ATPL 070 Operational Procedures cheat sheet

Operator means the person engaged in the operation of an aircraft; the operator holds the AOC and is responsible for regulatory compliance, not the pilot individually.

Commercial air transport (CAT) requires an AOC; non-commercial operations with complex motor-powered aircraft fall under a separate declaration regime.

Operations manual structure: Part A general, Part B aircraft operating info, Part C route/area instructions, Part D training, each approved or accepted as defined in the operator's approval.

Aircraft documents carried on board: certificate of registration, certificate of airworthiness, noise certificate, AOC (certified copy), operations manual parts relevant to the flight, MEL/CDL, and crew licences.

Definitions to memorise: 'operating site', 'aerodrome', 'flight time' (blocks off to blocks on for aeroplanes), 'duty period', 'rest period', 'suitable aerodrome', 'isolated aerodrome'.

The minimum equipment list derives from the MMEL; any deviation must be less restrictive and approved by the competent authority before use.

Records retention: flight and duty records, technical log, and load sheets must be kept for the period specified by the authority (commonly 12 months for FDTL records, longer for maintenance).

Control of documentation: the commander must ensure documents are valid for the intended flight; expired C of A or missing MEL makes the flight non-compliant.

An AOC is issued by the State of the Operator; it specifies aircraft types, areas of operation, and special approvals (e.g. CAT II/III, ETOPS, RVSM, dangerous goods).

The operator must have a management system covering safety (SMS) and compliance monitoring, with a nominated postholder accountable for each operational area.

The operations manual, MEL, training programmes and minimum equipment must be approved or accepted by the authority before CAT operations commence.

Continuing validity requires demonstrating continued compliance; the authority conducts audits and may vary, suspend, or revoke the AOC.

Special authorisations (e.g. low visibility operations, MNPS, PBN) are tied to specific training, equipment and aerodrome criteria; operating without them is a violation.

The operator's certificate must be available on board; the commander verifies its scope covers the planned route and aircraft type.

Changes to the AOC holder's organisation, fleet, or route structure must be notified and approved before implementation where required.

Operational control is the exercise of authority over the initiation, continuation, diversion or termination of a flight in the interest of safety and regularity.

The commander has final authority over the aircraft; the operator's flight dispatch/operations control provides support but cannot override the commander's safety decisions.

Flight following/flight watch must be maintained for all CAT flights; the operator must know the aircraft's position and status throughout.

The SMS is a formal, top-down framework with four pillars: policy and objectives, risk management, assurance, and promotion.

Occurrence reporting: serious incidents and accidents must be reported to the authority within defined timeframes (commonly 72 hours for incidents, immediately for accidents).

Operational control responsibilities include weather monitoring, NOTAM review, fuel planning oversight, and diversion decision support.

The commander must notify the operator of any incident, and the operator must maintain a record of occurrences for the safety assurance process.

Minimum flight crew is defined by the aircraft's certification (e.g. two pilots for most CAT aeroplanes); augmented crew is required when flight time exceeds single-crew limits.

Flight time for aeroplanes: from the moment the aircraft first moves under its own power for the purpose of flight until it comes to rest at the parking position.

Duty period: from the report time (or start of a flight duty) until the end of the last flight plus any post-flight duties; rest must be sufficient to recover.

Fatigue risk management: operators must have FDTL schemes, and commanders must report fatigue; fitness for duty is a shared responsibility.

Maximum daily flight duty period depends on report time, number of sectors, and crew complement; extensions require commander's discretion within defined limits.

Rest requirements: minimum rest before duty, weekly rest, and compensatory rest after disruptive schedules; standby and positioning count toward duty.

Crew members must not perform duties if unfit due to fatigue, illness, alcohol, or medication; the commander may remove a crew member from duty.

Before flight, the commander must satisfy themselves that the aircraft is airworthy, the crew are qualified and rested, the weather is suitable, and fuel/alternates are planned.

Take-off minima: RVR/visibility requirements depend on runway lighting, markings, and the operator's approved low-visibility procedures; a take-off alternate may be required.

Approach minima: DA/MDA and RVR depend on approach type (precision, APV, non-precision) and the aircraft's certification and crew qualification.

Landing minima apply only when the aircraft is at or beyond the minima point; a missed approach must be executed if visual reference is not established.

Alternate aerodrome weather must meet planning minima (e.g. ceiling and visibility above approach minima by a defined margin) at the ETA.

Instrument approach procedures: the crew must brief the approach, verify navaid status (NOTAM), and confirm the aircraft is capable of the required RNP/RNP AR specification.

Low visibility operations require specific approval, training, and equipment (e.g. autoland, HUD, or enhanced vision) as specified in the operations manual.

Mass and balance: the aircraft must be loaded within certified limits for MTOM, MLM, MZFM, and the CG envelope for take-off, in-flight, and landing.

Performance: take-off distance, climb gradients, obstacle clearance, and landing distance must be computed for the actual conditions (mass, temperature, pressure altitude, wind, runway condition).

The load sheet must be accurate; last-minute changes require recalculation and a revised load sheet or a documented last-minute change procedure.

CG limits: forward limit affects rotation and climb performance; aft limit affects stability and control; both must be respected throughout the flight.

Runway condition (dry, wet, contaminated) affects braking action and take-off/landing distances; use the appropriate performance data and corrections.

The commander must verify the load sheet and sign it; discrepancies must be resolved before departure.

Dangerous goods loading must be checked against the NOTOC and segregated as required; loading limitations (e.g. floor loading) must be respected.

Fuel plan components: taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel, final reserve, and additional fuel as required by the operation.

Final reserve fuel is the minimum fuel to be remaining on landing at the destination alternate or destination; it must not be planned to be used.

Contingency fuel: typically a percentage of trip fuel or a fixed time; may be reduced with approved procedures (e.g. decision point procedure).

In-flight: the commander must monitor fuel and declare MINIMUM FUEL when committed to land at a specific aerodrome with less than final reserve plus alternate fuel; MAYDAY FUEL when fuel is below final reserve.

Fuel jettison or diversion must be considered when fuel is insufficient; the commander must inform ATC and the operator.

Alternate fuel must account for weather, traffic, and routing; if no alternate is required, the fuel plan must reflect that.

Fuel records and uplift must be verified against the flight plan; discrepancies must be resolved before departure.

The operational flight plan (OFP) contains the route, fuel plan, mass and balance, alternates, and performance data; it is the commander's primary planning document.

ATS flight plan must be filed with the required lead time; changes must be notified to ATC as soon as practicable.

Re-dispatch/decision point: the flight may be planned to a decision point where, if fuel state permits, the flight continues to a further destination; otherwise it diverts.

The decision point must be computed with sufficient fuel to reach the re-dispatch point and then the destination with final reserve intact.

The commander must verify the ATS flight plan matches the OFP (route, levels, alternates, ETA) before departure.

In-flight changes to the ATS flight plan (route, level, destination) require ATC coordination and a revised fuel/performance assessment.

Dangerous goods must be classified, packed, marked, labelled, and documented per the ICAO Technical Instructions; the operator must have an approved DG programme.

The NOTOC (notification to captain) lists dangerous goods on board; the commander must review it and ensure loading is correct.

Forbidden items: some DG are forbidden for air transport; others require approval (e.g. certain radioactive materials).

Security: the operator must have a security programme; screening of passengers and cargo, access control, and threat response procedures apply.

Special categories: passengers requiring medical clearance, prisoners in custody, and unaccompanied minors have specific handling and notification requirements.

Carriage of animals, human remains, and oversized cargo requires specific documentation and loading procedures; the commander must be informed.

Incident reporting: DG incidents (spills, leaks, undeclared DG) must be reported to the authority and the operator.

Emergency equipment: fire extinguishers, oxygen, first aid kits, life jackets, slides/rafts, ELT, and emergency lighting must be serviceable and within inspection dates.

Abnormal operations: the crew must follow the QRH/checklist for the specific failure; the commander decides whether to continue, divert, or land.

Emergency procedures: declare an emergency (MAYDAY) when immediate assistance is required; urgency (PAN PAN) when safety is not immediately threatened.

Evacuation: the commander orders evacuation when necessary; crew must assess exits, fire, and passenger safety before opening doors.

Emergency descent: use oxygen, descend to 10,000 ft or MSA, and advise ATC; the crew must monitor cabin altitude and passenger oxygen.

The commander must ensure the emergency equipment is checked during pre-flight and that the location of equipment is briefed.

Post-incident: the commander must preserve evidence, report to the authority, and cooperate with the investigation.

Required equipment for the route/airspace: e.g. RVSM (altitude alerting, autopilot), MNPS (LRNS), PBN (RNAV/RNP capability), and TCAS/ACAS II.

MEL: the minimum equipment list defines items that may be inoperative for dispatch; it is aircraft-specific and approved by the authority.

CDL: configuration deviation list defines allowable missing external components (e.g. fairings) with associated performance penalties.

Dispatch with inoperative equipment requires MEL/CDL compliance, including any operational or maintenance procedures (M/MEL items).

Communication: VHF/HF, SATCOM, and emergency frequencies must be serviceable as required; loss of communication procedures must be briefed.

Navigation: GNSS, IRS, and ground-based navaids must be sufficient for the planned route; RNP AR approaches require specific approval.

Surveillance: transponder, TCAS, and ADS-B requirements depend on airspace; failure may require alternative routing or level restrictions.

MEL categories (A, B, C, D) define the rectification interval (calendar days) for inoperative items; category A items require repair within the specified interval before further flight.

The commander must verify that any MEL/CDL item does not affect the safety of the flight and that all required procedures are accomplished.

Operational procedures for MEL items may include performance penalties, altitude restrictions, or additional crew requirements.

CDL items require performance corrections (e.g. increased drag) and may affect take-off/landing distances; the CDL must be consulted for the specific aircraft.

Equipment failures in flight: the crew must assess the impact on the flight and consult the MEL/CDL for dispatchability if the flight continues.

Records: MEL/CDL deferrals must be recorded in the technical log and communicated to maintenance.

The operator must ensure that MEL/CDL are current and that crews are trained on their use.