| (1) |
An owner or operator of an aircraft shall select destination or alternate aerodromes in accordance with regulation 91.07.5 when planning a flight. |
| (2) |
An owner or an operator of an aircraft shall select a departure, destination, or alternate aerodrome only when the serviceability status of an aerodrome permits a safe operation of the type of aircraft concerned. |
| (3) |
A take-off alternate aerodrome shall be selected and specified in an operational and ATS filed flight plan, and, if applicable, in a preliminary flight plan, if the meteorological conditions at an aerodrome of departure are at or below the applicable aerodrome operating minima, or it would not be possible to return to an aerodrome of departure for other reasons. |
| (4) |
A take-off alternate aerodrome referred to in subregulation (3), shall be located within— |
| (a) |
twenty (20) minutes flying time from a departure aerodrome in the case of a single engine aeroplane; |
| (b) |
for an aeroplane with two engines, one hour flight time from a departure aerodrome at a one-engine inoperative cruising speed, determined from an aircraft flight manual, referred to in regulation 91.03.2, calculated in International Standard Atmosphere and still-air standard conditions, using an actual take-off mass; |
| (c) |
for an aeroplane with three or more engines, two hours of flight time from a departure aerodrome at an all-engine cruising speed, determined from an aircraft flight manual, calculated in International Standard Atmosphere and still-air conditions, using the actual take-off mass; |
| (d) |
for an aeroplane engaged in EDTO, where an alternate aerodrome meeting a distance criteria of subparagraph (b) or (c) is not available, a distance of an aerodrome operator’s approved maximum diversion time, using an actual take-off mass; and |
| (4A) |
For an aerodrome to be selected as a take-off alternate, the available information shall indicate that at an estimated time of use, the conditions will be at or above an aerodrome operator’s established aerodrome operating minima for that operation— |
provided that, if an AFM, referred to in regulation 91.03.2, does not contain a one-engine inoperative cruising speed, as referred to in subregulation (4) a speed to be used for calculation shall be a speed which is achieved with a remaining engine or engines set at maximum continuous power.
| (4B) |
An en-route alternate aerodromes, required in terms of subregulation (4) for extended diversion time operation by an aeroplane with two turbine engines, shall be selected and specified in an ATS filed flight plans, and, if applicable, in a preliminary flight plan. |
| (5) |
A PIC of a helicopter shall select at least one destination alternate aerodrome for each IFR flight, unless the meteorological conditions prevailing are such that, for a period from one hour before until one hour after an expected time of arrival at a destination aerodrome, the approach from a minimum sector safe altitude and landing can be made in VMC. |
| (6) |
For a flight to be conducted in accordance with instrument flight rules, a PIC of an aeroplane shall select at least one destination alternate aerodrome which shall be specified in the operational and filed ATS flight plans, and, if applicable, in a preliminary flight plan, unless— |
| (a) |
the duration of a flight from a departure aerodrome, or from a point of in-flight re-planning to a destination aerodrome is such that, taking into account all meteorological conditions and operational information relevant to a flight, at an estimated time of use, a reasonable certainty exists that— |
| (i) |
an approach and landing may be made under VMC; and |
| (ii) |
separate runways are usable at an estimated time of use of a destination aerodrome with at least one runway having an operational instrument approach procedure; or |
| (b) |
an aerodrome is isolated. Operation into an isolated aerodrome does not require a selection of a destination alternate aerodrome and shall be planned in accordance with regulation 91.07.12 and— |
| (i) |
a point of no return shall be determined for each flight into an isolated aerodrome; and |
| (ii) |
a flight to be conducted to an isolated aerodrome shall not be continued past a point of no return unless a current assessment of meteorological conditions, traffic and other operational conditions indicate that a safe landing can be made at an estimated time of use. |
Note: Separate runways are two or more runways at the same aerodrome configured such that if one runway is closed, operations to the other can be conducted.
| (7) |
Except as provided in subregulations (10) and (13), when planning a flight, a PIC shall only select an aerodrome as a destination or alternate aerodrome if the appropriate weather reports or forecasts, or a combination thereof, are at or above the applicable planning minima for a period of one hour before to one hour after the estimated time of arrival of an aircraft at an aerodrome. |
| (8) |
A PIC of a helicopter shall select at least one destination alternate aerodrome for each IFR flight unless— |
| (a) |
available current meteorological information indicates that the following meteorological conditions will exist from two hours before to two hours after the estimated time of arrival, or from the actual time of departure to two hours after the estimated time of arrival, whichever is a shorter period— |
| (i) |
a cloud base of at least 400 ft above the minimum associated with an instrument approach procedure; and |
| (ii) |
visibility of at least 1.5 km more than the minimum associated with the procedure; or |
| (b) |
a heliport of intended landing is isolated and no suitable alternate is available and— |
| (i) |
an instrument approach procedure is prescribed for such isolated heliport; and |
| (ii) |
a PNR is determined in the case of an offshore destination. |
| (9) |
Suitable offshore alternates for a helicopter may be specified subject to the following: |
| (a) |
an offshore alternate shall be used only after passing a PNR. Prior to a PNR, onshore alternates shall be used; |
| (b) |
mechanical reliability of critical control systems and critical components shall be considered and taken into account when determining the suitability of an alternate; |
| (c) |
one-engine inoperative performance capability shall be attainable prior to arrival at an alternate; |
| (d) |
to the extent possible, deck availability shall be guaranteed; and |
| (e) |
weather information must be reliable and accurate. |
| (10) |
Two destination alternate aerodromes shall be selected and specified in an operational and ATS filed flight plans and, if applicable, in a preliminary flight plan when at a destination aerodrome— |
| (a) |
the meteorological conditions at the estimated time of use will be below an operator’s established aerodrome operating minima for that operator; or |
| (b) |
meteorological information is not available. |
| (11) |
An owner or operator of an aircraft shall specify a destination alternate aerodrome, if required, in an ATS flight plan referred to in regulation 91.03.3. |
| (12) |
An owner or operator of an aircraft shall specify en-route alternate aerodromes for extended-range operations with a twin-engine aeroplane and shall specify such en-route alternate aerodromes in an ATS flight plan referred to in regulation 91.03.4. |
| (13) |
In addition to the provisions of subregulation (10), a PIC may conduct a flight in accordance with IFR to a destination for which there is no aviation weather report or forecast available: Provided the requirements specified in Document SA-CATS 91 are met. |
| (14) |
Notwithstanding the provisions in subregulations (3), (6), and (8); the Director may, based on the results of a specific safety risk assessment conducted by an owner or operator of an aircraft which demonstrate how an equivalent level of safety will be maintained approve operational variations to alternate aerodrome selection criteria. The specific safety risk assessment shall include at least the— |
| (a) |
capabilities of a PIC or operator of an aircraft; |
| (b) |
overall capability of an aeroplane and its systems; |
| (c) |
available aerodrome technologies, capabilities and infrastructure; |
| (d) |
quality and reliability of meteorological information; |
| (e) |
identified hazards and safety risks associated with each alternate aerodrome variation; and |
| (f) |
specific mitigation measures. |
[Regulation 91.07.7 substituted by section 8(e) of the Thirty-Third Amendment of the Civil Aviation Regulations, 2026, Notice No. 7844, GG55226, dated 21 August 2026 and shall come into operation upon Publication in the Government Gazette, save for Part 92, which shall come into operation upon the Proclamation by the President of the Civil Aviation Amendment Act, 2021 (Act No. 22 of 2021]
Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972
