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ATPL · illustrated course

ATPL operational procedures course: 14 illustrated chapters

The ATPL operational procedures course follows the syllabus in 14 chapters: 117 key points explained in a few paragraphs, often with a diagram, what to remember and, for many, the classic exam trap. The first chapter, « Operator, documents and crews », can be read in full on this page.

Read chapter 1The 504 questions of this subject

Contents

Each chapter explains, point by point, what the questions of the bank ask, with a « Remember » box and often the classic exam trap. The first chapter is free, below and in the app; the next ones are for ATPL subscribers.

  1. 1.Operator, documents and crews

    Free

    Air OPS, AOC and leasing, operations manual, documents and record keeping, role of the commander, crews and FTL.

    9 key points · 60 questions of the bank

  2. 2.MEL and aircraft equipment

    Subscribers

    MMEL and MEL, CDL, navigation lights, required instruments and equipment, flight recorders, cabin equipment.

    7 key points · 62 questions of the bank

  3. 3.Flight preparation, fuel and noise abatement

    Subscribers

    Take-off and destination alternates, planning minima, fuel, landing distances, 60-minute rule, refuelling, noise abatement procedures, optimum altitude.

    10 key points · 50 questions of the bank

  4. 4.Operating minima and low visibility

    Subscribers

    Aeroplane categories, MDH and DH, minima linked to the aid, Categories I to III, circling, approach ban, take-off minima and LVTO, special VFR.

    9 key points · 88 questions of the bank

  5. 5.Icing and ground de-icing

    Subscribers

    Effects of contamination, icing zones, carburettor icing, one- and two-step de-icing, fluids, holdover times and action to take.

    8 key points · 39 questions of the bank

  6. 6.Wake turbulence

    Subscribers

    Origin of wingtip vortices, intensity factors, behaviour near the ground, ICAO categories, radar and time separations, avoidance techniques.

    7 key points · 49 questions of the bank

  7. 7.Wind shear and microbursts

    Subscribers

    Definition and measurement, effects on the flight path, structure of a microburst, aircraft response, recovery and prevention.

    6 key points · 31 questions of the bank

  8. 8.Wet and contaminated runways

    Subscribers

    Definitions, aquaplaning and its speed, landing technique in heavy rain, runway condition code RWYCC, former SNOWTAM.

    7 key points · 79 questions of the bank

  9. 9.North Atlantic, RVSM, ETOPS and PBN

    Subscribers

    NAT HLA airspace (formerly MNPS), equipment, organised track system, clearance and reports, separations, RVSM, contingency and deviation procedures, SLOP, ETOPS and PBN.

    11 key points · 92 questions of the bank

  10. 10.Polar Navigation and Minimum Time Track

    Subscribers

    Convergence of meridians, grid navigation, free gyroscope drift, hourly correction, gyro heading calculations, sun at the pole, minimum time track.

    10 key points · 43 questions of the bank

  11. 11.Dangerous Goods

    Subscribers

    Annex 18 and the Technical Instructions, operator approval, roles of the shipper, the operator and the commander, classes and labels, segregation, exceptions and passengers.

    6 key points · 42 questions of the bank

  12. 12.Fire and smoke

    Subscribers

    Fire classes, extinguishing agents, required number of extinguishers, cabin fire, engine fire warning and engine fire, hold fire, hot brakes and wheel fire.

    7 key points · 88 questions of the bank

  13. 13.Depressurisation and oxygen

    Subscribers

    Rapid and slow depressurisation, time of useful consciousness, actions and emergency descent, crew and passenger oxygen, first-aid oxygen, unpressurised aeroplanes, smoke.

    9 key points · 61 questions of the bank

  14. 14.Emergencies, security and reports

    Subscribers

    Forced landing and precautionary landing, brace position, evacuation, overwater flight and ditching, fuel jettisoning, bomb threat, unlawful interference, reports, bird hazard.

    11 key points · 81 questions of the bank

Chapter 1: Operator, documents and crews

Air OPS, AOC and leasing, operations manual, documents and record keeping, role of the commander, crews and FTL.

Where do the rules come from?

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Hierarchy of texts, from the Chicago Convention to the operations manual

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ICAO sets worldwide standards: the annexes to the Chicago Convention contain standards and recommended practices (SARPs). Annex 6 deals with the operation of aircraft.

In Europe, these standards are taken up by the Air OPS regulation (EU 965/2012), which replaced EU-OPS (itself derived from JAR-OPS 1). It contains:

  • Part-ORO: operator organisation requirements (manual, training, FTL);
  • Part-CAT: rules for commercial air transport;
  • Part-SPA: specific approvals (RVSM, PBN, ETOPS, LVO, dangerous goods).

Remember

ICAO Annex 6 → EU-OPS yesterday → Air OPS (Part-ORO, Part-CAT, Part-SPA) today.

Exam trap

Older questions refer to "EU-OPS" or "JAR-OPS 1": the principle is the same, the current reference is Air OPS.

AOC and aircraft leasing

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AOC, operations specifications and two forms of leasing

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A commercial air transport operator holds an air operator certificate (AOC), issued by the authority of the State where it has its principal place of business. It cannot hold an AOC issued by another authority for the same activity at the same time.

The operations specifications attached to the AOC list the approvals: this is where the authorisation to carry dangerous goods appears.

In a dry lease, the aircraft is operated under the lessee's AOC. In a wet lease, the lessor remains the operator.

Remember

Dry lease: the lessee's AOC. Wet lease: the lessor remains the operator.

The operations manual

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The four parts of the operations manual

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The operator writes the operations manual and provides it, with its amendments, to every member of the operations staff. It is organised in four parts:

  • A — general: organisation, fuel policy, FTL, dangerous goods, security, search and rescue;
  • B — operation of each type: procedures, performance, mass and balance, MEL, type-specific evacuation;
  • C — routes and aerodromes;
  • D — training.

The whole manual is not carried: only the parts relevant to the flight, together with the flight manual.

Remember

Fuel, SAR, dangerous goods: Part A. Performance, MEL, type procedures: Part B.

Exam trap

Evacuation procedures are described in the operations manual; the bank places them in Part B (aircraft type-specific procedures).

Documents: on board, on the ground, archived

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Documents on board, on the ground during the flight, and retention periods

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Some documents must be on board (original certificates, certified copy of the AOC, flight manual, relevant parts of the operations manual, journey log, technical log, mass and balance…).

For the duration of each flight, the operator keeps a copy on the ground of the operational flight plan, the relevant parts of the technical log, the route NOTAMs it has issued, the mass and balance, and the special loads notification.

Afterwards, it archives: 3 months for the OFP, the navigation log and the mass and balance sheet; 36 months for the technical log.

Remember

Retention: OFP / M&B / log = 3 months; tech log = 36 months; commander course = 3 years.

Exam trap

The commander's original licence or the original certificate of airworthiness do not stay on the ground: they travel on board.

The commander

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Main responsibilities of the commander

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The commander is responsible for the safety of the aircraft and of the people on board. They check airworthiness, countersign the mass and balance sheet (thereby accepting the loading), and make sure of the fuel and documents.

In flight, it is the commander who initiates the manual's emergency procedures. If, for safety, they must infringe a local rule, they report it without delay to the local authority.

At the authority's request, they present the aircraft documents within a reasonable time. Inspectors appointed by the authority may access the flight deck if the commander judges that safety is not compromised.

Remember

M&B countersigned by the commander; documents presented "within a reasonable time".

Crew composition

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Minimum flight crew in IFR or at night

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In commercial air transport IFR or at night, the minimum flight crew is two pilots for any turbojet aeroplane and for any turboprop whose maximum approved passenger seating configuration exceeds 9 seats.

A single-pilot IFR or night flight is possible on other aeroplanes, subject to conditions: the pilot must in particular have flown 5 IFR flights including 3 instrument approaches in the previous 90 days, as a single pilot, on the type or class.

In cruise, the commander may be relieved by another qualified commander or, above FL 200, by a pilot holding an ATPL (conversion course, checks and route competence up to date). A cruise relief co-pilot, who relieves only the co-pilot, may hold only a CPL with an instrument rating.

Remember

IFR/night: 2 pilots for any jet and for a turboprop with more than 9 seats.

Exam trap

A co-pilot relieving the commander in cruise must hold an ATPL; they do not need to be qualified as commander on the type themselves.

Recent experience and checks

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Recent experience (90 days) and frequency of checks

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To be assigned as pilot flying, you must have carried out at least 3 take-offs and 3 landings as pilot flying on the type (or in a qualified simulator) in the previous 90 days.

The operator requires:

  • the operator proficiency check (OPC, in the simulator: handling technique, emergency procedures, IFR), valid for 6 months: in practice two a year, separated by more than 4 months;
  • the line check, valid for 12 months.

For each pilot it keeps a record: training, checks, qualifications, flight, duty and rest times.

Remember

3 take-offs + 3 landings / 90 days. OPC: 2 a year (> 4 months apart). Line check: 12 months.

At the station and strapped in

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Belt and harness according to phase of flight

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Each flight crew member remains at their station throughout the flight, unless their absence is necessary for carrying out their duties or for physiological needs.

At their station, they keep their seat belt fastened at all times. At take-off, at landing and whenever the commander considers it necessary, they wear all the restraints provided (belt and harness).

Passengers with reduced mobility are seated so as not to hinder the crew's work or the evacuation; the number of occupants never exceeds that of the certificate of airworthiness (children count).

Remember

Seat belt fastened at the station at all times; belt + harness at take-off, landing and on the commander's request.

Flight time limitations (FTL)

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Main FTL limits in Air OPS

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The FTL rules (Part-ORO, FTL subpart) limit fatigue. The flight duty period (FDP) starts at reporting and ends at engine shutdown after the last sector.

The basic maximum FDP is 13 h for an acclimatised crew, reduced by 30 min per sector from the third (minimum 9 h), and also according to start time. Extensions exist (augmented crew, in-flight rest).

Cumulative limits: 60 h of duty in 7 days, 110 h in 14 days, 190 h in 28 days; 100 h of flight time in 28 days, 900 h per calendar year, 1,000 h in 12 months.

Remember

Minimum rest: at least as long as the preceding duty, and at least 12 h at home base (10 h away from base).

The course goes on with chapter 2, « MEL and aircraft equipment ». It is read in the Course tab of the app with a ATPL subscription, and each chapter ends with the questions of the bank about it. See pricing

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