Civil Single Pilot IFR Certification - Procedures and Pitfalls

This paper describes the procedures used and problems encountered during the certification of a McDonnell-Douglas MD-369E helicopter for single pilot instrument flight. To maximize the utilization of the private helicopter, it should be certified for all weather operation. It can be accomplished for a single pilot without all axis stability augmentation, provided that adequate instrument displays are used and that human factors are considered to reduce pilot workload. This project demonstrated that current IFR certification regulations are not formulated for light helicopters and may present roadblocks to certification. However, it also demonstrated that single pilot IFR certification with minimum stability augmentation is possible and can offer potential safety benefits.