---
title: "ARO.OPS.215 Approval of helicopter operations over a hostile environment located outside a congested area — Part-ARO · Avioverse"
description: "The Member State shall designate those areas where helicopter operations may be conducted without an assured safe forced landing capability, as described…"
url: "https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/air-ops/part-aro/subpart-ops/aro-ops-215"
---

# ARO.OPS.215 Approval of helicopter operations over a hostile environment located outside a congested area

ANNEX II (Part-ARO) · Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

IR Implementing rule

## ARO.OPS.215 Approval of helicopter operations over a hostile environment located outside a congested area

(a) The Member State shall designate those areas where [helicopter](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/helicopter) operations may be conducted without an assured [safe forced landing](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/safe-forced-landing) capability, as described in CAT.POL.H.420.

(b) Before issuing the approval referred to in CAT.POL.H.420 the competent authority shall have considered the operator’s substantiation precluding the use of the appropriate performance criteria.

IR · ARO.OPS.215 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

AMC Acceptable means of compliance

## AMC1 ARO.OPS.215 Approval of helicopter operations over a hostile environment located outside a congested area

APPROVALS THAT REQUIRE ENDORSEMENT

(a) Whenever the operator applies for an approval in accordance with CAT.POL.H.420 for which an endorsement from another State is required, the competent authority should only grant the approval once endorsement of that other State has been received.

(b) The Operations Specification should be amended to include those areas for which endorsement was received.

AMC · AMC1 ARO.OPS.215 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2014/025/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

AMC Acceptable means of compliance

## AMC2 ARO.OPS.215 Approval of helicopter operations over a hostile environment located outside a congested area

ENDORSEMENT BY ANOTHER STATE

(a) Whenever the operator applies for an endorsement to operate over [hostile environment](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/hostile-environment) located outside a [congested area](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/congested-area) in another State in accordance with CAT.POL.H.420, the competent authority of that other State should only grant the endorsement once it is satisfied that:

(1) the safety risk assessment is appropriate to the area overflown, considering which of the following operations are relevant to the application:

(i) HEMS operations, in accordance with SPA.HEMS.125(a)(2);

(ii) HEMS operations, in accordance with SPA.HEMS.125(a)(3);

(iii) CAT operations, other than the above; and

(2) the operator’s substantiation that preclude the use of the appropriate performance criteria are appropriate for the area overflown.

(b) The competent authority of that other State should inform the competent authority of the Member State responsible for issuing the approval.

AMC · AMC2 ARO.OPS.215 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2023/007/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

GM Guidance material

## GM1 ARO.OPS.215 Approval of helicopter operations over a hostile environment located outside a congested area

DESIGNATED AREAS

The authority may, based on its own assessment or on the substantiation of operators, designate different areas for the following operations:

(a) HEMS operations, in accordance with SPA.HEMS.125(a)(2);

(b) HEMS operations, in accordance with SPA.HEMS.125(a)(3);

(c) CAT operations, other than the above.

GM · GM1 ARO.OPS.215 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2023/007/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

[All rules in SUBPART OPS: AIR OPERATIONS](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/air-ops/part-aro/subpart-ops)

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 27 Mar 2026, extracted 13 Oct 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.