Emir wrote:
I’m not sure about that. Last time I looked at tender documentation here in Croatia, the Agency required EASA approvals for aircraft modifications (installation of dropping equipment), A to A AOC and some other compliance documents related to ability of performing the actual work.
Well, there is no CAT element and Part AOC never applies.
EASA wrote:
Commercial and non-commercial SPO with complex aeroplanes and helicopters may be conducted as soon as the SPO operator submits a declaration to its competent authority. None of those operations is subject to an Air Operator Certificate.
It seems like there is a small mistake ..„commercial and non-commercial SPO with [non complex and] complex aeroplanes…“ would make more sense.
Source:
https://www.easa.europa.eu/domains/air-operations/specialised-operations-spo
Emir wrote:
2014: The PA-28-161, registration YU-DDB, with a pilot and operator for spreading vaccines, performed a flight for spreading rabies vaccines on the route Balchik – Svishtov – Balchik. When performing the flight on the return route from Svishtov, due to a deterioration of the meteorological situation, the captain chose to perform a forced landing on an unlicensed airfield in the area of the village of Gradishte, district Shumen.
So they also fly in Bulgaria. I wonder, was the PIC Bulgarian to know this little airfield? If it’s the one I found, it is quite a nice place but if it was in this condition then…
There are many such airfields in BG, some of them however will have surprises if you try to land on the runway. It is good to see however that many of those old agricultural airfields are revived for private aviation.
Snoopy wrote:
Is serbia a EASA candidate country already abiding to easa rules?
Serbia is one of EASA’s Pan-European Partners (PANEP), so they should be pretty much strict on applying EASA-like rules. However, this does not always function in this part of the world 
Snoopy wrote:
Can be done with TCO (N-reg) as well. No AOC required.
I’m not sure about that. Last time I looked at tender documentation here in Croatia, the Agency required EASA approvals for aircraft modifications (installation of dropping equipment), A to A AOC and some other compliance documents related to ability of performing the actual work.
Sebastian_G wrote:
I think over here they hire helicopter companies for such jobs.
Here in Croatia helicopters are used only for dropping in close proximity to populated areas.
Snoopy wrote:
It is. These rabies vaccine bombs stink ferociously.
A serious money is involved in this business. So it has to be fishy and smelly
Under EASA this should be SPO (specialized operations) „work flights“ (Arbeitsflüge in german).
Can be done with TCO (N-reg) as well.
Operator must only declare it to competent authority.
No AOC required.
the “market” used to be serviced by the local aeroclubs
No AOC required for such flights?
tmo wrote:
but hear it is quite a thankless job.
It is. These rabies vaccine bombs stink ferociously.
Snoopy wrote:
In Austria these flights were done by similar category aircraft, no issues I know of (probably no flying in marginal WX conditions).
Likewise in Poland; the “market” used to be serviced by the local aeroclubs, with AN2 used for the job and the money allowing the clubs to somehow survive another year; as all things too good to be true, this also quasi monopoly ended, and the flights are now flown by a mix of aeroclubs and private companies flying C172s and PA28s, who compete based on price and sometimes go to court over who cheated and offered an unrealistic price. I never participated, but hear it is quite a thankless job. That said, I haven’t heard of any spectacular crashes related to these flights over here either.
Is serbia a EASA candidate country already abiding to easa rules?
In Austria these flights were done by similar category aircraft, no issues I know of (probably no flying in marginal WX conditions).
I think over here they hire helicopter companies for such jobs. Probably more expensive but maybe after all the better aircraft for the job?
Mooney_Driver wrote:
They are under Serbian register? That means not EASA if I understand that right. Does not sound very encouraging.
Yes, under Serbian registry.
arj1 wrote:
@Emir, depends on big are they and how much they are flying.
AFAIK they practically do only this job – vaccine dropping. I don’t know how much they fly but they are pretty active in our region – few days ago they were operating in Croatia. I can’t say much about their maintenance or training record but I would say that reports speak for themselves.
YU-BSW:
The root cause of the accident is the entry of the aircraft into the cloud at a low altitude, in conditions of increased cloudiness, which led to the impact of the aircraft in the ground. The accident is caused by inadequate preparation of the crew for the flight, deviation of the crew from the planned and approved route by location (diversion from the given route) and flight height (flight at a lower altitude than the approved one), as well as not taking timely procedures to return to the given route and flight height, as well as incorrect actions in case of encountering a deteriorated weather situation on the route under VFR flight conditions.
The accident was affected by:
a) The decision of the manager on the manner of execution of the flight
b) Ignoring information about the meteorological situation and weather forecast
c) Inadequate preparation of the crew for the execution of the flight at a low altitude and in conditions of fire of the meteorological situation,
d) Non-compliance with VFR rules for minimum flight height and meteorological minimum for airspace class “F” and “G”
e) Loss of visual contact with the ground.
YU-DDB:
2014: The PA-28-161, registration YU-DDB, with a pilot and operator for spreading vaccines, performed a flight for spreading rabies vaccines on the route Balchik – Svishtov – Balchik. When performing the flight on the return route from Svishtov, due to a deterioration of the meteorological situation, the captain chose to perform a forced landing on an unlicensed airfield in the area of the village of Gradishte, district Shumen.
The aircraft touched down short of the runway hit the threshold, turned and stopped. The operator of the vaccine dispensing equipment was seriously injured. The pilot was not injured. The aircraft suffered significant damage.2019: The Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II crashed in a wooded area after a loss of engine power. Both occupants were injured.
For YU-DCX nothing is released yet but it’s very similar to YU-BSW and 2014 YU-DDB accidents.
