-
Is NOAA still operating under the Safety Stand-down?
No – on July 1, 2005 VADM Lautenbacher
issued a memorandum for all NOAA employees
by email with Interim Guidance Regarding
Use of Non-NOAA Aircraft (http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/interimguidememo.html)
-
How do I obtain OMAO clearance to fly on a chartered
aircraft after business hours?
After duty hours
contact information is provided at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/contact.html
-
Do I need clearance from the Director of OMAO
to fly on a Military or Government Aircraft?
No – flights on aircraft owned and
operated by other departments, agencies or
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 I rating (http://www.faa.gov/safety/programs_initiatives/oversight/iasa/ )are
authorized for official business in accordance
with the Interim Guidance Memorandum.
-
Do I need clearance from the Director of OMAO
to fly on an aircraft chartered by
a Military or Government Agency?
Yes – you need to
obtain clearance from the Director of the Office
of Marine and Aviation Operations to fly onboard
an aircraft chartered by a military or government
agency. The
applications to request permission are posted
at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/nonnoaa.html
-
How do I charter an aircraft using the Reimbursable
Interagency Agreement between NOAA and the U.S.
Department of Interior for Aviation Services
Procurement?
Procedures for obtaining aircraft
through DOI are posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/nonnoaa.html
-
Do I need clearance from the Director of OMAO
to fly on a scheduled air carrier?
No. Flights
on scheduled air carriers - any common carriage
passenger carrying operation for compensation
or hire conducted by a U.S. or foreign air
carrier for which the air carrier or its
representatives offer in advance the departure
location, departure time, and arrival location
(e.g., scheduled flights offered by Southwest,
United, American, Lufthansa, or British Airways)
is authorized without permission from the
Director of OMAO.
-
Do I need clearance from the Director of
OMAO to charter an aircraft for transportation
or to support a data collection mission?
It depends. If
you need to charter an aircraft that cannot
be obtained using the Interagency Agreement
between NOAA and the Department of Interior,
you will need to fill out and submit an application
for use of Non-NOAA Aircraft posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/nonnoaa.html.
If
you can charter an aircraft using the Interagency
Agreement between NOAA and the Department
of Interior you do not have to obtain clearance
from the Director of OMAO – just follow
the procedures posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/nonnoaa.html
-
If I
am chartering an aircraft to collect data
or move cargo with no NOAA personnel on
board the aircraft – do
I have to obtain clearance from the Director
of OMAO?
No. The NOAA
Aviation Safety Policy does not apply to
use of aircraft for the acquisition of products
or data (including products or data acquired
through grants), or to the movement of cargo,
where no NOAA personnel fly on the aircraft
in any capacity
-
Do I
need clearance from the Director of OMAO
to fly as a “passenger” or “Qualified
Non-Crewmember” on an aircraft chartered
by another agency?
Yes. You will need to
submit the appropriate application for approval
to use a non-NOAA aircraft posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/nonnoaa.html
-
Does NOAA have a list of aviation service providers
that I can choose from to charter an aircraft?
On October 1, 2006 the Aviation Safety Program will populate a web-based NOAA Aircraft Operator Database (NAOD) at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/dbaccess/index.html with a list of air service providers (both foreign and domestic) qualified to provide aviation services to NOAA. Operators in this database meet or exceed NOAA airworthiness and operational safety standards. 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). POA will not be listed on the NAOD. NOAA personnel may request additional aircraft operators be evaluated for inclusion on the NAOD by submission of a written request to the NOAA Aviation Safety Program Manager.
-
Do
I have to comply with the Aviation Safety
Training Requirements?
The Aviation Safety Training Requirements posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/safety.html will be mandatory for all “Qualified Non-Crewmembers” participating in “Mission Operations” on October 1, 2006 when all components of the Aviation Safety Program are complete and NAO 209-124 NOAA Aviation Safety Policy becomes effective. The NAO can be downloaded from: http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/~ames/NAOs/Chap_209/209-124.pdf
-
Do I
have to comply with the ALSE Requirements?
The Aviation Life Support Equipment Requirements posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/safety_alse.html will be mandatory for all “Qualified Non-Crewmembers” and “Observers” participating in “Mission Operations” on October 1, 2006 when all components of the Aviation Safety Program are complete and NAO 209-124 NOAA Aviation Safety Policy becomes effective. The NAO can be downloaded from: http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/~ames/NAOs/Chap_209/209-124.pdf
-
Do I
have to comply with the Medical Screening
Requirements?
The Medical Screening Requirements posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/medical.html will be mandatory for all “Qualified Non-Crewmembers” and “Observers” participating in “Mission Operations” on October 1, 2006 when all components of the Aviation Safety Program are complete and NAO 209-124 NOAA Aviation Safety Policy becomes effective. The NAO can be downloaded from:http://www.corporateservices.noaa.gov/~ames/NAOs/Chap_209/209-124.pdf
-
What
is the definition of a “Qualified
non-Crewmember”?
Qualified Non-Crewmember - is defined under 41 CFR 102-33.20 and means
a person flying onboard a government aircraft
whose skills or expertise are required to perform
or are associated with performing the governmental
function for which the aircraft is being operated
(qualified non-crewmembers may be researchers,
law enforcement agents, fire fighters, agricultural
engineers, biologists, etc.).
-
What
is the definition of an “Observer”?
Observer - means any qualified non-crewmember who
monitors the performance of the governmental
function for which the aircraft is being
operated. Observer
status is determined by the NOAA Line or
Staff Office manager responsible for the
flight and shall not be granted to an individual
more than once per year for a similar mission.
-
What
is the definition of “Mission Operations”?
Mission
Operations - means all operations other than
transportation. Mission operations
include, but are not limited to: aerial
surveys; airborne data collection; forecaster
training; and aerial photography. Mission
operations include transportation of personnel
where an aircraft departs from or lands at a
location other than an airport. (Airport
- is defined by 14 CFR as
an area of land or water that is used or intended
to be used for the landing and takeoff of aircraft,
and includes its buildings and facilities, if
any. For the purposes of this definition,
airports used for transportation mean those within
Class B, Class C, or Class D airspace as defined
in 14 CFR 71.41, 71.51, and 71.61 or International
Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) equivalent.) Accordingly,
transportation of personnel on aircraft that
either depart from or land on a ship, oil
rig, open field, beach, ice, or open water
is considered mission operations.
-
Can I fly my privately owned aircraft for official
NOAA business?
NOAA may authorize you to fly your
privately owned airplane – but exclusively
for transportation in accordance with the
Joint Federal Travel Regulations provided
there are no other personnel on board the
plane with you while flying on official NOAA
business.
You are not authorized to fly your privately
owned airplane for “Mission Operations.” For
more information please read the NOAA Aviation
Safety Policy posted at: http://www.omao.noaa.gov/aviationsafety/index.html
