98 In mountainous t errain a pilo t ma y permit passenger s t o lea v e or ent er the helicopt er on mountain sides while the fr ont par t of the skids is resting against the gr ound The pilo t must ensure the saf e ty of the landing sit e par ticularly on st eep slopes where considerable judgment is req uired t o ensure that the tips of the main r o t or blades are a saf e distance abo v e the gr ound Since bo th the pilo ts hands are occupied with the contr ols passenger s must ensure that doors are securely latched bef ore the helicop t er depar ts and that no it ems int er f ere with the contr ol of the air craf t In addition passenger s need t o carefully contr ol their mo v ements t o a v oid sudden shif ts of w eight The or der f or passenger s t o embar k or disembar k the helicopt er should be confrmed with the pilo t as it ma y af f ect the air craf t balance R emember t o ensure that the cabin door is frmly closed and that seat belts are inside the cabin when disembar king If lea ving machine at the ho v er ge t out and of f in one smoo th unhurried mo tion Cargo P er son al baggage and eq uipment should be pr operly secured In fx edwing air craf t cargo carried inside the cabin with passenger s should be secured b y ne ts strapping or ano ther tiedo wn t o pre v ent shif ting in fight and possible injur y or f atality t o passenger s in the e v ent of a crash or har d landing Cargo should no t restrict the use of emergency or regular e xits It is the pilo ts responsi bility t o ensure that the air craf ts t o tal allo w able pa yload is no t e x ceeded and t o ensure that the load is distribut ed so that the air craf t is within its centre of gra vity limits The pilo t of t en has t o rely upon the advice and kno wledge of the passenger s there f ore e xtra it ems should ne v er be loaded on the air craf t without the pilo ts kno wledge The w eight of it ems should be de t ermined as accurat ely as possible