The Air Navigation Order 1989

Public transport—operating conditions

30.—(1) An aircraft registered in the United Kingdom shall not fly for the purpose of public transport, except for the sole purpose of training persons to perform duties in aircraft, unless such requirements as may be prescribed in respect of its weight and related performance and flight in specified meteorological conditions or at night are complied with.

(2) The assessment of the ability of an aircraft to comply with paragraph (1) of this article shall be based on the information as to its performance contained in the certificate of airworthiness relating to the aircraft. In the event of the information given therein being insufficient for that purpose such assessment shall be based on the best information available to the commander of the aircraft.

(3) A flying machine registered in the United Kingdom when flying over water for the purpose of public transport shall fly, except as may be necessary for the purpose of take-off or landing, at such an altitude as would enable the aircraft:

(a) if it has one engine only, in the event of the failure of that engine; or

(b) if it has more than one engine, in the event of the failure of one of those engines and with the remaining engine or engines operating within the maximum continuous power conditions specified in the certificate of airworthiness relating to the aircraft;

to reach a place at which it can safely land at a height sufficient to enable it to do so.

(4) Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this article, an aeroplane in respect of which there is in force under this Order a certificate of airworthiness designating the aeroplane as being of performance group X shall not fly over water for the purpose of public transport so as to be more than 60 minutes flying time from the nearest shore, unless the aeroplane has more than 2 power units. For the purposes of this paragraph, flying time shall be calculated at normal cruising speed with one power unit inoperative.

(5) Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this article a helicopter, in respect of which there is in force under this Order a certificate of airworthiness designating the helicopter as being performance group B shall not fly over water for the purpose of public transport:

(a) so as to be more than 20 seconds flying time from a point from which it can make an autorotative descent to land suitable for an emergency landing unless it is equipped with apparatus approved by the Authority enabling it to land safely on water but shall not so fly on any flight for more than 3 minutes except with the permission in writing of the Authority and in accordance with any conditions subject to which that permission may have been given; for the purpose of this sub-paragraph flying time shall be calculated on the assumption that the helicopter is flying in still air at the speed specified in the certificate of airworthiness in force in respect of the helicopter as the speed for compliance with regulations governing flights over water;

(b) over that part of the bed of the River Thames which lies between the following points:

Hammersmith Bridge	(51°29' 16" N)
	(00°13' 45" W)
Greenwich Reach	(51°29' 03" N)
	(00°00' 37" W)

between the ordinary high water marks on each of its banks unless it is equipped with apparatus approved by the Authority enabling it to land safely on water.

(6) Without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph (3) of this article, a helicopter in respect of which there is in force under this Order a certificate of airworthiness designating the helicopter as being of performance group A2 shall not fly over water for the purpose of public transport for more than 15 minutes during any flight unless it is equipped with apparatus approved by the Authority enabling it to land safely on water.

(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (1) of this article, a helicopter in respect of which there is in force under this Order a certificate of airworthiness designating the helicopter as being of performance group A or group A (Restricted) may fly for the purpose of public transport in accordance with the weight and related performance requirements prescribed for helicopters designated as being of:

(a) performance group A (Restricted) in the case of a helicopter designated as being of performance group A if:

(i) the maximum total weight authorised of the helicopter is less than 5700kg; and

(ii) the total number of passengers carried on the helicopter does not exceed 15; or

(b) performance group B if:

(i) the maximum total weight authorised of the helicopter is less than 2730kg; and

(ii) the total number of passengers carried does not exceed 9.