Release 1.  This is the first release of this unit of competency in the PUA Public Safety Training Package.

This unit of competency involves the skills and knowledge required to manage the transfer of trained personnel and equipment from a hovering helicopter to the ground. Helicopter hover-exit operations are undertaken primarily in areas where ground vegetation or terrain prevents a helicopter from conducting a full skid landing. The operation of aviation occurs in a heavily regulated environment.

The unit applies to personnel authorised to conduct helicopter hover-exit operations from a maximum height of 1.3 metres when a full skid landing is not possible. It is applicable to personnel responsible for the supervision and safety of hover-exit crews, specifically but not limited to hover-exit crew leaders, helicopter marshals and approved pilots.

The fire sector is those sections of government departments, statutory authorities or organisations that have responsibility under jurisdictional arrangements for the delivery of firefighting and fire management services.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

It is essential that the prerequisite units listed below are obtained prior to the issuance of this unit to individuals within the fire sector or the units contributing to the attainment of a fire qualification.

PUAFIR209 Work safely around aircraft

Fire

Fire

ELEMENTS 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element.

1  

Prepare for hover-exit operations 

1.1 

Hover-exit equipment is selected and prepared, in accordance with organisational procedures and requirements

1.2 

Appropriate clothing and equipment are worn, in accordance with organisational procedures and requirements

1.3 

Pre-flight checks on clothing and equipment are undertaken, in accordance with organisational procedures

1.4 

Damage to firefighting and safety equipment is reported to the supervisor for repair, replacement or disposal

1.5 

General helicopter safety briefing is obtained from pilot, flight crew, air base and/or helibase manager

2 

Load hover -exit personnel and equipment into helicopter 

2.1 

Firefighting and safety equipment is assembled, weighed and recorded

2.2 

Pilot is informed of firefighting equipment and personnel weights

2.3 

Equipment is loaded into helicopter and secured under pilot or flight crew supervision

2.4 

Instructions are obtained from pre-mission briefing and clarification of objectives and procedures is sought, as required

2.5 

Personnel are secured in seatbelts, in accordance with organisational procedures and flight crew instructions

2.6 

Pre-flight safety briefing is obtained from pilot or flight crew

3 

Prepare to exit from hovering helicopter 

3.1 

Appropriate landing technique is selected and used, in accordance with ground and safety conditions

3.2 

Following clearance from pilot and hover-exit crew leader instructions are received to prepare for exit

3.3 

Seat belt is released and then resecured prior to moving towards the helicopter doorway, in accordance with organisational procedures and instructions received

3.4 

Pre-descent checks are conducted, in accordance with organisational procedures and requirements

3.5 

Clearance is obtained from the pilot and hover-exit flight crew leader to disembark

3.6 

Emergency procedures are conducted, as required

3.7 

Emergency commands are responded to, in accordance with organisational procedures

4 

Exit from hovering helicopter 

4.1 

Hover-exit operations are undertaken, in accordance with organisational procedures and Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) requirements

4.2 

Actions are undertaken to minimise uncommanded movement of the helicopter during transfer to the ground, in accordance with organisational procedures and instructions

4.3 

Assembly point for individuals and equipment is identified and reached

4.4 

All clear signal is communicated to pilot or flight crew when landing activity is complete

4.5 

Under instruction from hover-exit flight crew leader, individuals and equipment are transferred between helicopter and ground, in accordance with organisational procedures

4.6 

Emergency procedures are conducted, as required

4.7 

Emergency commands are responded to, in accordance with organisational procedures

5 

Undertake hover -entry to helicopter 

5.1 

Individuals and equipment are located at nominated assembly point in preparation for hover-entry

5.2 

Following clearance from pilot and hover-exit flight crew leader, movement towards the helicopter is undertaken, in accordance with organisational procedures and instructions received

5.3 

Actions to minimise uncommanded movement of the helicopter during transfer from the ground to the helicopter are undertaken, in accordance with organisational procedures and instructions

5.4 

Movement on board the helicopter and towards the helicopter seat is undertaken, in accordance with organisational procedures and instructions

5.5 

Seat belts are secured until clearance is obtained to commence movement within the helicopter, in accordance with organisational procedures, safe work practices and instructions from flight crew

5.6 

Seat belts remain secured until helicopter has landed and clearance is obtained to commence movement within the helicopter

6 

Perform maintenance on equipment 

6.1 

Equipment is inspected and maintenance is performed, in accordance with organisational procedures and manufacturers' guidelines

6.2 

Damage to equipment is reported to the supervisor for repair, replacement or disposal

6.3 

Maintenance or damage to equipment is documented and reported, in accordance with organisational procedures

Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency.

Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment.

Non-essential conditions may be found in the Companion Volume Implementation Guide.

general helicopter safety briefing must be conducted by

• air base or helibase manager
• crew person
• pilot

pre-mission briefing must be given by

• hover-exit crew leader

pre-flight safety briefing must be given by

• air crew member

hover-exit operations must include

• assistance from a helicopter for crew person
• conducting hover-exit operations from helicopter approved by the organisation transfer of equipment and firefighting crew between the helicopter and ground

This unit replaces and is equivalent to PUAFIR216 Undertake hover-exit operations from helicopter.

Release 1.  This is the first release of this unit of competency in the PUA Public Safety Training Package.

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions on at least one occasion and includes

• applying Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) organisational requirements
• demonstrating hover-exit procedures for exiting from different heights
• following instructions and procedures within helicopter
• implementing legislative, regulatory, organisational and operational procedures
• implementing emergency procedures
• loading hover-exit personnel and equipment into helicopter
• minimising movement during ascent and descent from helicopter
• participating in briefings and debriefings
• preparing for hover-exit operations from helicopter
• preparing to exit from hovering helicopter
• preparing, inspecting, carrying and stowing equipment prior to, during and following exiting from helicopter
• reporting accidents and incidents reporting accidents and incidents
• responding to emergency commands
• working as a team member in transferring personnel and equipment between helicopter and ground

Evidence required to demonstrate competence in this unit must be relevant to and satisfy all the requirements of the elements, performance criteria and range of conditions and includes knowledge of

• categories of helicopters used by emergency service organisations for conducting hover-exit operations
• characteristics, limitations and operating principles of hover-exit equipment
• characteristics, limitations and operating principles of hover-exit operations
• personal protective clothing and equipment
• correct methods for carrying various types of equipment on a helicopter
• general safety, pre-mission and pre-flight safety briefing format and content
• inspection of equipment and maintenance procedures
• organisational documentation and regulatory reporting arrangements
• organisational policies and procedures including emergency command and safety and emergency procedures
• safe work practices when working in and around helicopters
• site selection for hover-exits
• types of landing techniques
• Work, Health and Safety (WHS)/Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) organisational requirements including risk mitigation

As a minimum, assessors must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

As a minimum, assessment must satisfy applicable regulatory requirements, which include requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations current at the time of assessment.

Assessment processes and techniques must be appropriate to the language, literacy and numeracy requirements of the work being performed and the needs of the candidate.

Assessment must occur in workplace operational situations. Where this is not appropriate, assessment must occur in industry approved simulated workplace operational situations that reflect workplace conditions.

Competency should be assessed on the job or in a range of simulated hover-exit or entry activities.

Resources for assessment must include access to

• a range of relevant exercises, case studies and/or simulations
• relevant and appropriate materials, equipment, tools and personal protective clothing and equipment currently used in industry including

• area to conduct operations, helicopter, briefing reports and appropriate personnel

• applicable documentation including organisational procedures, industry standards, equipment specifications, regulations, codes of practice and operation manuals.