation slide, raft, or emergency evacuation slide-raft. This observation will include:

1. Removal of the raft from the airplane.

2. Proper use of the exit operating handle.

3. Location and color of the inflation handle.

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4. Demonstration of forces required to inflate the emergency evacuation slide, raft, or emergency evacuation slide-raft manually and automatically.

5. Attachment to airplane (if applicable).

6. Sound of inflating the emergency evacuation slide, raft, or emergency evacuation slide-raft.

7. Proper inflation and position of the emergency evacuation slide, raft, or emergency evacuation slide-raft.

8. Location of the ditching handle or laces.

9. Launching points (if required).

10. Procedure to pull ditching handle, including secondary actions that may be required.

11. Lanyard and the removal or cutting of lanyard.

12. Righting overturned rafts (if applicable).

4.5.4 Transfer of Emergency Evacuation Slide-Raft.

4.5.4.1 Condition(s). The pilot will observe the specific procedural drill being conducted by other persons in a live setting or through an audiovisual medium.

4.5.4.2 Action Criteria. Each pilot will observe the transfer of an emergency evacuation slide-raft from an unusable exit door to a usable exit door. This observation will include:

1. Disconnecting the emergency evacuation slide-raft from an unusable exit door.

2. Positioning the emergency evacuation slide-raft at a usable exit door.