Flight Operations
What the exam tests
This domain tests operational planning and execution from the flight engineer's station: operational flight plans, fuel policy, take-off and landing performance, weather and NOTAM interpretation, mass and balance, standard operating procedures, checklist discipline and abnormal handling.
Core rules and concepts
- The operational flight plan must be checked against the approved fuel policy, not simply accepted from dispatch.
- Fuel planning normally includes taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel, alternate fuel where required, final reserve and any additional fuel.
- Performance must use the actual runway, contaminant, wind, temperature and aircraft configuration; a nominal book figure is not enough.
- The MEL, CDL and configuration deviations must be reflected in performance and procedures.
- SOPs and checklists are mandatory defences; the FE monitors systems, fuel and configuration and challenges deviations.
Worked example
Trip fuel is 4,200 kg, taxi 200 kg, contingency 5% of trip = 210 kg, alternate 900 kg, final reserve 30 minutes at 2,400 kg/h = 1,200 kg, and additional fuel 300 kg. Total required fuel is 4,200 + 200 + 210 + 900 + 1,200 + 300 = 7,010 kg. If the alternate is not required, alternate fuel may be removed only if the approved fuel policy permits; final reserve is not discretionary.
Traps that cost marks
Planning on trip fuel alone; omitting taxi fuel; treating final reserve as usable for diversion; using true airspeed instead of ground speed for trip fuel; and ignoring MEL or contamination effects on performance.
Key points
- Fuel planning is a structured sum, not a single trip-fuel figure.
- Final reserve is protected and cannot be planned for diversion.
- Performance must reflect actual conditions and configuration.
- MEL and CDL deviations affect both performance and procedure.
- SOPs, checklists and cross-cockpit challenge are operational defences.