Published on May 25, 2018, Resolution No. 471 of the National Civil Aviation Agency (“ANAC”) approving Brazilian Civil Aviation Regulation (“RBAC”) No. 155 – Helipads, and Amendment 04 to RBAC No. 154 – Aerodrome Design.
RBAC nº 155 stipulates specific rules for the construction and operations in public helipads and elevated private helipads in Brazil, regulating controversial points mainly concerning the physical characteristics of helipads.
Amendment 04 to RBAC nº 154 includes the provision that the rules concerning physical characteristics and visual aids established in RBAC nº 155 are mandatory in airport components intended exclusively for the operation of rotary-wing aircraft at public aerodromes. Additionally, it determines that the facilities destined for common use by fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft (such as: runways, taxiways, patios, and parking positions) should follow the general rules of RBAC nº 154, except for the aspects in which RBAC nº 155 is more restrictive.
Considering the update of the regulations on the subject, those interested in building a public helipad and/or a private elevated helipad should observe the guidelines of RBAC nº 155 to the detriment of Ordinance nº 18/GM5, of February 14, 1974, as oriented by ANAC itself.
It is important to note that RBAC no. 155 in its Appendix E typified the penalties applicable to violators of the rules therein, setting the minimum, intermediate and maximum values of the fines that may be imposed by ANAC in case of inspection, as well as determined the parameter of incidence of penalties, indicating that a fine will be applied for each set of irregularities identified that result from violation of the types of violations listed below:
i) Fail to keep the helideck information updated in the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS).
ii) Failure to perform simulated exercises to validate the Emergency Planning and procedures described in PLEM-H.
iii) Failing to document emergency planning procedures in a Helideck Emergency Plan – PLEM-H.
in the above items.
The effectiveness of RBAC No. 155 and Amendment 04 to RBAC No. 154 will begin on November 21, 2018.