N.M. Code R. § 1.5.5.9 – Scheduling of State Aircraft

A. Role of aircraft control center.
(1) Authority: Pursuant to Section 15-3-31 NMSA 1978, the department maintains an aircraft control center.
(2) Statutory duties: The aircraft control center shall maintain records of all flights made by state aircraft including a preflight report of anticipated time of departure and arrival for each flight, name of the pilot and each passenger, the destination and intermediate stops, and a post-flight report of actual departure and arrival times.
B. Governor and elected officials: The governor and other state elected officials of the state of New Mexico shall have priority in the use of state aircraft. Except for the governor, who shall have bumping rights on all scheduled flights, elected officials shall be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
C. Other state officials and employees: Non-elected state employees, officers, and board members shall be scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis except in cases involving emergencies or as provided in Section 6.3 [now Subsection D of 1.5.5.9 NMAC], below. The secretary shall determine the validity of emergency requests.
D. Aircraft with special equipment: The aerial photo unit of the state highway and transportation department shall have first priority, including bumping rights, for the scheduling of any aircraft specially equipped for aerial photography.
E. Timeliness of scheduling: All flight requests shall be scheduled as far in advance as possible.
F. Training and maintenance: The chief pilot shall schedule pilot leave and training, as well as normal aircraft maintenance, as far in advance as possible. Scheduled periods of aircraft non-availability will be entered on the scheduling system at the time they are scheduled.
G. Right to Refuse Scheduling: The secretary may refuse any request to schedule a state aircraft as provided under Section 3.C. of Chapter 135, Laws of 1994.
H. Prerogatives of Pilot in Command: Any pilot in command of a state aircraft may refuse to fly a scheduled trip if, in his or her opinion, conducting such a flight creates an unsafe condition inconsistent with his or her responsibilities as pilot in command under Part 91 of the federal aviation regulations.
[7/1/94; Recompiled 11/30/01]
[Compiler’s note: Subsection C, above, contains a reference to Section 6.3 below, which appears to be in error since that is the same section. The correct citation most likely is 6.4, now Subsection D.]