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  4. Part 135
  5. § 135.271
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14 CFR · Part 135

14 CFR § 135.271

Helicopter hospital emergency medical evacuation service (HEMES).

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Read in Subpart F
Part 135 Contents
  • Subpart A: General
  • Subpart B: Flight Operations
  • Subpart C: Aircraft and Equipment
  • Subpart D: VFR/IFR Operating Limitations and Weather Requirements
  • Subpart E: Flight Crewmember Requirements
  • Subpart F: Crewmember Flight Time and Duty Period Limitations and Rest Requirements
  • Subpart G: Crewmember Testing Requirements
  • Subpart H: Training
  • Subpart I: Airplane Performance Operating Limitations
  • Subpart J: Maintenance, Preventive Maintenance, and Alterations
  • Subpart K: Hazardous Materials Training Program
  • Subpart L: Helicopter Air Ambulance Equipment, Operations, and Training Requirements
  • Appendix A to Part 135: Additional Airworthiness Standards for 10 or More Passenger Airplanes
  • Appendix B to Part 135: Airplane Flight Recorder Specifications
  • Appendix C to Part 135: Helicopter Flight Recorder Specifications
  • Appendix D to Part 135: Airplane Flight Recorder Specification
  • Appendix E to Part 135: Helicopter Flight Recorder Specifications
  • Appendix F to Part 135: Airplane Flight Recorder Specification
  • Appendix G to Part 135: Extended Operations (ETOPS)
(a)

No certificate holder may assign any flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment for flight time if that crewmember's total flight time in all commercial flight will exceed—

(1)

500 hours in any calendar quarter.

(2)

800 hours in any two consecutive calendar quarters.

(3)

1,400 hours in any calendar year.

(b)

No certificate holder may assign a helicopter flight crewmember, and no flight crewmember may accept an assignment, for hospital emergency medical evacuation service helicopter operations unless that assignment provides for at least 10 consecutive hours of rest immediately preceding reporting to the hospital for availability for flight time.

(c)

No flight crewmember may accrue more than 8 hours of flight time during any 24-consecutive hour period of a HEMES assignment, unless an emergency medical evacuation operation is prolonged. Each flight crewmember who exceeds the daily 8 hour flight time limitation in this paragraph must be relieved of the HEMES assignment immediately upon the completion of that emergency medical evacuation operation and must be given a rest period in compliance with paragraph (h) of this section.

(d)

Each flight crewmember must receive at least 8 consecutive hours of rest during any 24 consecutive hour period of a HEMES assignment. A flight crewmember must be relieved of the HEMES assignment if he or she has not or cannot receive at least 8 consecutive hours of rest during any 24 consecutive hour period of a HEMES assignment.

(e)

A HEMES assignment may not exceed 72 consecutive hours at the hospital.

(f)

An adequate place of rest must be provided at, or in close proximity to, the hospital at which the HEMES assignment is being performed.

(g)

No certificate holder may assign any other duties to a flight crewmember during a HEMES assignment.

(h)

Each pilot must be given a rest period upon completion of the HEMES assignment and prior to being assigned any further duty with the certificate holder of—

(1)

At least 12 consecutive hours for an assignment of less than 48 hours.

(2)

At least 16 consecutive hours for an assignment of more than 48 hours.

(i)

The certificate holder must provide each flight crewmember at least 13 rest periods of at least 24 consecutive hours each in each calendar quarter.

Referenced By

Interpretations of This Section (2)

  • Masterson, 2013
  • Jimenez, 2011

Documents that cite this section, found in their catalog metadata or text. Listed by date, not by significance.

Reflects the eCFR edition current as of September 29, 2026. Retrieved from ecfr.gov on October 16, 2026.

Primary Source

  • Official Source (14 CFR · Part 135)