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In addition to the minimum equipment necessary for the issue of a Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A), the instruments, equipment, and flight documents fitted to or carried in the aeroplane have to be adequate for the operation.
The operator includes the minimum equipment list (MEL) in the operations manual, allowing the Commander to decide whether to commence a flight or continue from any intermediate stop if any instrument, equipment, or system becomes unserviceable. Additionally, the operator provides operations staff and flight crew with an aircraft-operating manual, for each aircraft type operated, which contains the normal, abnormal, and emergency procedures relating to the operation of the aircraft. The manual also includes details of the aircraft systems and of the checklists used.
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
An aeroplane has to be equipped with instruments allowing the flight crew to control the flight path of the aeroplane, carry out any required procedural manoeuvres, and comply with the operating limitations of the aeroplane in the expected operating conditions. Other equipment carried in the aeroplane is necessary for either safety, navigation, or regulatory reasons.
Where a compartment not usually occupied passengers has an emergency exit, the door leading from the passenger compartment to that area must have an openable door. If passage through a doorway is necessary in the event of an emergency, the door (or curtain) requires a means of securing it in the open position. Such doors (or curtains) require signs attached indicating that the doorway leads to an emergency exit. The crew requires a means of unlocking any door that passengers can lock (toilet doors).
The table below details the minimum number of extinguishers required against the passenger carrying capability of the aeroplane. The location of galleys and toilets may require the fitting of more.
Fire Extinguishers
BREAK-IN MARKINGS
Areas of the fuselage suitable for break-in by rescue crews in an emergency are to be marked by red or yellow lines, and if necessary, they are outlined in white to contrast with the background. If the corner markings are more than 2 m apart, intermediate lines 9 cm x 3 cm are inserted so there are no more than 2 m between adjacent markings.
Break In Markings
Case 1
Aircraft with C of A issued on 1 April 1998 or later; multiengine turbine; max passengers more than 9; MTOM greater than 5700 kg.
Case 2
After 1 April 2002, aircraft with C of A issued on or after 1 January 1990 up to and including 31 March 1998; multi-engine turbine; max passengers more than 9; MTOM of 5700 kg or less.
Case 3
Any aeroplane with C of A issued before 1 April 1998 and MTOM over 5700 kg.
The construction, location, and installation of CVRs are to provide maximum practical protection for the recordings in order to preserve, recover, and transcribe the recorded information. Flight recorders must meet the prescribed crashworthiness and fire protection specifications, and are required to have a device fitted to assist underwater location. Prior to the aeroplane first moving under its own power, the CVRs must automatically switch on and record until the termination of the flight.
FDRs are more commonly referred to as black boxes, although they are usually painted a day Glo colour (either red or yellow) and have underwater location devices fitted. They must be capable of recording data pertaining to the operation of the aeroplane systems, control positions, and performance parameters. As with CVRs, they must assist in the investigation of accidents and incidents.
The regulatory requirements for the carriage of FDRs occupy many pages in both Annex 6 and JAR-OPS but the LOs for Operational Procedures require the student to have knowledge only of the parameters recorded; the rules for retention of data, and the rules regarding location, construction installation and operation of FDRs as detailed in Annex 6 only.
PARAMETERS RECORDED
The parameters recorded are dependent upon the type of FDR fitted. Annex 6 defines three types: Type I FDR - records parameters required to determine accurately the aeroplane flight path, speed, altitude. engine power, configuration, and operation Type II FDR - records the same parameters as Type I but with the addition of configuration of the lift and drag devices Type IIA FDR - records the same parameters as Type II (for aeroplanes with MTOM 5700 kg or less)
RECORDING DURATION
Type I and Type II FDRs are capable of recording at least the last 25 hours of their operation. Type IIA FDRs are capable of recording the last 30 minutes of operation.
OPERATION OF FDRs
Do not switch off FDRs during flight time. Following an accident or an incident, de-activate the FDR after landing and do not switch it on again until cleared for use after the conclusion of any investigation.
COMBINATION RECORDERS
JAR-OPS permits recorders which act as both an FDR and a CVR. Such a combination recorder may be fitted to aeroplanes with MTOM of 5700 kg or less, or to larger aeroplanes if two of the combination recorders are fitted. FLIGHT RECORDER RECORDS Operators must make sure that if an aeroplane is involved in an incident or an accident the flight recorder records and the recorders are retained in safe custody until the requirements of Annex 13 (Accident Investigation) have been met.
A magnetic compass
An accurate timepiece indicating the time in hours, minutes, and seconds Two sensitive pressure altimeters with counter drum-pointer or equivalent presentation. Neither 'three-pointer' nor 'drum-pointer' altimeters satisfy the requirement An ASI with means of preventing malfunctioning due to either condensation or icing A turn and slip indicator An attitude indicator (artificial horizon) A heading indicator (directional gyroscope) A means of indicating whether the power supply to the gyroscopic instrument is adequate A means of indicating in the flight crew compartment, the outside air temperature A rate-of-climb and descent indicator Such additional instruments or equipment as may be prescribed by the appropriate authority
STANDBY HORIZON
All aeroplanes of a maximum certificated take-off mass of over 5700 kg introduced into service after 1 January 1975 are fitted with an emergency power supply, independent of the main electrical generating system, for operating and illuminating an attitude indicating instrument (artificial horizon), clearly visible to the pilotin-command, for a minimum period of 30 minutes. The emergency power supply is to automatically operate after the total failure of the main electrical generating system and give a clear indication on the instrument panel, that the attitude indicator is being operated by emergency (stand-by) power.
NIGHT OPERATIONS
All aeroplanes, when operated at night require lighting. In addition to the instrumentation required for IFR, aircraft equipped for night flight must have: The lights required by Annex 2 (Rules of the Air) for aircraft in flight or operating on the movement area of an aerodrome Two landing lights Illumination for all instruments and equipment that are essential for the safe operation of the aeroplane that are for use by the flight crew Lights in all passenger compartments An electric torch for each crewmember station
REMOTE AREAS
When operated across land areas where search and rescue is difficult, aeroplanes are equipped with the signalling and life-saving equipment (including means of sustaining life; food, water, etc.) as may be appropriate to the area to be over-flown (i.e. Desert, Arctic, Jungle, and Ocean).
WEATHER RADAR
When carrying passengers in pressurised aircraft, the aeroplane is fitted with serviceable weather radar whenever operating the aeroplane in areas where thunderstorms or other potentially hazardous weather conditions that can be detected with airborne weather radar are expected to exist along the route.
JAR-OPS expands the requirement to include unpressurised aeroplanes with MTOM greater than 5700 kg; and any unpressurised aeroplane with more than 9 passenger seats after 1 April 1999. For propeller driven aeroplanes with MTOM not exceeding 5700 kg and not more than 9 passenger seats, a suitable system for detecting thunderstorms and other potentially hazardous conditions may be used instead of radar.
MACHMETER
All aeroplanes with speed limitations expressed in terms of Mach number (limiting Mach) are equipped with a Mach number indicator (Machmeter). This does not stop the use of the airspeed indicator to derive Mach number for ATS purposes.
GROUND PROXIMITY WARNING SYSTEM (GPWS) Too many aircraft are lost with crew and passengers killed by inadvertent controlled flight into terrain. The ATC authority does not accept responsibility for terrain clearance (except during radar vectoring) and the responsibility rests firmly with the pilots to ensure safe clearance from the ground is maintained. Misreading of altimeters, misunderstanding procedures, poor navigation, and misidentification by ATC radar units all conspire to make inadvertent controlled flight into terrain a continuing danger and hazard. A GPWS fitted to an aeroplane can give warning to the pilots that the aeroplane is getting too close to the ground, and is required to be fitted to all commercial air transport aeroplanes with MTOM greater than 5700 kg.
The GPWS shall provide, as a minimum, warnings of the following circumstances: Excessive descent rate Excessive terrain closure rate Altitude loss after take-off or go-around Unsafe terrain clearance while not in landing configuration Gear not locked down Flaps not in a landing position Excessive descent below the instrument glide path Additionally, from 1 January 2003 all turbine-engine aeroplanes with maximum certificated takeoff mass in excess of 15 000 kg or authorised to carry more than 30 passengers, are fitted with a GPWS incorporating a predictive terrain warning hazard system.
COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT
An aeroplane used for commercial air transport must be fitted with radio communication equipment capable of conducting two-way communication with ATC for aerodrome control purposes and receiving meteorological information at any time during flight.
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
JAR-OPS requires two independent VHF radio systems to be fitted. The communications equipment must also be capable of tuning to other stations on the frequencies specified by the Authority of the State being over-flown. Essentially, the equipment must be able to transmit/receive on the aeronautical emergency frequency 121 .500 MHz .
NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT
The aeroplane is fitted with navigation equipment enabling it to fly in accordance with its operational flight plan, within the limits specified for RNP types, and as required by ATC. It is assumed that flights under VFR fly by visual reference to landmarks. For flights in areas where minimum navigation performance specifications (MNPS) are specified, an aeroplane is fitted with navigation equipment which continuously provides indications of adherence to or departure from track to the required degree of accuracy at any point along that track. The MNPS and the procedures governing their application are published in Regional Supplementary Procedures . For flights where RVSM of 300 m (1000 ft) is applied between FL 290 and FL 410, an aeroplane is fitted with equipment capable of indicating the flight level flown , automatically maintaining a selected flight level, providing an alert to the flight crew when a deviation occurs from the selected flight level (the threshold for the alert shall not exceed 90 m (300 ft)), and automatically reporting pressure-altitude (Mode C).
INSTRUMENT PROCEDURES
When operating the aeroplane under IFR and instrument procedures are required to comply with IFR departure and arrival procedures, the aeroplane is to be fitted with not less than one; VOR; ADF and DME; one ILS (or MLS); one marker 75 MHz beacon receiver. The requirement for VORIDME/ADF doubles where navigation along a route based on that aid alone.
INSTALLATION
The equipment installation is such that the failure of any single unit required for either communications or navigation purposes, or both, does not result in the failure of another unit required for communications or navigation purposes.
WINDSHIELD WIPERS
Windshield wipers (or an equivalent means of clearing precipitation) must be fitted at each pilot station if the MTOM is greater than 5700 kg.
MASS LIMITATIONS
The Aeroplane The mass of the aeroplane at the start-up or take-off should not exceed the mass at which takeoff performance requirements can be complied with, or the mass at which the requirements for: the length of runway available, enroute - one engine inoperative, enroute - two power units inoperative, and landing, can be complied with, allowing for expected reductions in mass as the flight proceeds, and for fuel jettisoning as necessary. In no case is the mass at the start of take-off to exceed the maximum take-off mass specified in the flight manual for the pressure-altitude of the elevation of the aerodrome, and any other local atmospheric condition (if necessary). Neither is the estimated mass for the expected time of landing at the aerodrome of intended landing and at any destination alternate aerodrome, to exceed the maximum landing mass specified in the flight manual.
Additionally, the mass at the start of take-off, or at the expected time of landing at the aerodrome of intended landing and at any destination alternate aerodrome, cannot exceed the relevant maximum masses applicable for noise certification standards, unless otherwise authorised in exceptional circumstances for an aerodrome or a runway where there is no noise disturbance problem.
TAKE-OFF
The aeroplane must, in the event of a critical power-unit failing at any point in the take-off, be able to discontinue the take-off and stop within the accelerate-stop distance available, or to continue the take-off and clear all obstacles along the flight path by an adequate margin until the aeroplane is in a position to comply with the enroute criteria. In determining the length of the runway available, account is taken of the loss of runway length due to alignment of the aeroplane prior to take-off.
LANDING
The aeroplane must be able to land within the landing distance available, at the aerodrome of intended landing and at any alternate aerodrome, after clearing all obstacles in the approach path by a safe margin. Make allowance for expected variations in the approach and landing techniques, if no such allowance is made in the scheduling of performance data.
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