Since 21 April 2017 Annex VIII (Part-SPO) of the Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 on Air Operations is applicable to specialised operations (SPO) for the categories aeroplanes and helicopter.

Specialised operations (formerly called aerial work) is where the aircraft is used for activities such as agriculture, construction, photography, surveying, observation and patrol or aerial advertisement. For further details of SPO criterias consult SPO.GEN.005 of the Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 on Air Operations.
Holding an AOC does not provide the entitlement to perform SPO
The operator must consider the following regulation parts (Annexes), subparts and the respective Acceptable Means of Compliance (AMC) and the Guidance Material (GM) of the Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 on Air Operations:
Commercial SPO Ops | Applicable requirements described in | Req. |
with CMPA | Part-ORO in applicable sections / Part-SPO in full | DEC |
with nCMPA | Part-ORO in applicable sections / Part-SPO in full | DEC |
if doing high risk Ops | Part-ORO in applicable sections / Part-SPO in full | DEC+A |
Non-commercial SPO Ops | Applicable requirements described in | Req. |
with CMPA | Part-ORO in applicable sections / Part-SPO in full | DEC |
with nCMPA | Part-NCO* | NIL |
if doing high risk Ops1 | with CMPA: Part-ORO in applicable sections / Part-SPO in full | DEC |
with nCMPA: Part-NCO* | NIL |
(n)CMPA = (non)-complex motor-powered aircraft | DEC = Declaration | DEC+A = Declaration and Authorisation(s) | NIL = None
1 the term does not exist in Non-commercial SPO Ops
*Note that according to SPO.GEN.005 (c) some SPO operations (competition flights or flying displays, parachute dropping, sailplane towing and aerobatic flights) may be subject to compliance with Part-NCO only (instead of Part-ORO and Part-SPO), when performed under certain conditions. These conditions are to be found on the FOCA NCO website in chapter «Marginal Activity»
An aeroplane:
- with a maximum certificated take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg; or,
- certificated for a maximum passenger seating configuration of more than 19; or,
- certificated for operation with a minimum crew of two pilots; or,
- equipped with (a) turbojet engine(s) or more than one turboprop engine.
A helicopter:
- certificated for a maximum take-off mass exceeding 3 175 kg; or,
- certificated for a maximum passenger seating configuration of more than nine; or,
- certificated for operation with a minimum crew of two pilots.
A tilt rotor aircraft
This paragraph only applies to SPO operators who fall in the green category of the table «Applicable Requirements for SPO Operators» above
The SPO operator must have:
- a management system in place and describe its operations in an operations manual, including SMS and CMS,
- appointed managers (nominated persons),
- an approved MEL,
- an SPO declaration and associated letter of acknowledgement of the competent authority, and
- further items explained in the following passages.
Document | Title |
---|---|
Guidance Material | GM/INFO - Declaration and List of Approvals (PDF, 383 kB, 21.11.2018) |
Form | FOCA/EASA Form - Declaration (PDF, 1 MB, 20.10.2020) |
Click on the following link to download the MEL (Minimum Equipment List) Approval form for NCC and SPO operators. The form shall be used for MEL Approval processes (initial approval / changes to MEL) by any NCC or SPO operator with a declaration in Switzerland.
Should the SPO operator wish to apply for a Specific Approval the appropriate FOCA section shall be contacted:
- Helicopter: heli@bazl.admin.ch
- Aeroplanes: sboc@bazl.admin.ch
Certain commercial SPO operations are classified as high risk. This classification (definition of high risk) is up to the competent authority of the concerned territory. For Swiss territory FOCA established the following:
Definition of high risk commercial specialised operations within Switzerland:
- helicopter sling load operations
- human external cargo operations
- avalanche mining operations: GM/INFO - HEL Avalanches (PDF, 673 kB, 05.08.2019)
- SPO flights where dangerous goods are carried
- operations for which protective standards (such as e.g. minimum flight altitudes, underflying of riggings, lines or constructions) – irrespective of the associated necessary approvals – are either exceeded or undershot.
From here the website is divided into two parts for departmental reasons:
Further Information
Last modification 26.11.2020
Contact
Federal Office of Civil Aviation FOCA
Section Operation of Complex Airplanes
Section Helicopter Flight Operations
Tel: +41 58 464 62 93