26. Dropping of articles and descent by parachutes- (1) No person shall drop or project or cause or permit to be dropped or projected from an aircraft in motion anything except ballast in the form of fine sand or water:

Provided that nothing in this rule shall be construed as preventing -

(a) in an emergency, the dropping of liquid fuel;

(b) in an emergency, the dropping of cargo over areas where hazard to persons or property outside the aircraft is not thereby created;

(c) the dropping of message bags, smoke producing or other apparatus or materials dropped for the purpose of navigating an aircraft or communicating messages from an aircraft subject to the observance of such precautions as to the nature of the articles dropped and the place of dropping as will avoid risk of injuring persons or damaging property on the ground or water;

(d) the dropping of separate sheets of paper containing printed matter or separate petals of flowers in any place if :-

1. the prior written permission of the District Magistrate or the Commissioner of Police is obtained in each case;

2. the aircraft is suitable for dropping these articles;

3. the minimum safe heights specified in these rules are observed; and

4. necessary precautions are taken to avoid injury or damage to persons or property.

(e) the dropping of ropes used for towing aircraft.

(2) No person shall, except in an emergency, descend by means of a parachute from an aircraft and no person shall drop or cause or permit to be dropped from an aircraft in flight any article, whether attached to a parachute or not, unless the descent is made or the article is dropped in accordance with the subject to any conditions or limitations contained in general or special order of the Central Government in writing in that behalf.