Eligible On Demand

MikeOH58

MikeOH58

Well-Known Member
Part 135, on field Wx reporting is required for an instrument approach in IMC conditions to be initiated, unless the operator is acting as "eligible on demand" and is approved for opspec A057.

135.4 and opspec A057 say among other things, one of the prerequisites for "eligible on demand" is the flight crew consist of a PIC and an SIC.

My question is regarding Single pilot operation. Is there any way around this?

Say KMTP (montauk point) for example....No on field Wx reporting, so operating single pilot, are you SOL, and not able to shoot an approach if conditions are IMC?
 
In short, i would say yes. However, a SVFR can get you lower than an approach in some circumstances.
 
cmill said:
AFAIK, a contact approach isnt considered an instrument approach. You're still VMC. How many contact approaches do you have logged?
Click to expand...

You have to be in VMC.. Sort Of.... You have to have the ground contact (but how much? Doesn't say...) and you have to stay "clear of clouds" which is a lot less than the normal VFR cloud clearance requirements required to stay legal VFR.

I've logged a number in Colorado, none so far in the 'Van.

Another caveat is that the airport you're requesting to do a contact approach at has to have an instrument approach available... but it doesn't have to have an instrument approach that is suitable for you. For example, you can request a contact approach when the airport only has RNAV approach while your airplane is /A. (AFAIK)
 
well, i didnt mean it as a literal question, just trying to prove a point. Theres no requirement for logging contact approaches, so that would lead me to beleive that its the same as a VFR approach. While the vis mins are lower than normal VFR, its still a VMC approach. The way i understand it, a contact appch is just a way to go svfr while on an IFR flight plan. The vis is too low for a visual from 10 miles out, but not bad enough to require a full approach. The great thing about a contact approach opposed to SVFR is that if you dont get the field, you can always go back and do the approach. It looks mighty suspicious if you dont spot the field under SVFR and then ask for a local IFR.
 
Ahh... I getcha. The weather has to be pretty bad to keep you from getting in to an airport if you're determined enough to do it, even one with no weather.
 
At my company in this situation you'd have to get out of the clouds (requesting as low as possible) and either get the visual or take a contact approach. We can't shoot a published instrument approach without a weather report of some form.
 
MikeOH58 said:
Part 135, on field Wx reporting is required for an instrument approach in IMC conditions to be initiated, unless the operator is acting as "eligible on demand" and is approved for opspec A057.

135.4 and opspec A057 say among other things, one of the prerequisites for "eligible on demand" is the flight crew consist of a PIC and an SIC.

My question is regarding Single pilot operation. Is there any way around this?

Say KMTP (montauk point) for example....No on field Wx reporting, so operating single pilot, are you SOL, and not able to shoot an approach if conditions are IMC?
Click to expand...

Bringing this thread back from the dead!...

This subject has recently come up at my company. To the OP's original question: I would say that 135.4 is clear on the need for a 2 pilot crew (that meet the specified criteria) while conducting eligible on-demand operations. ie- DAAP, and conducting instrument approaches to airports w/o weather reporting.

ref.- 135.4, 135.225, 135.385(f), 135.387(b), Opspec A057
 
Yes, I realize that it is entirely possible that the OP has figured it out by now. In googling this subject, this thread popped up. I saw there was not a definitive answer posted, so if figured that since it has been a topic of discussion at my company recently, that I would provide an answer with the thought that somebody else may find it useful at some point.

I'll go crawl back under my rock now.
 
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