Operational Procedures - Complete ATPL Subject Guide

Operational Procedures, designated as ATPL Subject 070, transforms theoretical aviation knowledge into practical professional airmanship. While other subjects explore physics, regulations, weather, or navigation in relative isolation, Operational Procedures addresses how pilots actually conduct flights from preflight planning through post-flight paperwork, integrating knowledge from all other subjects into coherent, standardized practices that ensure safety and efficiency. This subject captures the collective wisdom of decades of airline operations - the procedures that work, the practices that prevent errors, and the disciplines that enable complex machines to be operated safely by human crews across millions of flights annually.

The professional discipline embodied in standard operating procedures distinguishes airline operations from more casual flying. Every significant action follows established procedures developed through analysis of what works best and what prevents past mistakes from recurring. Call-outs ensure crew coordination, checklists prevent omissions, briefings establish shared understanding, and standardization enables any qualified crew to operate together effectively even if they've never previously flown together. Understanding not just what procedures require but why they exist and how they contribute to overall safety represents the mark of a mature professional pilot.

Standard Operating Procedures and Crew Coordination

Standard Operating Procedures establish consistent methods for normal operations, creating predictability that enables effective crew coordination and reduces error opportunities. When both pilots understand exactly what sequence of actions will occur during engine start, taxi, takeoff, climb, cruise, descent, approach, and landing, they can anticipate each other's actions, monitor for deviations, and intervene appropriately if something goes wrong. This standardization extends beyond just actions to include call-outs, cross-checks, and decision-making processes.

The concept of pilot flying and pilot monitoring divides cockpit responsibilities clearly. The pilot flying controls the aircraft, makes tactical decisions about flight path management, communicates with ATC when delegated that task, and maintains primary responsibility for aircraft state and energy management. The pilot monitoring operates radios when assigned, manages systems, monitors instruments and navigation, performs checklists, and importantly, provides oversight of the pilot flying's actions. This division of labor prevents both pilots from fixating on the same task while other critical functions go unmonitored.

Callouts and Cross-Checking

Standardized call-outs serve multiple functions simultaneously - they communicate information, confirm awareness, and establish rhythm for coordinated actions. During takeoff, the pilot monitoring calls airspeeds at defined points, "80 knots, cross-check," prompting both pilots to verify airspeed indicators agree. At V1, the call "V1" confirms decision speed passage and commitment to continue even if an engine fails. At VR, "Rotate" prompts the pilot flying to initiate rotation. Each call-out provides information but also demonstrates that the pilot monitoring is following the takeoff progress and will notice deviations from normal parameters.

Challenge-and-response sequences similarly ensure shared awareness. When the pilot flying calls for "Flaps 20," the pilot monitoring responds "Flaps 20," moves the flap lever, then confirms "Flaps 20 set" once movement completes and position verified. This three-part sequence ensures the command was heard correctly, acknowledged, executed, and verified. If any step fails - perhaps the pilot monitoring hears "Flaps 30" instead of "Flaps 20," or the flaps don't move as commanded - the break in the expected sequence immediately signals a problem requiring attention.

Cross-checking involves each pilot independently verifying critical parameters and comparing results. Before takeoff, both pilots check flight instrument readings, compare navigation systems, verify programmed routes match clearances, and confirm weight and balance are acceptable. This redundancy catches errors that individual pilots might miss - perhaps one pilot misread a weight value or incorrectly entered a waypoint. Having two people independently verify critical data dramatically reduces error probability compared to single-person checking.

Preflight Procedures and Planning

Professional flight operations begin well before engine start with thorough preflight planning and preparation. This phase establishes the foundation for safe operations by gathering all necessary information, identifying potential issues, making key decisions, and ensuring the aircraft is airworthy and properly configured for the planned flight.

Weather briefing goes far beyond simply checking whether conditions are above minimums. Professional pilots study forecast development, looking for trends that might improve or deteriorate conditions. They consider alternate requirements not just for legal compliance but for operational practicality - will this alternate actually be available given the weather system's movement? They evaluate winds aloft at multiple altitudes to optimize cruise altitude selection and verify that performance calculations used reasonable assumptions. They look for significant weather including convection, icing, turbulence, and low-level wind shear that might affect operations.

Aircraft Documentation and Airworthiness

The aircraft technical log records all defects, repairs, and inspections, providing the official record of aircraft airworthiness. Pilots must review recent entries to understand current aircraft status - what systems have inoperative components operating under MEL relief, what recent maintenance occurred, whether any unusual trends appear in defect reporting. An aircraft might be legally airworthy under MEL provisions but have multiple deferreds items that collectively impact operation more than any single item might suggest.

The Minimum Equipment List authorizes dispatch with certain equipment inoperative under specified conditions, often requiring operational restrictions or crew actions. Understanding MEL provisions for relevant items enables pilots to determine whether planned operations remain feasible. An inoperative autopilot might be acceptable for a short domestic flight in good weather but prohibit a long oceanic crossing. An inoperative anti-skid channel might require increased landing distance calculations. Some MEL items impose time limits - the item must be repaired within a specified number of flight hours or calendar days, potentially affecting whether the aircraft can complete planned operations before maintenance becomes due.

Configuration Deviation Lists document minor variations from standard aircraft configuration that don't affect airworthiness but might affect performance or operations. Missing cabin furnishings, inoperative passenger service items, or cosmetic damage that doesn't compromise structural integrity might appear on the CDL. While these items don't prevent safe operation, pilots should be aware of them for passenger management and operational planning purposes.

Dispatch and Load Planning Coordination

Communication with operational control or flight dispatch ensures that flight planning reflects current information and that necessary arrangements have been made. Dispatchers typically prepare flight plans, but pilots must review and accept them, verifying that routing makes sense, fuel is adequate with appropriate reserves, performance calculations used correct data, alternates are suitable, and all regulatory requirements are met. If the pilot identifies issues or wants to adjust the plan, discussion with dispatch resolves these before departure rather than discovering problems after committing to the flight.

Weight and balance documentation requires careful review. The load sheet shows passenger count and distribution, cargo loading, fuel load, and computed takeoff weight and center of gravity. Pilots verify that weights are within limits, CG is within envelope, and load distribution matches what's shown. Discrepancies between load sheet and actual observed loading, or between load sheet weights and what seems reasonable given the number of passengers and cargo visible during boarding, warrant investigation before accepting the flight.

Normal Flight Procedures

Normal procedures during flight phases follow established sequences that promote efficiency, maintain safety margins, and ensure nothing is overlooked. These procedures apply from engine start through shutdown, with each phase having characteristic tasks, considerations, and potential complications.

Taxi and Pretakeoff Procedures

Taxiing appears simple but demands constant attention to prevent runway incursions, surface conflicts, and configuration errors. Professional crews brief the planned taxi route before requesting clearance, identifying any complex intersections or potential confusion points. They brief the departure procedure including initial heading, first altitude restriction, and critical notes like "right turn off runway, immediate climb required for obstacle clearance." This briefing establishes shared understanding before situations become time-critical.

The pretakeoff checklist, typically completed before reaching the runway, ensures the aircraft is properly configured for takeoff. Flight controls are checked for free and correct movement, instruments show proper indications, systems are set for takeoff, and engine parameters are normal. The before takeoff briefing reviews critical speeds, aircraft performance, departure routing, and actions required should an engine failure occur before or after V1. Both pilots confirm understanding and agreement with the plan.

Climb and Cruise Procedures

After takeoff, established procedures govern the climb to cruise altitude. The pilot flying maintains proper airspeed and complies with any altitude or speed restrictions on the departure procedure. The pilot monitoring manages systems, completes climb checklists, communicates with ATC, and monitors navigation to ensure the aircraft follows the cleared route. Both pilots maintain situational awareness regarding weather, traffic, and navigation.

Transition to cruise involves level-off at assigned altitude, retrimming for cruise speed, setting cruise power, completing cruise checklist, and beginning cruise monitoring tasks. Fuel management may require crossfeed or tank balance procedures to maintain CG within limits. Long cruise segments require periodic position reporting if in oceanic or remote areas, continuous weather monitoring, and fuel consumption tracking to verify performance matches planning.

Descent, Approach, and Landing

Descent planning begins well before reaching top-of-descent point, involving the pilots reviewing the arrival procedure, approach to be used, weather conditions, runway and approach lighting, and any special notes about the destination airport. The descent brief covers the expected approach including initial approach fix, course, altitude restrictions, minimum descent altitude or decision altitude, missed approach procedure, and any unusual features of the approach or airport.

Instrument approaches demand meticulous discipline in following procedures exactly. Both pilots verify proper approach setup in navigation systems, compare programmed course against charts, set appropriate minimums, and prepare the aircraft's configuration sequence. Approach briefings include the decision process - what cues indicate whether to land or execute missed approach, and what actions follow each decision. This briefing occurs early enough that both pilots are clear on the plan before workload intensifies during final approach.

Stabilized approach criteria provide objective standards for determining whether an approach should continue or be abandoned. These typically require that by 1,000 feet above touchdown zone elevation (500 feet in IMC), the aircraft must be in landing configuration, on the correct flight path, at appropriate speed, with engines spooled to approach power, and descent rate no more than 1,000 feet per minute. Failure to meet these criteria mandates go-around, regardless of good intentions or optimism that things will work out. This discipline prevents continuing unstabilized approaches that significantly increase accident risk.

Emergency and Abnormal Procedures

While normal procedures follow memorized flows and checklist confirmation, abnormal and emergency situations require systematic problem-solving using published procedures while maintaining aircraft control and navigation. The ability to simultaneously aviate, navigate, and communicate while analyzing problems and executing corrective actions represents core pilot competency that distinguishes professionals from those merely adequate for routine operations.

The fundamental priorities remain constant regardless of emergency - fly the aircraft, navigate to ensure safe position relative to terrain and obstacles, then communicate as time permits. This hierarchy prevents pilots from becoming so absorbed in diagnosing a problem or talking to ATC that they neglect basic aircraft control. Modern commercial aircraft are sophisticated enough that even significant system failures rarely prevent safe flight if pilots maintain composure and follow proper procedures.

Memory Items and Quick Reference Procedures

Certain emergencies require immediate action before time permits consulting checklists. Engine fire during flight demands closing the affected engine's fuel supply, discharging fire extinguishers, and adjusting flight parameters for engine-out operations - delays risk fire spreading or engine damage extending to cause structural failure. Loss of pressurization at high altitude requires immediate descent and passenger oxygen deployment before crew has time to dig out checklists. These time-critical actions must be memorized and practiced until they become automatic.

Once immediate action items are completed and the situation is stabilized, crews transition to checklist-based procedures that ensure complete and correct system management. Quick reference handbooks organize emergency procedures by system and symptom, enabling crews to quickly find relevant procedures. Modern electronic checklist systems can automatically display appropriate procedures based on system warnings or crew input, reducing time spent searching through manuals.

Decision-Making During Emergencies

Emergency situations require disciplined decision-making processes. When a problem occurs, the immediate response involves stabilizing the situation - maintain aircraft control, execute memory items if applicable, and ensure the flight path is safe. Once stabilized, analysis begins: What has failed? What systems are affected? What limitations now exist? What are our options? Only after understanding the situation and options do we select a course of action.

Diversion decisions balance multiple factors including nature and severity of the problem, current position relative to suitable airports, weather at potential diversion airports, fuel remaining, passenger needs, and operational considerations. A relatively minor problem when far from suitable airports might justify continuing to the original destination if weather and fuel permit. The same problem when close to an alternate with better maintenance facilities might warrant diversion. There's rarely one absolutely correct answer, but systematic analysis prevents hasty decisions made under stress.

Accident Prevention and Risk Management

Professional operations employ multiple layers of protection against accidents, recognizing that humans make errors and systems fail but that most accidents require multiple failures or errors aligning. Threat and error management frameworks help crews recognize situations with elevated risk, identify errors before they lead to undesirable aircraft states, and recover when undesired states occur.

Threats include environmental factors like weather, terrain, or complex airspace; operational factors like unfamiliar airports or time pressure; or organizational factors like schedule changes or maintenance deferrals. Recognizing threats enables proactive measures - additional briefing for complex procedures, requesting priority handling from ATC when time-critical, or declining a flight when threats accumulate to unacceptable levels. Some threats can be reduced or eliminated, others can only be managed through increased vigilance and conservative decision-making.

Error Management and Recovery

Errors will occur despite best intentions - attention lapses, knowledge gaps, communication failures, or procedural violations. The question isn't whether errors occur but whether they're detected and corrected before causing adverse outcomes. Cross-checking and monitoring catch most errors - one pilot makes a data entry mistake, the other notices during verification. Standard procedures and automation mode awareness prevent many errors from occurring or limit their consequences when they do.

When errors are detected, professional crews acknowledge them without blame or defensiveness, correct them, and ensure the correction was effective. If programming error led to wrong navigation mode, acknowledge it, reprogram correctly, verify the new programming, and confirm the aircraft now follows the intended path. Some errors require more extensive recovery - returning to a missed procedure turn entry point after starting the turn prematurely, or returning to a cleared altitude after leveling early. Pride or embarrassment about errors must never prevent correcting them.

Regulatory and Operational Requirements

Compliance with regulations and company policies forms the foundation of professional operations. While regulations establish minimum standards, many operators impose more conservative limitations based on specific aircraft capabilities, operational environment, or company philosophy. Understanding both regulatory requirements and company policies, and knowing when discretionary decision-making is appropriate versus when rules must be strictly followed, represents professional maturity.

Flight time and duty time limitations protect against fatigue, limiting how long pilots can fly and how long they can be on duty before rest is required. These regulations recognize circadian rhythms and cumulative fatigue effects, establishing different limits for various operation types. Pilots must understand applicable limits and should personally monitor for fatigue symptoms, recognizing when they're too fatigued to operate safely even if within regulatory limits.

Sterile cockpit rules prohibit nonessential activities and conversations during critical phases of flight, typically defined as taxi, takeoff, initial climb, final approach, and landing. This rule recognizes that these phases demand maximum attention and shouldn't be diluted by casual conversation, paperwork, or other distractions. Crews who maintain sterile cockpit discipline are better positioned to detect developing problems and respond appropriately.

EASA Learning Objectives

The EASA syllabus for Operational Procedures encompasses normal procedures for all flight phases, emergency and abnormal procedures, crew coordination and CRM integration, operational planning and decision-making, regulatory compliance, and the practical application of knowledge from other subjects to real operations. Candidates must demonstrate understanding of standard operating procedures, proficiency in using checklists and procedures, emergency prioritization and decision-making, and integration of technical knowledge into operational contexts.

Related Articles:

• Human Performance - ATPL Subject 040
• Flight Planning - ATPL Subject 033
• Air Law - ATPL Subject 010
• Communications - ATPL Subject 091/092