Page 25 - 1. Aircraft Safety Booklet

SAFE, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT OPERATIONS
Monsoon bucket operation 25
Under Civil Aviation Rule
Only trained and competent ground crew should undertake this work. 91.211

• The bucket must be approved by and fitted to the satisfaction of
the pilot in command of the aircraft.
• Ground crew need to be able to fill the bucket safely, effectively
and efficiently without danger to themselves or the aircraft.
• The landing area must only be occupied by people directly Ground safety
associated with bucket filling. Bystanders and the public are to
be well back from the site and preferably behind a barrier.
• One ground crew member may catch and stabilise the bucket
when the pilot lands it on the target. Two other people may load
water via high volume hoses.
• Directly dipping the bucket may result in better personnel safety Fixed wing safety
and faster flight cycles (ponds, river bends, dipping tanks etc.)
as opposed to hose filling.

• Chin-straps must be worn on head gear and full wet weather
clothing is preferable. This includes goggles, not visors.

f HOSE LAYOUT. Two ground crew each Helicopter safety
take a 70mm hose with gooseneck to fill
the monsoon bucket. Hose is laid out
to extend to the fill point at the precise
landing point. One crewman may catch
and stabilise the bucket.

• Monsoon bucket strop and cable length must be long enough to
avoid rotor wash fanning flames when the load is dropped on Aviation radio channels
the fire. Flare ups can occur and expose close by ground crews
to fire danger otherwise (cable length will vary
with helicopter and operational aspects).

f Strop length must be
sufficiently long to prevent Briefings and
rotor wash fanning flames. questions
Note windsock and ‘targeted’
landing/filling point.