AIR AMBULANCE PLT ACCEPTS USE OF FLARES AND PORTABLE STROBE LIGHTS FOR TKOF AT NEW ARPT WITH LIGHTS NOT YET INSTALLED.

Narrative

THE REASON FOR THIS RPT IS MY PREVIOUS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF FAR 135.229 CONCERNING APPROVED RWY LIGHTING FOR NIGHT OPS. I LANDED DURING DAY VFR AT THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED PAVED ARPT KNOWING THAT THE RWY LIGHTS WERE INOP. WE HAD PREARRANGED FOR THE AMBULANCE TO MEET US WITH THE PATIENT PRIOR TO DARK. NEEDLESS TO SAY; THEY ARRIVED WITHOUT THE PATIENT AT WHICH TIME I ADVISED THE MEDICAL CREW OF MY INTENT TO FLY TO FLAGSTAFF (LIGHTED) AND TO WAIT FOR THEM TO GND TRANSPORT THE PATIENT. IN RESPONSE; THE LCL AMBULANCE CREW OFFERED TO MARK THE RWY WITH FLARES AND WITH 12 PORTABLE STROBES IN THEIR POSSESSION FOR USE WITH ANOTHER PART 135 OPERATOR. I READILY ACCEPTED THEIR OFFER. AT THAT TIME I FELT THAT SAFETY CONCERNS WERE MORE THAN ADEQUATELY MET AND THAT FAR 135.229 WAS SATISFIED. DISCUSSING THE SITUATION WITH MY ACTING CHIEF PLT THE NEXT DAY I BECAME AWARE OF A MORE COMMON INTERPRETATION; THAT INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATE HOLDER APPROVAL IS REQUIRED FOR THE USE OF 'FLAREPOTS OR LANTERNS.' THIS INTERPRETATION PLACES MYSELF AND MY COMPANY IN VIOLATION. I NOW UNDERSTAND THE REG TO MEAN THAT USE OF FLARES/POTS/LANTERNS ETC IS NOT AUTHORIZED UNLESS IT IS SPECIFICALLY APPROVED IN THE CERTIFICATE HOLDERS MANUAL FOR EACH SPECIFIC ARPT APPLICATION.