4 General requirements for a special qualification taking into account the specific features of a Wing-In-Ground (WIG) craft
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Statutory Documents - IMO Publications and Documents - Circulars - Maritime Safety Committee - MSC/Circular.1162 – General Principles and Recommendations for Knowledge, Skills and Training for Officers on Wing-In-Ground (WIG) Craft Operating in Both Displacement and Ground Effect Modes – (20 May 2005) - Annex - General Principles and Recommendations for Knowledge, Skills and Training for Officers on Wing-In-Ground (WIG) Craft Operating in Both Displacement and Ground Effect Modes - 4 General requirements for a special qualification taking into account the specific features of a Wing-In-Ground (WIG) craft

4 General requirements for a special qualification taking into account the specific features of a Wing-In-Ground (WIG) craft

  1 The quantity and content of training provided for the officer and the special qualification reflecting the knowledge and skills attained should cover all aspects of the officer's performance of operational and safety functions on a WIG craft.

  2 The required period of seagoing service on a WIG craft for the candidate to obtain the special qualification for officer on a WIG craft should be sufficient to ensure his satisfactory performance of the safety functions on a WIG craft and should be commensurate with aviation standards.

  3 To obtain the special qualification, an officer should be trained and assessed on at least the following areas of special knowledge:

  • WIG craft aerodynamics and hydrodynamics;
  • WIG craft structure, construction and maintenance;
  • WIG craft seamanship;
  • High-speed, low altitude navigation;
  • Displacement, transitional and planning modes;
  • Take-off and landing in various conditions;
  • Cruise flight in ground effect mode;
  • Ramping and amphibian mode (for amphibious WIG craft);
  • Berthing and towing;
  • Distribution of weight (passengers/ cargo, inertia, and stability);
  • Extreme situations;
  • Propulsors, engines and machinery of WIG craft;
  • WIG craft instrumentation (flight, navigation, communications, engines, etc.);
  • WIG craft systems (fuel, electrics, hydraulics, air conditioning, plumbing, etc.);
  • WIG craft life-saving and emergency systems and procedures;
  • Human factors in WIG craft operation (alertness, anticipation, risk awareness, etc.);
  • Rules relating to crew qualifications and their validity;
  • Rules relating to medical fitness and its validity;
  • Operational rules;
  • Departure checks;
  • Crew personal human factor checks;
  • Refueling/bunkering;
  • Loading and unloading of passengers and cargo; and
  • Documentation.

  4 Details of these requirements, presented as an example for the officer in charge of a navigational watch for Types A and B medium size WIG craft operating in both displacement and ground-effect modes are given in the attached table. It should also be noted that the corresponding requirements for small and large WIG craft have not yet been developed.


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