EASA ATPL 033 Flight Planning cheat sheet

ICAO ATS flight plan (FPL) is filed at least 60 minutes before departure for IFR flights on published ATS routes; earlier filing may be required by the State of departure.

FPL field 15 (route) uses ATS route designators with significant points, change of speed/level, and FIR boundary points; DCT is used only where direct routing is permitted.

Field 16 (destination/alternate) lists total EET to destination, then up to two en-route alternates; destination alternates go in field 16 only when required by the rules.

Field 19 carries supplementary information: endurance in hours/minutes, persons on board, emergency radio, survival equipment, and dinghies.

A CHG message amends speed, level, route or EET; a CNL cancels the FPL; DEP/ARR messages are sent by ATS, not by the pilot.

If a flight is delayed beyond the filed EOBT by more than 30 minutes (or the State-prescribed limit), the FPL must be amended or refiled.

An FPL becomes active at EOBT; after airborne the pilot uses position reports and, where required, ADS-C/CPDLC to maintain the ATS picture.

A flight plan must be closed on arrival, or SAR action may be initiated; closing is automatic at controlled aerodromes with ATS.

Trip fuel = fuel from take-off to landing at destination, computed along the planned route with forecast winds and planned levels.

Contingency fuel = 5% of trip fuel, or 3% with a suitable en-route alternate, or a statistical/time-based equivalent where approved by the operator's authority.

Alternate fuel = fuel from destination go-around to landing at the destination alternate, including approach, missed approach and climb.

Final reserve fuel: 30 minutes holding at 1500 ft above the alternate aerodrome in ISA conditions (turbine aircraft); it must be protected and never planned for use.

Taxi fuel covers APU/engine start, taxi-out and taxi-in; it is not part of trip fuel and is excluded from the fuel-to-destination calculation.

Additional fuel is added when the fuel required to reach a suitable alternate from the most critical point exceeds trip + contingency + alternate + final reserve.

Extra fuel is discretionary and commanded by the commander; it is not a substitute for any mandatory reserve.

Minimum fuel and MAYDAY FUEL: declare MINIMUM FUEL when landing would be below final reserve; declare MAYDAY FUEL when predicted landing fuel is below final reserve.

IFR flights normally follow the ATS route structure; airway designators (e.g. A, B, G, R, L, M, N, UL, UN) encode type and region.

Airway levels are constrained by semicircular cruising level tables (odd/even thousands) based on magnetic track; RVSM applies between FL290 and FL410.

Airspace classes A to G differ in ATC service and clearance requirements; class A is IFR only, class G is uncontrolled with no clearance required.

Prohibited, restricted and danger areas (P, R, D) are published in State AIPs; temporary reservations (TRA/TSA) are notified by NOTAM or AUP.

Minimum en-route altitudes (MEA/MORA) must be respected; MORA is a 1000 ft (2000 ft in mountainous terrain) obstacle clearance over a 10 NM grid.

Route selection considers NOTAM closures, airway restrictions, overflight permits, and ETOPS/EDTO diversion capability for twin-engine aircraft.

Level selection balances winds aloft, temperature deviation, tropopause height, and step-climb opportunities against fuel burn.

True airspeed (TAS) from IAS/Mach corrected for pressure altitude and temperature; use the flight computer or AFM tables.

Wind triangle: track (T) and wind velocity (W/V) give heading (H) and groundspeed (GS); drift = T - H, sign convention matters.

GS = TAS + wind component along track; headwind reduces GS, tailwind increases it.

Leg time = distance / GS; total elapsed time = sum of leg times + taxi + climb/descent allowances.

Crab angle = arcsin( (W/V sin(W - T)) / TAS ); wind correction angle is applied opposite to drift.

For multi-leg routes, recompute wind triangle at each significant point where wind or track changes; do not reuse a single GS.

Time to equal time point (ETP): t = (D x GS_out) / (GS_out + GS_in) when the two GS are known for the two directions.

Take-off performance from AFM charts: field length, climb gradient (2nd segment), obstacle clearance, and tyre speed limits; must satisfy all four.

Climb: use AFM climb tables for time, fuel, and distance for each segment (take-off, en-route, approach); integrated into trip fuel.

Cruise: long-range cruise (LRC) versus maximum-range cruise (MRC) versus high-speed cruise; LRC gives about 1% better specific range than MRC at higher speed.

Descent and approach fuel are included in trip fuel; use AFM descent tables for time, fuel and distance from cruise level to approach.

Landing performance: landing distance required (LDR) must be within the declared landing distance available (LDA) with the required factor.

Performance-limited take-off mass and landing mass must be checked against field length, obstacle, climb and brake energy limits.

Use the correct chart conditions: pressure altitude, OAT, wind component, runway slope, contamination; interpolate linearly between chart lines.

Maximum structural masses: MTOM, MLM, MZFM, MRW; the planned mass must not exceed any applicable limit.

MZFM = MTOM minus fuel; it protects the wing structure when fuel is low and the fuselage is heavy.

Centre of gravity (CG) must lie within the certified forward and aft limits for take-off and landing; forward CG raises stall speed and pitch forces, aft CG reduces stability.

Loading: compute moments (mass x arm) for each station, sum, and divide by total mass to get CG; use the load sheet and trim sheet.

Regulated take-off mass (RTOM) is the lower of MTOM, performance-limited TOM, and field-length-limited TOM.

Regulated landing mass (RLM) is the lower of MLM and landing-performance-limited LM.

Last-minute changes (LMC) must be reflected on the load sheet; the commander signs the final load sheet before departure.

Position reports include identification, position, time, level, next position and ETA; ADS-C/CPDLC may replace voice reports where approved.

Revised estimates are transmitted to ATS when the ETA at the next point differs from the filed estimate by a prescribed margin (typically 2-3 minutes).

Diversion decision: compare fuel required to reach the alternate against fuel remaining; use the ETP or critical point as the decision boundary.

Alternate planning: the destination alternate must be forecast to be above landing minima at ETA; en-route alternates must meet runway and approach requirements.

Fuel monitoring: compare actual fuel burn to planned burn at each waypoint; a persistent positive deviation requires a replan or diversion.

Replanning in flight may involve a new route, level or alternate; the ATS flight plan must be amended (CHG) and the operator informed.

Equal time point (ETP) and point of no return (PNR) define when diversion to an alternate becomes critical; compute with actual winds.

Operational flight plan (OFP) contains route, levels, winds, temperatures, fuel figures, mass data, and alternates; signed by the commander.

Load sheet: dry operating mass, traffic load, take-off fuel, trip fuel, take-off mass, landing mass, CG position, and LMC entries.

ATS flight plan (FPL) is the filed ICAO form; the pilot retains a copy and must be able to produce it.

Meteorological documentation: TAF, METAR, SIGMET, AIRMET, winds/temperatures aloft, and significant weather charts.

NOTAM documentation: check for runway closures, navaid outages, airspace restrictions, and temporary obstacles along the route.

AIP and route manuals provide airway structure, ATS units, and State rules; Jeppesen or equivalent charts are the standard reference.

Documentation must be retained for the operator's prescribed period; the commander is responsible for its accuracy.

ETOPS/EDTO applies to twin-engine (and some four-engine) aircraft operating more than 60 minutes from a suitable alternate at the one-engine-inoperative cruise speed.

EDTO diversion time is the approved maximum time from the ETP to the alternate at the approved one-engine-inoperative speed, in ISA conditions.

Equal time point (ETP): the point where time to the two alternates is equal; computed with forecast winds for the diversion speed.

Critical fuel scenario: fuel required from the ETP to the alternate with one engine inoperative, decompression, and icing, plus reserves.

En-route alternates for EDTO must meet runway, approach, weather, and rescue/fire-fighting requirements at the planned ETA.

EDTO entry/exit points define the segment where the diversion time limit applies; they are planned and filed in the FPL route.

If an EDTO alternate becomes unavailable in flight, replan to the next suitable alternate and inform ATS and the operator.

Step 1: select route and levels; obtain winds and temperatures for the planned levels.

Step 2: compute TAS, GS, leg times, and total elapsed time for each leg.

Step 3: compute trip fuel from leg times and fuel flow; add contingency, alternate, final reserve, taxi, and additional fuel.

Step 4: check take-off, climb, cruise, descent, and landing performance against AFM charts and declared distances.

Step 5: compute mass and balance; verify MTOM, MLM, MZFM, and CG limits; produce the load sheet.

Step 6: verify fuel versus performance-limited mass; iterate if the planned mass exceeds a limit.

Step 7: file the ATS flight plan and complete the operational flight plan; brief the crew on alternates and reserves.

FPL item 7 (aircraft identification) uses the registration or the operator's 3-letter designator plus flight number.

Item 8 (flight rules and type of flight) encodes IFR/VFR/Y/Z and scheduled/non-scheduled/private.

Item 9 (type of aircraft and wake turbulence category) uses ICAO type designators (e.g. B738, A320) and L/M/H/J.

Item 10 (equipment) lists COM/NAV/SSR capabilities; item 18 (other information) carries EET/ALTN, REG/, SEL/, and ETOPS/EDTO data.

Item 13 (departure aerodrome and time) uses the EOBT in UTC; item 16 gives destination and total EET.

Item 15 route field uses the format: significant point, airway designator, significant point; change of level is encoded as /FLxxx.

FPL must be filed with the ATS unit serving the departure aerodrome; the unit forwards it to adjacent FIRs.

Fuel policy must ensure that at any point the fuel remaining is at least the fuel required to reach the destination alternate plus final reserve.

For a destination with no suitable alternate, the fuel required to hold for 30 minutes at 1500 ft above the destination is added.

Isolated aerodrome procedure: additional fuel to fly to a suitable alternate if the destination becomes unavailable.

Fuel tankering may be used for cost reasons but must not compromise the required reserves or landing mass.

Fuel density (kg/L) varies with temperature; use the actual density for uplift calculations, not a fixed 0.8 kg/L.

In-flight fuel checks: compare fuel remaining with the planned figure at each waypoint; log deviations and act on trends.

If the destination alternate is not required (weather above minima), the alternate fuel may be omitted only if the operator's policy permits.

Airway direction is defined by the semicircular rule: magnetic tracks 000-179 use odd levels, 180-359 use even levels.

RVSM airspace (FL290-FL410) requires approved equipment, height-keeping performance, and pilot training.

Reduced vertical separation minima apply only to approved aircraft; non-approved aircraft must fly outside RVSM levels.

Airspace classes: A (IFR only), B (IFR and VFR, all separated), C (IFR separated from VFR), D (IFR/VFR, traffic info), E (IFR separated, VFR info), F (advisory), G (uncontrolled).

Special use airspace: prohibited (P), restricted (R), danger (D), temporary reserved (TRA), temporary segregated (TSA).

Overflight permits are required for many States; check the AIP and the operator's permit database before filing.

Route charges and Eurocontrol IFPS validation may reject an FPL if the route does not comply with the RAD (Route Availability Document).

Mach number = TAS / local speed of sound; speed of sound depends on temperature only (approx. 38.94 x sqrt(T) kt with T in Kelvin).

Conversion: 1 NM = 1.852 km; 1 kt = 1 NM/h; 1 ft = 0.3048 m.

Wind component along track = W/V speed x cos(wind direction - track); crosswind = W/V speed x sin(wind direction - track).

Drift angle = arcsin(crosswind / TAS); heading = track - drift (for wind from the left, add drift).

GS = TAS x cos(drift) + wind component along track; for small drift, GS approx TAS + wind component.

Time to climb/descent from AFM tables must be added to the cruise leg time for total elapsed time.

Fuel burn = fuel flow x time; for a leg, fuel = FF x (distance / GS).

Take-off distance required (TODR) must not exceed TODA; take-off run required (TORR) must not exceed TORA.

Second segment climb gradient: 2.4% for two-engine, 2.7% for three-engine, 3.0% for four-engine aircraft (CS-25).

Obstacle clearance: net take-off flight path must clear all obstacles by 35 ft vertically.

Landing distance required (LDR) must not exceed LDA; the LDR is the greater of the actual landing distance and 1.67 x the actual landing distance (dry) or 1.92 x (wet).

Brake energy limit: the maximum kinetic energy the brakes can absorb; limits the landing mass at high gross mass and high speed.

Tyre speed limit: the maximum ground speed at which the tyres can operate; limits take-off mass at high altitude/high temperature.

Use the correct chart for the aircraft variant and engine type; do not mix charts between variants.

Dry operating mass (DOM) = basic mass + crew + crew baggage + catering + potable water; it is the mass before traffic load and fuel.

Traffic load = passengers + baggage + cargo + mail; it is added to DOM to give zero-fuel mass (ZFM).

Take-off mass (TOM) = ZFM + take-off fuel; landing mass (LM) = TOM - trip fuel.

MZFM limit protects the wing root bending moment; it is most critical when fuel is low and payload is high.

CG limits are published as a envelope in %MAC or as a moment/arm diagram; the loaded CG must be inside the envelope for take-off and landing.

Forward CG increases stall speed, pitch force, and trim drag; aft CG reduces static stability and can cause pitch-up.

Load sheet must be signed by the commander or the load controller; LMC changes must be recorded and the CG rechecked.

Position report format: aircraft identification, position, time, flight level, next position and ETA.

ADS-C automatic position reporting may replace voice reports in oceanic and remote airspace where approved.

Revised ETA must be transmitted when the difference from the filed estimate exceeds the State-prescribed margin (often 2-3 minutes).

Diversion to an alternate requires a new ATS clearance and a CHG message to the FPL.

Fuel check at each waypoint: compare actual fuel remaining with the planned figure; log the difference and trend.

If fuel remaining at destination is predicted below final reserve, declare MINIMUM FUEL; if below final reserve, declare MAYDAY FUEL.

Replanning may involve a new ETP, alternate, or level; update the OFP and inform the operator.

OFP must include route, levels, winds, temperatures, fuel figures, mass data, alternates, and the commander's signature.

Load sheet: DOM, traffic load, take-off fuel, trip fuel, TOM, LM, CG, and LMC entries.

ATS flight plan (FPL) is the filed ICAO form; the pilot retains a copy and must be able to produce it on request.

Meteorological documentation: TAF, METAR, SIGMET, AIRMET, winds/temperatures aloft, and significant weather charts.

NOTAM documentation: runway closures, navaid outages, airspace restrictions, and temporary obstacles along the route.

AIP and route manuals provide airway structure, ATS units, and State rules; Jeppesen or equivalent charts are the standard reference.

Documentation must be retained for the operator's prescribed period; the commander is responsible for its accuracy.

ETOPS/EDTO threshold: 60 minutes from a suitable alternate at the one-engine-inoperative cruise speed for twin-engine aircraft.

EDTO diversion time is the approved maximum time from the ETP to the alternate at the approved one-engine-inoperative speed, in ISA conditions.

Equal time point (ETP): the point where time to the two alternates is equal; computed with forecast winds for the diversion speed.

Critical fuel scenario: fuel required from the ETP to the alternate with one engine inoperative, decompression, and icing, plus reserves.

En-route alternates for EDTO must meet runway, approach, weather, and rescue/fire-fighting requirements at the planned ETA.

EDTO entry/exit points define the segment where the diversion time limit applies; they are planned and filed in the FPL route.

If an EDTO alternate becomes unavailable in flight, replan to the next suitable alternate and inform ATS and the operator.

Step 1: select route and levels; obtain winds and temperatures for the planned levels.

Step 2: compute TAS, GS, leg times, and total elapsed time for each leg.

Step 3: compute trip fuel from leg times and fuel flow; add contingency, alternate, final reserve, taxi, and additional fuel.

Step 4: check take-off, climb, cruise, descent, and landing performance against AFM charts and declared distances.

Step 5: compute mass and balance; verify MTOM, MLM, MZFM, and CG limits; produce the load sheet.

Step 6: verify fuel versus performance-limited mass; iterate if the planned mass exceeds a limit.

Step 7: file the ATS flight plan and complete the operational flight plan; brief the crew on alternates and reserves.