BR-ANAC-IAPO cheat sheet

RBAC 135 governs domestic/international commuter and on-demand operations for compensation or hire; RBAC 91 governs general operating and flight rules for all civil aircraft in Brazil.

Aircraft operated under RBAC 135 require an operations specification (OpSpec) issued by ANAC before commercial flights; the certificate holder must keep OpSpecs current and aboard the aircraft.

RBAC 91 subpart E covers maintenance, preventive maintenance, and alterations; RBAC 135 subpart J adds an approved maintenance program with continuous airworthiness oversight.

Pilot-in-command authority (RBAC 91.3 / RBAC 135): the PIC has final authority for aircraft operation and may deviate from rules in an in-flight emergency, reporting the deviation to ANAC on request.

Minimum crew duty and rest limits in RBAC 135 are prescriptive; operators may not reduce them but may seek ANAC approval for augmented crew or split duty structures.

ANAC requires a certificate holder to notify the agency of accidents/incidents per RBAC 135 and to maintain records of flight time, duty time, and training for inspection.

RBAC 135 operators must have an approved Minimum Equipment List (MEL) or use the master MEL for their type; operation with inoperative equipment outside the MEL requires a special flight permit.

Foreign operators flying into Brazil must comply with their State of Registry rules plus applicable Brazilian rules (RBAC 91/135 equivalents) for operations within Brazilian airspace.

Operational control is the exercise of authority over initiating, conducting, or terminating a flight; RBAC 135 requires a designated operational control structure with dispatch/flight-following.

A flight may be released only after verifying weather, NOTAMs, fuel, weight and balance, MEL status, and crew legality; the release is a shared responsibility of PIC and dispatcher/operations.

Fuel planning: taxi fuel + trip fuel + contingency (typically 5% of trip or 5 min holding) + alternate fuel + final reserve (30 min at holding speed at 1,500 ft) + additional fuel as required.

Takeoff alternate required when destination weather is at or below approach minimums or no suitable approach is available; the alternate must be within a specified one-engine-inoperative distance.

Redispatch/in-flight fuel planning allows a flight to be released to a destination with an intermediate point; the crew must confirm the destination is suitable before passing the point of no return.

Weight and balance must be computed before each flight; last-minute changes require recomputation and a new load sheet if limits could be exceeded.

Crew must receive a complete preflight briefing including departure, en route, destination, and alternate weather, NOTAMs, and any MEL/CDL items affecting performance.

Flight following and position reporting are required for RBAC 135 operations; loss of communication triggers published lost-communication procedures and ATC notification.

An airworthiness certificate remains valid only if the aircraft conforms to its type design and is in a condition for safe operation; maintenance must be performed per an approved program.

RBAC 135 subpart J requires a maintenance control manual, a person responsible for maintenance control, and a system for tracking inspections, ADs, and life-limited parts.

Airworthiness Directives (ADs) are mandatory; repetitive ADs must be tracked and accomplished within the stated compliance time, and records retained.

A Minimum Equipment List (MEL) permits dispatch with specific inoperative items under stated conditions; items not in the MEL require rectification before flight or a special flight permit.

A Configuration Deviation List (CDL) covers missing external parts (e.g., fairings) and may be used with performance penalties published by the manufacturer.

Maintenance release (return to service) must be signed by an authorized person after maintenance; the aircraft may not be dispatched until the release is issued.

Life-limited parts and time-controlled components must be replaced before exceeding their approved limits; records must be traceable to the aircraft and component.

Preflight inspection is the pilot's responsibility; the PIC must confirm the aircraft is airworthy and that required documents (registration, airworthiness certificate, radio license, MEL, weight and balance) are aboard.

RBAC 135 pilot qualification includes type rating, proficiency checks, line checks, and recurrent training at intervals set by the regulation (typically 12 months for proficiency/line checks).

Crewmembers must complete initial, transition, upgrade, recurrent, and differences training as applicable; training records must be retained and available for ANAC inspection.

Flight time limits: RBAC 135 sets maximum flight hours per 24 hours, per 7 days, per 30 days, and per 12 months; operators must track cumulative flight and duty time.

Duty period limits depend on report time, number of flight segments, and whether the crew is augmented; rest periods must meet prescribed minimums before the next duty.

Crew rest must be free from duty and adequate to ensure alertness; reduced rest requires compensatory rest and is limited by regulation.

Crewmembers must hold a valid medical certificate appropriate to the operation and a valid license with the required ratings and currency.

Cabin crew (when required) must be trained in emergency procedures, evacuation, and dangerous goods handling, with recurrent training at prescribed intervals.

A pilot may not act as crewmember while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or while fatigued to the extent that safety is affected; operators must have a fatigue management/reporting process.

Dangerous goods are classified into nine UN classes; carriage by air is governed by ICAO Technical Instructions and, in Brazil, by RBAC/ANAC rules adopting those standards.

Operators must have an approved dangerous goods program including acceptance, handling, loading, and crew notification; crew must be trained and recurrently requalified.

The pilot-in-command must be notified of dangerous goods carried aboard, including the nature, quantity, and location, before flight.

Forbidden items include undeclared dangerous goods, lithium batteries carried contrary to limits, and certain infectious substances; passengers may carry limited quantities per published allowances.

Security: operators must have a security program covering screening, access control, and crew screening; the PIC retains authority to refuse carriage of persons or items.

Cockpit door security and sterile cockpit procedures apply during critical phases; unauthorized access must be reported.

Dangerous goods incidents (leak, fire, spill) require immediate notification to ATC, the operator, and ANAC, with a written report per regulation.

Hidden dangerous goods (e.g., in passenger baggage) must be identified during acceptance; misdeclaration is reportable and may result in enforcement action.

An SMS comprises four components: safety policy and objectives, safety risk management, safety assurance, and safety promotion.

Safety risk management uses hazard identification, risk assessment (severity × likelihood), and risk mitigation; the acceptable level of safety is defined by the operator.

Safety assurance includes monitoring, audits, and analysis of safety data (incidents, reports, FOQA) to verify that mitigations remain effective.

A non-punitive reporting system encourages voluntary disclosure; the operator must protect reporters from disciplinary action except for gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Safety performance indicators (SPIs) and targets measure SMS effectiveness; they are reviewed at management review meetings.

The accountable executive holds ultimate responsibility for the SMS; a safety manager administers the program and reports to the accountable executive.

Emergency response planning (ERP) is part of SMS; it must be tested through exercises and coordinated with external agencies.

Change management: significant changes (new routes, fleet, procedures) require a safety risk assessment before implementation.

Emergency procedures are aircraft-specific and published in the AFM/QRH; crew must be trained and checked on them at recurrent intervals.

In an in-flight emergency, the PIC may deviate from rules to the extent necessary; ATC should be notified and the deviation reported to ANAC if requested.

Emergency descent: crew should don oxygen masks, establish communication, and descend to a safe altitude (often 10,000 ft or MSA) while advising ATC.

Engine failure/fire procedures follow memory items then checklist; crew must consider driftdown, terrain, and diversion to a suitable alternate.

Cabin depressurization requires immediate oxygen mask use and descent; crew must verify oxygen supply and communicate with cabin crew.

Evacuation decision rests with the PIC; crew must assess exits, fire, and evacuation routes, and command evacuation only when necessary.

Emergency equipment checks (fire extinguishers, life vests, slides, first aid, ELT) are part of preflight and recurrent training.

Post-incident: crew must preserve records, report to ANAC, and cooperate with investigation authorities (CENIPA in Brazil).

CRM core skills: communication, situational awareness, workload management, decision-making, teamwork, and leadership/followership.

Threat and Error Management (TEM) identifies threats, errors, and undesired aircraft states; crews should trap errors before they escalate.

Situational awareness degrades with fatigue, high workload, and automation complacency; crews should cross-check and verbalize key parameters.

Fatigue risk is managed through duty limits, rest, and fatigue reporting; circadian low (approximately 02:00–06:00 body time) increases error risk.

Authority gradient: too steep reduces input from junior crew; too flat slows decision-making. Briefings should set a clear, open cockpit climate.

Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and callouts reduce ambiguity; deviations should be announced and understood by both pilots.

Communication barriers (noise, headsets, language) require readback and confirmation; use standard phraseology to reduce misunderstanding.

Decision-making models (e.g., FOR-DEC, DECIDE) structure options, risks, and evaluation under time pressure.

Takeoff minima depend on runway visibility/RVR and ceiling; approach minima depend on approach type (precision vs non-precision) and crew qualification.

Alternate weather requirements: destination alternate must be forecast to be above specified minima at the estimated time of arrival; if not, an additional alternate or additional fuel is required.

Thunderstorms, icing, and wind shear are significant hazards; crews must avoid cells, use radar, and plan around convective areas.

Icing: flight into known icing requires approved equipment; crews must monitor and exit icing conditions if performance degrades.

Flight planning includes route, altitude, fuel, weather, NOTAMs, and alternates; the plan must be updated if conditions change en route.

Wind shear and microburst avoidance: do not penetrate a microburst; if encountered, apply maximum performance recovery and report to ATC.

METAR/TAF decoding: visibility, ceiling, wind, and phenomena must be interpreted correctly against minima before dispatch.

Fuel planning must account for forecast winds, temperature, and any holding; recalculate if actual conditions differ significantly.