The Air Navigation Order 2016

SECTION 5 Equipment

Wearing of survival suits by crew

118.—(1) Paragraph (2) does not apply to any member of the crew of an aircraft flying under and in accordance with the terms of a police air operator’s certificate.

(2) Each member of the crew of an aircraft registered in the United Kingdom must wear a survival suit if such a suit is required to be carried by article 119 and Part 1 of Schedule 6.

Equipment of public transport aircraft

119.—(1) This article applies to public transport aircraft registered in the United Kingdom.

(2) An aircraft to which this article applies must not fly unless it is equipped and marked in accordance with Schedule 6 (aircraft equipment).

(3) The equipment in Schedule 6 must be—

(a) of a type approved by EASA or the CAA either generally or in relation to a class of aircraft or in relation to that aircraft, unless it is equipment listed in paragraph 3 of that Schedule; and

(b) installed in a manner approved by EASA or the CAA.

(4) The equipment carried in compliance with this article must be installed or stowed and kept stowed, maintained and adjusted, so as to be readily accessible and capable of being used by the person for whose use it is intended.

(5) The position of equipment provided for emergency use must be indicated by clear markings in or on the aircraft.

(6) In every such aircraft registered in the United Kingdom there must be provided individually for each passenger or, if the CAA so permits in writing, exhibited in a prominent position in every passenger compartment, a notice which complies with paragraph (7).

(7) A notice complies with this paragraph if it is relevant to the aircraft in question and contains pictorial—

(a) instructions on the brace position to be adopted in the event of an emergency landing;

(b) instructions on the method of use of the safety belts and safety harnesses as appropriate;

(c) information as to where emergency exits are to be found and instructions as to how they are to be used; and

(d) information as to where the lifejackets, escape slides, life rafts and oxygen masks, if required to be provided by paragraph (2), are to be found and instructions as to how they are to be used.

(8) The operator of a helicopter on which a vibration health monitoring system is required to be carried by paragraph 4(12) of Part 1 of Schedule 6 must operate that equipment in accordance with procedures approved by the CAA.

Functioning of exits – commercial air transport aeroplanes and public transport aeroplanes and helicopters

120.—(1) This article applies to A to A commercial air transport aeroplanes, public transport aeroplanes and public transport helicopters registered in the United Kingdom.

(2) Subject to paragraph (5), whenever an aeroplane or helicopter to which this article applies is carrying passengers, every exit from the aeroplane or helicopter and every internal door in the aeroplane or helicopter must be in working order.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), during take-off and landing and during any emergency, every exit and door in the aeroplane or helicopter must be kept free of obstruction and must not be fastened by locking or otherwise so as to prevent, hinder or delay its use by passengers.

(4) In the case of—

(a) an exit which, in accordance with arrangements approved by the CAA either generally or in relation to a class of aeroplane or helicopter or a particular aeroplane or helicopter, is not required for use by passengers, the exit may be obstructed by cargo;

(b) a door between the flight crew compartment and any adjacent compartment to which passengers have access, the door may be locked or bolted if the pilot in command of the aeroplane or helicopter so determines, for the purpose of preventing access by passengers to the flight crew compartment;

(c) any internal door which is so placed that it cannot prevent, hinder or delay the exit of passengers from the aeroplane or helicopter in an emergency if it is not in working order, paragraph (3) does not apply.

(5) Subject to compliance with paragraph (6), if one, but not more than one, exit from an aeroplane or helicopter becomes inoperative at a place where it is not reasonably practicable for it to be repaired or replaced, nothing in this article prevents that aeroplane or helicopter from carrying passengers until it next lands at a place where the exit can be repaired or replaced.

(6) This paragraph is complied with if—

(a) the number of passengers carried and the position of the seats which they occupy are in accordance with arrangements approved by the CAA either in relation to the particular aeroplane or helicopter or to a class of aeroplane or helicopter; and

(b) in accordance with arrangements so approved, the inoperative exit is fastened by locking or otherwise, the words “exit” or “emergency exit” are covered, and the exit is marked by a red disc at least 23 centimetres in diameter with a horizontal white bar across it bearing the words “No Exit” in red letters.

Marking of exits – commercial air transport aeroplanes and public transport aeroplanes and helicopters

121.—(1) This article applies to A to A commercial air transport aeroplanes, public transport aeroplanes and public transport helicopters registered in the United Kingdom.

(2) An operator must ensure that every exit from an aeroplane or helicopter to which this article applies is marked in accordance with this article.

(3) Every exit from such an aeroplane or helicopter must be marked on interior surfaces with the words “exit” or “emergency exit” in capital letters, which must be red in colour and if necessary outlined in white to contrast with the background.

(4) Every exit from such an aeroplane or helicopter must be marked on exterior surfaces with the words “exit” or “emergency exit” in capital letters, which must be located on a background which provides adequate contrast.

(5) Every exit from such an aeroplane or helicopter must be marked on interior surfaces on or near the inside surface of the door or other closure of the exit with instructions in English and with diagrams to indicate the correct method of opening the exit, which must be red in colour and located on a background which provides adequate contrast.

(6) Every exit from such an aeroplane or helicopter which may be opened from the outside must be marked on or near the exterior surface of the door or other closure of the exit with instructions in English and with diagrams to indicate the correct method of opening the exit, which must be located on a background which provides adequate contrast.

(7) The markings required by this article must be—

(a) painted, or affixed by other equally permanent means; and

(b) kept clean and unobscured at all times.