Operational Procedures
Operational Procedures is the practical rulebook: pre-flight and in-flight checks, fuel policy, passenger briefing, take-off and landing considerations, emergency drills, radio failure and wake turbulence separation.
Pre-flight
The pilot in command confirms documents, mass and balance, weather, NOTAMs, fuel and oil, and makes the go/no-go decision. The aircraft must be airworthy and the flight must be legal before you board.
Fuel
Plan trip, contingency, alternate and final reserve. For VFR by day the final reserve is 30 minutes at cruise. Do not depart if the destination is likely to be below minima on arrival.
Emergencies
Engine failure after take-off: lower the nose, hold best glide, choose a landing area ahead, and do not turn back below about 500 ft AGL. Fire: close fuel and mixture, use the extinguisher, land as soon as possible. Radio failure: squawk 7600, continue VFR, land at a suitable aerodrome and report.
Wake turbulence
Vortices sink and drift with the wind. Land after a heavy aircraft's touchdown point and stay above its flight path; take off before the heavy's rotation point.
Worked example
On climb-out at 300 ft AGL the engine fails. Pitch for best glide, pick a field within the glide cone, attempt a restart only if time permits, and transmit MAYDAY. Turning back at 300 ft risks a stall-spin into the ground.
Traps
Treating a forced landing as a reason to turn back; forgetting the 7600 squawk; and following a heavy aircraft too closely on approach.