KCAA Flight Operations Officer flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

FOO licence minimum age

The minimum age for initial issue of a KCAA Flight Operations Officer licence is 21 years, consistent with ICAO Annex 1 standards for flight crew member licences.

FOO medical certificate

Applicants must hold a valid medical certificate issued by a KCAA-approved medical examiner; the class required is specified in the Personnel Licensing Regulations applicable to flight operations officers.

Approved FOO course

Training must be completed at a KCAA-approved training organisation covering air law, meteorology, navigation, performance, flight planning, communications, human factors and operations procedures.

FOO written examinations

Candidates must pass KCAA knowledge examinations in the prescribed subjects before licence issue; a pass in each subject is normally required, with resit rules set by the authority.

Operational experience requirement

Initial issue requires supervised operational experience, such as flight watch or dispatch under supervision, in addition to the approved course, as set out in the current regulations.

FOO licence privileges

The licence authorises flight planning, flight watch, in-flight assistance and joint dispatch release of flights with the pilot-in-command, within the limitations stated on the licence.

Licence validity period

A KCAA FOO licence is valid for the period printed on it, commonly five years, after which renewal requires medical validity, recent experience and competency evidence.

Recency requirement

A licence holder who has not exercised FOO privileges for the period defined in the regulations must complete refresher training and a competency check before resuming duty.

Secondary education requirement

Applicants must show completion of secondary education or equivalent, including study of mathematics, physics and English, as required by ICAO Annex 1 for this licence.

Competency assessment

A structured check of the FOO's knowledge and practical dispatch skills, required for licence renewal or return to duty after a lapse in recency.

Joint dispatch release

The shared responsibility of the flight operations officer and pilot-in-command to authorise a flight, confirming weather, fuel, load, performance and route suitability before departure.

Flight watch duty

Continuous monitoring of a flight in progress, including weather changes, fuel status and alternates, with the authority to inform or advise the pilot-in-command of significant developments.

KCAA licensing authority

The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority issues, renews, suspends and revokes personnel licences under the Civil Aviation (Personnel Licensing) Regulations, which adopt ICAO Annex 1 standards.

Licence suspension grounds

A licence may be suspended or revoked for failure to maintain medical validity, competency, recency, or for regulatory non-compliance, subject to the authority's enforcement procedures.

Logbook and records

The FOO must maintain accurate records of duty, training and experience; these records support recency, renewal and competency verification by the authority.

Human factors syllabus

The FOO knowledge syllabus includes human factors: fatigue, situational awareness, communication, workload and decision-making, reflecting their role in safe flight dispatch.

Air law syllabus

FOO candidates must know the applicable civil aviation legislation, ICAO Annexes, licensing regulations, and operator responsibilities relevant to flight operations and dispatch.

Meteorology syllabus

The FOO examination covers weather reports and forecasts, significant weather, icing, turbulence, altimetry and interpretation of charts required for flight planning decisions.

Navigation syllabus

FOO candidates must understand navigation aids, route structures, chart reading and the computation of tracks, distances and times needed for flight plans.

Aircraft performance syllabus

The FOO syllabus includes take-off, landing and en-route performance, weight and balance, and the effect of temperature, pressure, runway and contamination on performance.

Flight planning syllabus

Candidates must compute fuel requirements, alternate selection, route and level selection, and prepare operational flight plans consistent with operator and regulatory requirements.

Communications syllabus

The FOO must know aeronautical communication procedures and phraseology, including the use of AFTN, SELCAL, VHF/HF and data link for flight watch and dispatch.

Operator responsibilities

The operator must ensure FOOs are trained, competent and current, and that dispatch procedures comply with the operations manual and the authority's regulations.

Operations manual content

The operations manual must describe dispatch procedures, duties of the FOO, flight watch, fuel policy and emergency handling, and be approved by the authority.

Fuel policy requirement

The operator's fuel policy must ensure sufficient fuel for the planned flight, reserves, alternate and contingency, and is a core responsibility of the FOO during flight planning.

Alternate aerodrome selection

The FOO selects alternates based on weather forecasts, runway suitability, distance and fuel, applying the operator's and regulatory minima for destination and take-off alternates.

Weather minima application

The FOO must verify that destination, alternate and en-route weather meet the operator's and regulatory minima before releasing a flight, and monitor changes during flight.

NOTAM review

Before dispatch, the FOO reviews NOTAMs affecting departure, destination, alternate and en-route aerodromes, including runway closures, navaid outages and airspace restrictions.

Load control responsibility

The FOO ensures the load sheet and weight and balance data are consistent with performance limits, coordinating with load control before the flight is released.

Emergency procedures

The FOO must know emergency response procedures, including notification of authorities, coordination with ATS and operator, and assistance to the flight crew during an incident.

Dangerous goods awareness

FOOs require dangerous goods awareness training to identify and handle notifications of dangerous goods on board and to apply the operator's procedures.

Refresher training

Periodic refresher training is required to maintain FOO competency, covering regulatory changes, operator procedures, and recurrent technical and human factors subjects.