Hong Kong Regulations

AIR NAVIGATION (HONG KONG) ORDER 1995 - SECT 28

Loading-public transport aircraft and suspended loads

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

Adaptation amendments retroactively made - see 36 of 1999 s. 3

(1) The operator of an aircraft registered in Hong Kong shall not cause or
permit it to be loaded for a flight for the purpose of public transport, or
any load to be suspended therefrom, except under the supervision of a person
whom he has caused to be furnished with written instructions as to the
distribution and securing of the load so as to ensure that-

   (a)  the load may safely be carried on the flight; and

   (b)  any conditions subject to which the certificate of airworthiness in
        force in respect of the aircraft was issued or rendered valid, being
        conditions relating to the loading of the aircraft, are complied with.

(2) The instructions shall indicate the weight of the aircraft prepared for
service, that is to say the aggregate of the weight of the aircraft (shown in
the weight schedule referred to in Article 16 of this Order) and the weight of
such additional items in or on the aircraft as the operator thinks fit to
include; and the instructions shall indicate the additional items included in
the weight of the aircraft prepared for service, and show the position of the
centre of gravity of the aircraft at that weight: Provided that this paragraph
shall not apply in relation to a flight if-

   (a)  the aircraft's maximum total weight authorised does not exceed 1150
        kg; or

   (b)  the aircraft's maximum total weight authorised does not exceed 2730 kg
        and the flight is intended not to exceed 60 minutes in duration and is
        either-

        (i)    a flight solely for training persons to perform duties in an
               aircraft; or

        (ii)   a flight intended to begin and end at the same aerodrome; or

   (c)  the aircraft is a helicopter the maximum total weight authorised of
        which does not exceed 3000 kg and the total seating capacity of which
        does not exceed five persons.

(3) The operator of an aircraft shall not cause or permit it to be loaded in
contravention of the instructions referred to in paragraph (1) of this
Article.

(4) The person supervising the loading of the aircraft shall, before the
commencement of any such flight, prepare and sign a load sheet in duplicate
conforming to the requirements specified in Regulation 1 in Schedule 15 to
this Order, and shall (unless he is himself the commander of the aircraft)
submit the load sheet for examination by the commander of the aircraft who
shall sign his name thereon: Provided that the foregoing requirements of this
paragraph shall not apply if-

   (a)  the load and the distributing and securing thereof upon the next
        intended flight are to be unchanged from the previous flight and the
        commander of the aircraft makes and signs an endorsement to that
        effect upon the load sheet for the previous flight, indicating the
        date of the endorsement, the place of departure upon the next intended
        flight and the next intended place of destination; or

   (b)  paragraph (2) of this Article does not apply in relation to the
        flight.

(5) One copy of the load sheet shall be carried in the aircraft when Article
57 of this Order so requires until the flights to which it relates have been
completed and one copy of that load sheet and of the instructions referred to
in this Article shall be preserved by the operator until the expiration of a
period of six months thereafter and shall not be carried in the aircraft:
Provided that in the case of an aeroplane of which the maximum total weight
authorized does not exceed 2730 kg, or a helicopter, if it is not reasonably
practicable for the copy of the load sheet to be kept on the ground it may be
carried in the aeroplane or helicopter, as the case may be, in a container
approved by the Chief Executive for that purpose. (36 of 1999 s. 3)

(6) The operator of an aircraft registered in Hong Kong and flying for the
purpose of the public transport of passengers shall not cause or permit
baggage to be carried in the passenger compartment of the aircraft unless such
baggage can be properly secured and, in the case of an aircraft capable of
seating more than 30 passengers, such baggage shall not exceed the capacity of
the spaces in the passenger compartment approved by the Chief Executive for
the purpose of stowing baggage, unless carried in accordance with the terms of
a written permission granted by the Chief Executive which permission may be
granted subject to such conditions as the Chief Executive thinks fit. (36 of
1999 s. 3)