Brunei DCA CPL(A) Operational Procedures cheat sheet

Trip fuel covers brake release at departure to touchdown at destination; taxi fuel covers engine start, taxi-out and taxi-in.

Minimum planned fuel = trip fuel + contingency (5% of trip fuel or 5 min hold, whichever is greater) + alternate fuel + final reserve + taxi fuel.

Final reserve for a turbine aeroplane is fuel for 30 minutes holding at 1500 ft above the alternate aerodrome in ISA conditions.

Alternate fuel is computed from a missed approach at destination, climb, cruise, descent and approach to the alternate; add 5% if no alternate is required for planning.

Contingency fuel may be reduced only with approved en-route alternate or fuel-monitoring procedures; the commander must record the reason.

In-flight fuel check: compare actual fuel on board with planned fuel at each waypoint; a shortfall greater than the contingency margin requires a decision and a landing assessment.

Specific gravity of Jet A-1 is approximately 0.80 kg/L; mass-to-volume conversion must use the density stated on the refuelling document.

Cold temperature corrections apply to minimum obstacle clearance altitudes: add 4 ft per 1000 ft of elevation per degree C below ISA (approximate operational rule).

Movement area comprises the manoeuvring area plus aprons; the manoeuvring area is for take-off, landing and taxiing, excluding aprons.

A clearance to taxi is not a take-off clearance; a conditional line-up clearance must name the preceding traffic and be read back in full.

Runway holding position markings consist of two solid and two dashed yellow lines; the solid lines are on the runway side and must not be crossed without ATC clearance.

Aerodrome operating minima depend on approach category, runway lighting, RVR/visibility and the approved approach procedure.

Jet blast and propeller wash increase with thrust; apron stand clearance distances are published in the aerodrome manual and must be respected during pushback.

Foreign object debris checks are the responsibility of the pilot before take-off when the runway has been vacated and re-entered or after a long hold.

Emergency locator: on arrival at the stand, set parking brake, shut down, then complete the post-flight walk-around and report any damage to the operator and aerodrome authority.

Standard instrument departure climb gradient default is 3.3% (200 ft/NM); published gradients above this require a performance check before departure.

Obstacle clearance during departure assumes 35 ft at the end of the take-off distance available unless a lower screen height is published.

Transition altitude is where the altimeter is set to standard pressure 1013.2 hPa; transition level is the lowest usable flight level above the transition altitude.

On descent, change from standard pressure to QNH at the transition level; the reported transition level varies with pressure.

Position reporting points and mandatory reports: at each designated point, on entering a control area, and when unable to maintain the assigned level.

Holding pattern entry: sector based on the inbound track; parallel, offset or direct entry, with 1-minute or 1.5-minute legs depending on altitude.

Approach category is based on Vat (1.3 x Vso): Cat A below 91 kt, Cat B 91-120 kt, Cat C 121-140 kt, Cat D 141-165 kt.

Distress call is MAYDAY (three times) on 121.5 MHz or the assigned frequency; urgency call is PAN-PAN (three times).

Readback is mandatory for clearances, runway-in-use, altimeter settings, SSR codes, level instructions, headings and frequencies.

When two-way communication is lost, squawk 7600, maintain the last assigned level for the applicable period, then follow the published lost-communication procedure.

Unlawful interference: squawk 7500; radio failure: 7600; emergency: 7700.

Phraseology: "line up and wait" replaces "position and hold"; "cleared for take-off" must always include the runway designator.

Position report content: aircraft identification, position and time, flight level or altitude, next position and ETA, and the succeeding significant point.

Frequency change should be requested only when instructed; a blind transmission on 121.5 MHz may be used when contact cannot be established.

A clearance is an authorisation for a flight to proceed under specified conditions; it does not relieve the commander of responsibility for terrain and obstacle clearance.

An ATC clearance must be read back in full when it contains a level, heading, speed, route or runway instruction; the readback is the confirmation of understanding.

If a clearance is not understood or cannot be complied with, the pilot must request clarification or an amended clearance rather than assume.

Conditional clearances must include the condition, the traffic concerned and the instruction; the readback repeats the condition and the instruction.

A clearance to descend does not authorise descent below the minimum safe altitude unless the aircraft is on a published approach or under radar vectors with terrain clearance assured.

Speed control: ATC may assign speeds in multiples of 10 kt; the pilot must advise if unable to comply and must resume published speeds when the restriction is cancelled.

SID and STAR clearances may include published level or speed restrictions; these must be complied with unless ATC cancels them, and cancellation must be read back.

Emergency descent: use oxygen masks, set transponder 7700, descend at maximum practicable rate, and broadcast MAYDAY with position, level and intentions.

Engine failure after take-off: establish glide, select a landing area within 30 degrees of the flight path, and avoid turning back below 500 ft unless a published procedure exists.

Smoke or fire: land as soon as possible; smoke in the cockpit requires oxygen masks and smoke goggles, and diversion to the nearest suitable aerodrome.

Ditching: approach into wind or with the swell at the lowest possible speed, with landing gear up and flaps at the recommended setting; brief the exit and life-raft procedures.

Pressurisation failure: don oxygen masks, descend to 10,000 ft or the minimum safe altitude, and consider diversion; time of useful consciousness at FL350 is 30-60 seconds.

Overweight landing: land normally, do not retract flaps or reverse thrust immediately, and have the aircraft inspected before the next flight.

Emergency evacuation: command "evacuate" only when a fire, structural damage or other hazard dictates; otherwise "remain seated" until the situation is assessed.

Icing severity depends on liquid water content, droplet size and temperature; severe icing occurs with large supercooled droplets and is often associated with freezing rain.

Engine and airframe anti-ice must be activated before entering visible moisture with an OAT below +10 C, or when icing is forecast.

Holdover time begins when the anti-icing fluid is applied and depends on fluid type, precipitation and temperature; the pilot must check the holdover table before take-off.

Clear ice forms from large supercooled droplets freezing slowly; rime ice forms from small droplets freezing rapidly; mixed ice combines both.

Stall speed increases with ice contamination; the minimum speed in icing conditions should be increased and flaps should be cycled to clear accumulations.

Wind shear on approach: go-around if a sudden airspeed change of more than 15 kt or a vertical speed change of more than 500 ft/min occurs.

Thunderstorm avoidance: avoid by at least 20 NM from the storm core, do not attempt to fly beneath a thunderstorm, and expect hail and turbulence in the anvil region.

V1 is the take-off decision speed; Vr is rotation speed; V2 is the take-off safety speed at 35 ft; Vref is the landing reference speed at 50 ft.

Balanced field length: the distance at which accelerate-stop distance equals take-off distance to 35 ft, with V1 chosen to minimise the field length.

Regulated take-off mass is limited by field length, climb gradient (second segment 2.4% for two-engine, 2.7% for three-engine, 3.0% for four-engine), obstacle clearance and tyre speed.

Landing mass limit depends on landing distance available, approach climb gradient (2.1% for two-engine, 2.4% for three-engine, 2.7% for four-engine) and go-around performance.

Zero fuel mass = dry operating mass + traffic load; it must not exceed the maximum zero fuel mass.

Centre of gravity limits: forward limit is set by elevator authority and landing flare; aft limit by stability and stall recovery.

Increase in mass increases both stall speed and take-off distance; a 10% mass increase raises stall speed by about 5%.

Hypoxia symptoms include euphoria, impaired judgement and cyanosis; time of useful consciousness at FL250 is 3-5 minutes, at FL400 about 15-20 seconds.

Spatial disorientation: trust the instruments, not the sensations; the leans, graveyard spiral and somatogravic illusion are common examples.

Fatigue: circadian low occurs around 0300-0600 local; controlled rest on the flight deck is permitted only under operator procedures and with one pilot awake.

Crew resource management includes communication, leadership, teamwork, situational awareness, decision-making and workload management.

Assertiveness: use the PACE model (Probe, Alert, Challenge, Emergency) when a crew member detects a deviation that the other has not acknowledged.

Error management: threat and error management identifies threats, traps errors and mitigates undesired aircraft states before they become incidents.

Sterile flight deck rule applies below 10,000 ft and during taxi, take-off, approach and landing; non-essential conversation is prohibited.