---
title: "UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 Flights over water — Part-IAM · Avioverse"
description: "A VCA that carries passengers shall be certified: for ditching, when operated over water in a hostile sea at a distance from land corresponding to more…"
url: "https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/air-ops/part-iam/subpart-d/uam-ide-mvca-300"
---

# UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 Flights over water

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

IR Implementing rule

## UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 Flights over water

(a) A VCA that carries passengers shall be certified:

(1) for ditching, when operated over water in a hostile sea at a distance from land corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying time at normal cruising speed;

(2) for ditching or emergency flotation, when operated over water in a non-hostile sea at a distance from land corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying time at normal cruising speed;

(3) for limited overwater operations, if not meeting the criteria referred to in point (a)(1) or (a)(2), and when one or more of the following conditions apply:

(i) the total flying time over water is longer than 3 minutes;

(ii) the landing or take-off is performed over water.

(b) A VCA that does not carry passengers shall be certified:

(1) for ditching or emergency flotation, when operated over water at a distance from land corresponding to more than 10 minutes flying time at normal cruising speed;

(2) for limited overwater operations, if not meeting the criteria referred to in point (b)(1) and when one or more of the following conditions apply:

(i) the total flying time over water is longer than 3 minutes;

(ii) the landing or take-off is performed over water.

(c) A VCA that operates on water shall be certified for operations on water in addition to meeting the criteria referred to in point (a) or (b).

(d) A VCA that operates on floating surfaces shall be certified for operations on floating surfaces in addition to meeting the criteria referred to in point (a) or (b).

(e) The VCA shall carry a survival ELT (ELT(S)) that is buoyant and can be automatically activated for flights over water, except for limited overwater operations.

IR · UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · Regulation (EU) 2024/1111 · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

AMC Acceptable means of compliance

## AMC1 UAM.IDE.MVCA.300;310;311 Flights over water / Life rafts / Survival equipment

SURVIVAL ELT (ELT(S))

(a) An ELT(S) is an ELT that can be removed from a VCA. The ELT(S) should be so stowed as to facilitate its ready use in an emergency. The ELT(S) should be activated manually by a survivor or automatically. The automatic activation of an ELT(S) should result from water immersion.

(b) The ELT(S) should be carried:

(1) on a [crew member](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/crew-member); or

(2) on a passenger or in a life raft; or

(3) adjacent to an [emergency exit](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/emergency-exit) used for the evacuation of the VCA in an emergency.

(c) An automatic portable ELT (ELT(AP)) may be used to replace one required ELT(S) provided that it meets the ELT(S) requirements. A water-activated ELT(S) is not an ELT(AP).

AMC · AMC1 UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2025/010/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

GM Guidance material

## GM1 UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 Flights over water

LIMITED OVERWATER OPERATIONS

For limited overwater operations, the term ‘water’ refers to all types of waterbodies, including hostile seas, non-hostile seas, lakes, rivers, etc.

GM · GM1 UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2025/010/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

GM Guidance material

## GM2 UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 Flights over water

TOTAL FLYING TIME

The total flying time is meant to be the cumulative time of all periods during which the VCA is operated over water.

GM · GM2 UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2025/010/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

GM Guidance material

## GM3 UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 Flights over water

LANDING OR TAKE-OFF IS PERFORMED OVER WATER

The condition ‘landing or take-off is performed over water’ may include one of the following:

(a) taking off from or landing at a [vertiport](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/vertiport), diversion location or [VEMS operating site](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/vems-operating-site) where the take-off or approach path is over water;

(b) landing on or taking off from a fixed or floating platform in the water or a vessel suitable for that purpose.

GM · GM3 UAM.IDE.MVCA.300 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2025/010/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

[All rules in SUBPART D — INSTRUMENTS, DATA AND EQUIPMENT](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/air-ops/part-iam/subpart-d)

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.