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553 

Federal Aviation Administration, DOT 

§ 136.11 

this chapter to amend or have the FAA 
reconsider those Letters of Authoriza-
tion. 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–1563; Amdt. No. 136–2, 
88 FR 48091, July 26, 2023] 

§ 136.5 Additional requirements for 

Hawaii. 

Any operator subject to this subpart 

who meets the criteria of § 136.71 must 
comply with the additional require-
ments and restrictions in subpart D of 
this part. 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–1563; Amdt. No. 136–2, 
88 FR 48091, July 26, 2023] 

§ 136.7 Passenger briefings. 

(a) Before takeoff each pilot in com-

mand shall ensure that each passenger 
has been briefed on the following: 

(1) Procedures for fastening and un-

fastening seatbelts; 

(2) Prohibition on smoking; and 
(3) Procedures for opening exits and 

exiting the aircraft. 

(b) For flight segments over water 

beyond the shoreline, briefings must 
also include: 

(1) Procedures for water ditching; 
(2) Use of required life preservers; and 
(3) Procedures for emergency exit 

from the aircraft in the event of a 
water landing. 

§ 136.9 Life preservers for operations 

over water. 

(a) Except as provided in paragraphs 

(b) or (c) of this section, the operator 
and pilot in command of commercial 
air tours over water beyond the shore-
line must ensure that each occupant is 
wearing a life preserver from before 
takeoff until flight is no longer over 
water. 

(b) The operator and pilot in com-

mand of a commercial air tour over 
water beyond the shoreline must en-
sure that a life preserver is readily 
available for its intended use and eas-
ily accessible to each occupant if: 

(1) The aircraft is equipped with 

floats; 

(2) The airplane is within power-off 

gliding distance to the shoreline for 
the duration of the time that the flight 
is over water; or 

(3) The aircraft is a multiengine that 

can be operated with the critical en-
gine inoperative at a weight that will 

allow it to climb, at least 50 feet a 
minute, at an altitude of 1,000 feet 
above the surface, as provided in the 
approved aircraft flight manual for 
that aircraft. 

(c) No life preserver is required if the 

overwater operation is necessary only 
for takeoff or landing. 

[Docket No. FAA–1998–4521, 72 FR 6912, Feb. 
13, 2007, as amended by Docket No. FAA– 
2022–1563; Amdt. No. 136–2, 88 FR 48091, July 
26, 2023] 

§ 136.11 Rotorcraft floats for over 

water. 

(a) A rotorcraft used in commercial 

air tours over water beyond the shore-
line must be equipped with fixed floats 
or an inflatable flotation system ade-
quate to accomplish a safe emergency 
ditching, if— 

(1) It is a single-engine rotorcraft; or 
(2) It is a multi-engine rotorcraft 

that cannot be operated with the crit-
ical engine inoperative at a weight 
that will allow it to climb, at least 50 
feet a minute, at an altitude of 1,000 
feet above the surface, as provided in 
the approved aircraft flight manual for 
that aircraft. 

(b) Each rotorcraft that is required 

to be equipped with an inflatable flota-
tion system under this section must 
have: 

(1) The activation switch for the flo-

tation system on one of the primary 
flight controls; and 

(2) The flotation system armed when 

the rotorcraft is over water beyond the 
shoreline and is flying at a speed that 
does not exceed the maximum speed 
prescribed in the approved aircraft 
flight manual for flying with the flota-
tion system armed. 

(c) Neither fixed floats nor an inflat-

able flotation system is required for a 
rotorcraft under this section when that 
rotorcraft is: 

(1) Over water only during the take-

off or landing portion of the flight; or 

(2) Operated within power-off gliding 

distance to the shoreline for the dura-
tion of the flight and each occupant is 
wearing a life preserver from before 
takeoff until the aircraft is no longer 
over water. 

[Docket No. FAA–2022–1563; Amdt. No. 136–2, 
88 FR 48091, July 26, 2023]