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IFR

Asked by: 5581 views FAA Regulations, Helicopter, Instrument Rating, Student Pilot

I am going through IFR training now in helicopters. I have noticed that pretty much all IFR helicopters have redundant instrument. Is that an actual requirement or just for safety of flight. If asked I want to give the right answer. I understand why they would want it but is it required? Thanks!

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7 Answers



  1. Kris Kortokrax on Feb 02, 2014

    It would help in answering your question to know in what type of helicopter you are training and the instruments installed. If there is a glass panel installed, there are requirements for standby instruments.

    Most helicopters used for Instrument training have limited panel space and useful load, so there is seldom anything extra installed which is not required.

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  2. Robert on Feb 02, 2014

    I am training in Robinsons. The IFR trainer I am in only has one set of instruments. I was just curious because all the Bells and bigger helis I have seen had two of almost everything.

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  3. Sam Dawson on Feb 02, 2014

    Appendix B, Airworthiness Criteria for Helicopter Instrument Flight to FAR 27 (Airworthiness Standards: Normal Category Rotorcraft) is your reference.
    http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?SID=7457afaa752d16f4d647c73d38319992&node=14:1.0.1.3.13.7.281.28.32&rgn=div9

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  4. Kris Kortokrax on Feb 02, 2014

    Robert,

    There doesn’t appear to be a requirement for redundant instrumentation. The certification requirements for instruments appear to closely mirror the requirements in 91.205.

    Not all Bells have dual instruments. I have flown Bell 206s, which don’t have dual instruments. Even the 206L1 which was certified for IMC. The Bell 222, however, does have dual instruments.

    It appears to be a case where if a helicopter is likely to be flown by a crew, rather than a single pilot, it will have two sets of instruments.

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  5. Sam Dawson on Feb 02, 2014

    http://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/instrument_procedures_handbook/media/CH-07.pdf

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  6. Robert on Feb 02, 2014

    Thanks Sam and Kris. I will read up on the reference you gave me. And your explanation makes a lot of sense Kris. Appreciate the assistance.

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  7. Sam Dawson on Feb 05, 2014

    As you can see from the regulations the IFR certification of helicopters is a little more complex than airplanes. I have flown helicopters that required operational SAS/FPS to be flown IFR. I have flown others such as the Bell 205 that did not have SAS/FPS but were IFR certified due to their stability.

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