Operational Procedures

Air Regulations · Chapter 16 · DGCA CPL and ATPL

The day-to-day rules of airline flying: what papers you carry, when the weather is too poor to take off or land, what equipment the aircraft needs, how much fuel to load and how long the crew may work.

Remember

Take-off: below 550 m RVR or 800 m visibility, Low Visibility Procedures apply; below 400 m RVR is a Low Visibility Take-Off, allowed for scheduled operators down to 125 m.
Approach ban: if the weather goes below minima before 1000 ft, stop the approach; after 1000 ft you may continue to DA/H or MDA/H.
Fuel is built up as taxi, trip (to landing at destination), contingency (5% of trip), alternate and final reserve (45 min piston, 30 min turbine).
Recorders keep at least 25 h (FDR) and 2 h (CVR); a CVR keeps 25 h only on aircraft over 27 000 kg with a C of A from 1 Jan 2022.
Crew flight time ceilings: 35 h in 7 days, 100 h in 28 days, 1000 h in 365 days.

What must an operator get right on every flight?

The big picture

Four areas of rules. Tap a box with + to open it.

Operational procedures Annex 6 and the Indian CARs How aeroplanes are operated under ICAO Annex 6 and the Indian CARs: documents, cabin safety, all-weather operations, equipment, fuel and crew duty limits.
- Papers and people documents, flight deck, cabin General operator duties: documents carried on board, a quality system, who may enter the flight deck, and rules for passengers and cabin safety.
  - 26 documents on board Originals or DGCA attested copies; see the Documents lesson.
  - Quality system quality manager reports to accountable manager The operator sets up one quality system with one quality manager, who monitors procedures and feeds back to the accountable manager so corrective action is taken.
  - Flight deck admission crew, DGCA inspectors, OM-authorised The final decision on admission rests with the commander.
  - Cabin safety passengers and prohibitions Operator and commander rules for the cabin: passengers with reduced mobility, persons in custody, stowage of baggage, seating near exits and smoking.
    - Reduced mobility passengers cannot be refused Assistive devices, escorts and guide dogs are also covered.
    - Persons in custody, deportees commander told before flight The operator writes procedures for carrying people refused entry, deportees and prisoners, and the commander must be told when any are on board.
    - Baggage and cargo stowed and secured All cabin baggage must be adequately and securely stowed, and anything that could cause injury or block aisles and exits goes in stowages that prevent movement.
    - Emergency exit seating helpers seated where they can assist Passengers are seated so that in an evacuation they can help get people out rather than get in the way.
    - Smoking prohibited as listed The commander ensures nobody smokes when safety requires it, on the ground unless permitted, outside smoking areas, in aisles and toilets, in cargo areas, or where oxygen is supplied.
  - Portable electronic devices prohibit any that affect aircraft systems The operator must not let anyone use a portable electronic device that could interfere with the aeroplane's systems.
- All-weather operations RVSM, low visibility, minima Rules for flying in reduced vertical separation and low visibility: RVSM equipment, low visibility take-offs, aerodrome operating minima and the approach ban.
  - RVSM FL290 to FL410, 1000 ft apart Height deviation alert at plus or minus 300 ft (90 m).
  - Low visibility take-off RVR below 400 m A take-off when the RVR is below 400 m. DGCA must approve it; scheduled operators can be cleared to go as low as 125 m.
  - Normal and Restricted minima Restricted adds 100 ft and 400 m Indian operators work with two sets of aerodrome minima. The restricted set raises the decision or minimum descent height by 100 ft and the visibility or RVR by 400 m.
  - Approach ban 1000 ft gate Do not start an instrument approach if reported RVR or visibility is below minimum. If it drops after starting, do not continue below 1000 ft above the aerodrome or into the final approach segment.
- Equipment scales set by mass and seats Required instruments and safety equipment grow with the aeroplane mass and the number of passengers or seats.
  - Flight recorders FDR 25 h, CVR 2 h The FDR holds at least the latest 25 hours of data; the CVR and data link recorder hold at least the latest two hours.
  - GPWS and ACAS II above 5700 kg Turbo-jets over 5,700 kg or with more than 9 passengers need windshear warning and GPWS; turbine aeroplanes over 5,700 kg or with more than 19 passengers need ACAS II.
  - Oxygen and first aid by pressure and passenger count Stored oxygen depends on cabin pressure (700, 620 and 376 hPa thresholds), and first aid kits depend on passenger numbers: 1 up to 100, rising to 4 for 300 or more.
  - Evacuation gear axes, megaphones, ELTs Crash axes or crowbars, megaphones for more than 60 seats, emergency lighting for more than 9 seats, and ELTs: every aeroplane carries an automatic ELT.
- Fuel and crew limits fuel plan, FDTL The minimum fuel to be planned for each flight, and the flight time, flight duty and rest limits that guard against crew fatigue.
  - Five fuel components taxi to final reserve Pre-flight fuel includes taxi, trip, contingency, destination alternate and final reserve fuel, plus additional and discretionary fuel where needed.
  - Daily flight and duty limits set by landings and night For two-pilot operations, the maximum flight time and flight duty period in any 24 hours depend on the number of landings and on whether the duty encroaches on the night.
  - Cumulative ceilings 7, 14, 28, 90, 365 days Maximum flight time: 35 h in 7 consecutive days, 65 h in 14, 100 h in 28, 300 h in 90 and 1000 h in 365; duty periods have their own ceilings.

Takeaway: Carry the right papers, respect weather limits, fit the right equipment, and plan fuel and crew hours within the limits.

Which papers must be on board?

Documents

Five groups of required documents. Read across for what is in each and how it is carried.

Group	What is in it	How it is carried
Airworthiness	C of R, C of A, ARC, noise certificate, weight schedule	Original or DGCA attested copy
Operations	Air Operator Permit, crew licences, radio licence, insurance	Original or attested copy
Manuals	Operations Manual, MEL, Flight Manual, checklists	Checklists in the cockpit or AFM
Navigation	Journey Log Book, route guides, current charts	Approved log book equivalent allowed
Loading and traffic	Load and trim sheet, manifests, briefing cards	Manifests per sector; a card at every seat

Memory hook: Physical copies are the rule; an approved Electronic Flight Bag is the only exception.

Takeaway: Originals or DGCA attested copies: aircraft, operator and crew papers, manuals and checklists, log book and charts, load and passenger papers.

What must the operator control?

Operator duties

The AOC, control of each flight, and who may be where on board.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Which group does each document belong to?

Document drill

26 documents travel on board. Sort these exam favourites.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Can you take off in this visibility?

Take-off RVR

Answer in order. Each threshold narrows who may go.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

When must you abandon an approach for weather?

Approach ban

Follow the approach down. The 1000 ft gate is where the rule changes.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

Can you fly a CAT II/III approach today?

CAT II/III today?

Read each case and press the stamp that applies.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Which minima and RVR rules apply?

Minima rules

AOM sources, controlling RVR, and what LVTO needs.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Pairs that catch students out

Don't mix up

Look-alike rules, side by side.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

What emergency equipment must be fitted?

Cabin equipment

A passenger cabin from above. Tap each number.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Which equipment is required when?

When required?

Tap an item, then the trigger that makes it compulsory.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Which flight recorder does what?

Flight recorders

Crash-protected recorders and their lightweight cousins.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

When is oxygen needed?

Oxygen levels

Cabin pressure thresholds as standard-atmosphere altitudes.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Numbers to know

Numbers

Equipment thresholds and limits examiners like.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

How is the fuel load built up?

Fuel

Five parts, added in order from the stand to the last reserve.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

How much fuel, how much visibility, when oxygen?

Operating numbers

Four views: the fuel load, fuel minutes, take-off RVR and oxygen.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

What goes into alternate, additional and discretionary fuel?

Alternate fuel

The parts that depend on your route and destination.

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How long may a two-pilot crew fly and work?

Crew limits

Left: one day, by number of landings. Right: the rolling ceilings.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans

What are the FDTL basics?

FDTL terms

CAR Section 7 Series J Part III, under Rule 42A.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

How long may a two-pilot crew fly?

Two-pilot limits

Any 24 hours. More landings, shorter duty.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

How long may an augmented crew be on duty?

Augmented crew

Maximum FDP in hours. Better rest facility, longer duty.

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When may limits be extended?

Extensions

Only for unforeseen operational circumstances, with strings attached.

This lesson is part of the Exam-Ready plan. See plans

Test yourself

Ten questions from this chapter.

This lesson is part of the Core plan. See plans