CAP OPS 15 – Aerial Work provides guidance to General Aviation operators on the requirements and application process for obtaining an Aerial Work Certificate from the Gibraltar Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). An Aerial Work Certificate must be obtained before conducting aerial work activities by:
- Operators of Gibraltar-registered aircraft;
- Operators of foreign-registered aircraft intending to conduct aerial work within Gibraltar; and
- Operators of miscellaneous aircraft, as defined in CAR OPS 6, including Small Unmanned Aircraft (SUA), intending to conduct aerial work within Gibraltar.
An Aerial Work Certificate is required for a wide range of specialised operations, including aerial photography, aerial survey, glider towing, helicopter external load and hoist operations, agricultural flights, aerial advertising, calibration flights, aerial firefighting, parachuting, scientific research, and other aerial work activities approved by the GCAA.
To support an application, operators must demonstrate that they have suitable management arrangements, qualified personnel, appropriate aircraft and equipment, and an Operations Manual covering the proposed activities. Applications should also include a risk assessment, emergency response plan, and any supporting documentation relevant to the intended operation. Where specialised equipment is used, it must be approved for the aircraft and operated in accordance with the applicable certification requirements.
Applications may cover a single operation, a series of operations, or ongoing aerial work activities. Following the issue of an Aerial Work Certificate, operators remain subject to ongoing GCAA oversight to ensure continued compliance with the applicable regulatory requirements.
Applications must be submitted using Form OPS 31 – Application for an Aerial Work Certificate, together with the supporting documentation specified in CAP OPS 15. Following satisfactory review, the GCAA will issue an Aerial Work Certificate, where the applicable requirements have been met.
The Aerial Work Certificate must be carried on board the aircraft whenever conducting approved aerial work operations.