Appendix 3 APPENDIX 3. POLAR OPERATIONS UNDER 14 CFR PART 135
1. Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 135, § 135.98 states that no certificate holder may operate an aircraft in the region north of 78° North latitude (“North Polar Area”), other than intrastate operations wholly within the state of Alaska, unless authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This appendix provides an acceptable means, but not the only means, of conducting polar operations in accordance with (IAW) § 135.98.
2. Since Polar operational guidance is also provided for certificate holders operating under 14 CFR part 121, the following advisory circulars (AC) may be helpful in planning Polar operations.
a. AC 120-42, Extended Operations (ETOPS and Polar Operations).
b. AC 120-61, In-Flight Radiation Exposure.
3. NORTH POLAR OPERATIONS. Before conducting operations in the North Polar Area, a certificate holder should develop plans in preparation for all such flights. Certificate holders must consider airplane and equipment configuration requirements, and in planning, must also consider the following items that are unique to polar operations.
a. Airport Requirements for Designation as Polar-Diversion Airports. Before each flight, certificate holders must designate alternate airports that can be used in case an en route diversion is necessary. The airplane should have a reasonable assurance that the weather during periods when the certificate holder would need the services of the airport are within the operating limits of the airplane. The airplane should be able to make a safe landing and maneuver off the runway at the diversion airport. In addition, those airports identified for use during an en route diversion should be capable of protecting the safety of all personnel by allowing:
(1) Safe offload of passengers and crewmember during possible adverse weather conditions;
(2) Providing for the physiological needs of the passengers and crewmember until a safe evacuation is completed; and
(3) Safe extraction of passengers and crewmember as soon as possible (execution and completion of the recovery should be within 12 to 48 hours following landing).
b. Recovery Plan for Passengers at Diversion Alternates. Passenger recovery plans are required for all approved and designated diversion airports used in part 135 operations in Polar areas. All certificate holders conducting North Polar operations must have a plan for recovering passengers at these designated diversion airports. The recovery plan should address the care and safety of passengers and crewmembers at the diversion airport.
(1) A specific passenger recovery plan is required for each diversion airport listed in an operator’s operations specifications (OpSpecs) for this operation (OpSpec B055, North Polar Operations).
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(2) The certificate holder’s formal passenger recovery plan should provide a means to validate acceptable levels of infrastructure to provide for an orderly process for the care and well-being of the passengers and crewmembers to include continuing safety, shelter, facilities that provide for physiological needs, and food. Any list of considerations for the passengers and crewmembers need not be an exhaustive list; however, in cases involving operations in demanding environments, plans may need to be detailed enough to provide for medical care, communications, methods for securing alternative expedited travel, extraction, and continued travel provisions for the crewmembers and passengers. It has generally been accepted that any plan should be designed to effectuate closure within 48 hours to be viewed as meeting the overall requirement to provide for the care and safety of the passengers and crewmembers.
c. Fuel Freeze Strategy and Monitoring Requirements for Polar Operations.
Certificate holders must develop a fuel freeze strategy and procedures for monitoring fuel freezing for operations in the North Polar Area. A fuel freeze analysis program in lieu of using the standard minimum fuel freeze temperatures for specific types of fuel may be used. In such cases, the certificate holder’s fuel freeze analysis and monitoring program for the airplane fuel load must be acceptable to the FAA Administrator. The certificate holder should have procedures for determining the fuel freeze temperature of the actual fuel load on board the airplane. These procedures relative to determining the fuel freeze temperature and monitoring the actual temperature of the fuel on board should require appropriate levels of coordination between maintenance and the flightcrew member.
d. Minimum Equipment List (MEL) Considerations for Polar Operations. Before receiving approval to conduct polar operations, a certificate holder must review their MEL for such operations and should amend their MEL. The following systems and equipment should be addressed in the MEL based on specific needs applicable to this operation.
(1) Fuel quantity indicating system (to include a fuel tank temperature indicating system).
(2) Communication system(s) needed for effective communications by the flightcrew member while in flight.
(3) Expanded medical kit.
e. Training Issues for Polar Operations. Before conducting polar operations, certificate holders must ensure that flightcrew members are trained on any applicable passenger recovery plan used in this operation. Certificate holders should also ensure that flightcrew members are trained on the following items, which should be included in a certificate holder’s approved training programs:
(1) Atmospheric pressure at field elevation/barometric pressure for local altimeter setting (QNH) and meter/feet conversion issues (flightcrew member training).
(2) Training requirements for fuel freeze (maintenance and flightcrew member training).
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(3) General polar-specific training on weather patterns and aircraft system limitations (flightcrew member training).
(4) Proper use of the cold weather anti-exposure suit, if required (flightcrew member training).
(5) Radiation exposure (refer to AC 120-61).
f. Special Equipment for Polar Operations. Certificate holders must have at least two cold weather anti-exposure suit(s) for the crewmembers on the airplane if outside coordination by a crewmember at a diversion airport with extreme climatic conditions is determined to be necessary. The certificate holder may be relieved of this requirement based on seasonal temperatures that would render the use of such suits unnecessary. This determination must be made with concurrence of the responsible Flight Standards office.
g. Additional Flight Planning Issues. In addition to the above, the certificate holder must have a plan to ensure communication capability for operations in the North Polar Area and a plan for mitigating crew exposure to radiation during solar flare activity.
Advisory Circular Feedback Form If you find an error in this AC, have recommendations for improving it, or have suggestions for new items/subjects to be added, you may let us know by contacting the Air Transportation Division at 9-AFS-200-Correspondence@faa.gov or the Flight Standards Directives Management Officer at 9-AWA-AFB-120-Directives@faa.gov.
Subject: AC 135-42, Extended Operations (ETOPS) and Operations in the North Polar Area Date: _____________________ Please check all appropriate line items:
An err or ( proc edur al or t yp ographical) has been noted in paragraph ____________ on page _______.
Recommend paragraph _____________ on page __________ be changed as follows:
______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ In a future change to this AC, please cover the following subject:
(Briefly describe what you want added.)
______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ Other comments:
______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ I would like to discuss the above. Please contact me.
Submitted by: Date: ______________________