CPL Flight Planning study plan

Assemble a pre-flight weather decision checklist covering TAF, METAR, trend, SIGMET/AIRMET, and area forecasts, then apply it to five sample route scenarios

Calculate trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel, final reserve, and taxi fuel for three aircraft types using their flight manual figures

Interpret a 24-hour TAF and a METAR sequence to decide go/no-go for two departure and two destination airports

Identify the fuel-related regulatory minima that apply to your operation and state where each is defined

Convert forecast upper winds and temperatures into cruise leg times and fuel burns for a 300 NM and a 600 NM route

Recompute a fuel plan after a 30-minute holding delay and an unforecast 20 kt headwind, showing the new reserves

Build a personal in-flight fuel monitoring log with planned versus actual checkpoints at each waypoint

Explain the difference between contingency, extra, and alternate fuel and when each may be used in flight

Extract take-off, climb, cruise, and landing performance data from aircraft charts for five combinations of weight, altitude, and temperature

Calculate take-off and landing distances with wind, slope, and surface corrections applied in the correct order

Perform a full weight and balance calculation including basic empty weight, crew, payload, and fuel, then verify the centre of gravity stays inside the envelope

Determine maximum allowable payload for two loading scenarios constrained by both mass and CG limits

Complete an ICAO-format flight plan form for a cross-country route, entering all required items correctly

Draft the associated ATS messages: filing, departure, arrival, and delay, using correct message content and order

Identify which flight plan items change when the route, level, or departure time is amended, and state how to notify ATS

Map each flight plan field to its regulatory or procedural source

Compute true track, wind correction angle, heading, groundspeed, and leg time for a five-leg route using a flight computer and verify with a manual method

Convert between true, magnetic, and compass headings and explain each correction applied

Read and annotate an en-route chart and an approach plate, extracting frequencies, minimum altitudes, and airspace boundaries

Decode five NOTAMs and state the operational effect of each on a planned flight

Work through three in-flight diversion scenarios (weather, fuel, and technical) and select a diversion aerodrome with justification

Recalculate track, time, and fuel to a diversion aerodrome from a given position and level

Decide when to declare minimum fuel or a fuel emergency and state the associated radio calls

Re-plan a flight after a 40-minute departure delay and quantify the effect on reserves and arrival fuel

Complete a full timed mock examination under exam conditions and record the score by domain

Review every incorrect answer and write the correct reasoning for each in your own words

Re-drill the two weakest domains with fresh practice questions until accuracy exceeds 80 percent

Build a one-page formula and reference sheet covering fuel, performance, and navigation calculations

Complete two further timed mock examinations and compare domain scores against week 7

Close remaining weak areas by reworking all previously missed calculation types from scratch

Practise a full flight-planning exercise end to end, from weather assessment to filed flight plan and fuel log

Confirm you can produce each required deliverable from memory within exam time limits