Flight Planning

PREPARATION FOR FLYING CHAPTER 3

The Captain
The Aircraft Captain is in overall responsibility of the aircraft.

1. The Captain has supreme charge in an emergency.
2. They must be a good leader.
3. Any member of an aircraft crew may be appointed as the captain
4. Normally this appointment is most often held by the pilot.

Flight Preparation-The Captains Role
The Captain must ensure flight preparation for themselves & their crew:

1. Familiarity with aircraft, their roles, their training & their confidence
2. The aim of the flight
3. The personal fitness of themselves & crew members
4. The relevant order books have been read and understood: Military Flying Regulations, Air Staff Instructions and the Station Flying Order Books
5. The flying clothing and safety equipment of themselves and crew members is complete and in good repair – and that serviceability checks have been completed.
6. Flight planning & navigation checks are complete

Flight Planning
Flight Planning requires knowledge of:

1. The weather conditions at the time and a forecast of how the weather is likely to change during the flight.
2. ATC clearance, details of available diversion airfields and restricted airspace’s in the region of the flight.
3. Navigation pre-calculations and preparation of maps and charts.

“Self briefings” enable the Pilot/Nav to use Met and ATC info displayed in the Ops/flight planning room to complete the flight plan and prepare maps and charts.
Many units hold a mass briefing for all aircrew at the start of the day’s flying; the Sqn OC, ATC, Wx and other departments brief crews on their areas.

Passenger Briefing
The Captain is responsible for ensuring passengers are briefed – this may be delegated to an Air Loadmaster if present.

The items to be covered will vary but typically include:

1. That the captain of the aircraft is in command of the aircraft and all persons in it, irrespective of rank, whilst in flight.
2. Use of the safety straps, the crash and ditching positions.
3. Escape hatches and dinghy positions where ditching.
4. Fitting oxygen masks & operate the oxygen flow controls.
5. Fitting and operate parachutes.
6. Smoking & naked flame rules when applicable.
7. Operating any R/T communication equipment

Flight Authorisation, Form 3562
No pilot may fly without formal authorization of the flight. An officer (Sqn OC, Flt Cdr) authorises a sortie in the Flight Authorization Book (Form 3562) after considering:

1. Weather conditions
2. Experience of the crew
3. The instrument flying rating of the pilot
4. The equipment available in the aircraft
5. The facilities available at the destination

The 3562 & Form 700 can be impounded for investigation if an accident happens.
The captain signs the 3562 to confirm their responsibilities and the restrictions on the sortie. The 3562 is the official record of flying times & exercises carried out. The captain signs it at the end of the sortie.

MOD 700 Series
The captain signs the Form 705 before a sortie. Their signature certifies that:

1. Flight servicing has been carried out.
2. The aircraft is now shown as serviceable.
3. The time remaining unexpired before the next scheduled servicing is sufficient for completion of the proposed flight.
4. The quantities of fuel, oil, oxygen and armament are sufficient for the flight.
5. They are aware of work done on the aircraft since its last flight.
6. It has been signed by the Flight Services Co-ordinator.

The captain fills in and signs the form on completion of the flight to certify whether the aircraft is “satisfactory” or not for the sortie.

Pre-Flight Checks
On approaching the aircraft the pilot will note:

1. Position in relation to other aircraft
2. Position in relation to obstructions
3. Routes to the taxiway
4. FOD
5. Whether clear to start engines
6. Condition of ground
7. Aircraft is properly chocked
8. Aids to starting engines properly positioned
9. Starting crew & fire extinguishers in place

Detailed checks for the type of aircraft will be found in the Aircrew Manual for the type, but will normally include:

1. External checks.
2. Cockpit checks before starting engines.
3. Warming up and running up (piston engines).
4. Pre-take off checks.

Checks may often be in “card” form and are “called off” to the pilot by another crew member by challenge and response. Checks are a pre-requisite of every flight.
Checks are integral to the team work that goes into preparing the aircraft and crew for flight. They are the final steps in ensuring that all is ready for take-off.

External Checks
A properly completed Form 700 series is an assurance that the aircraft has been serviced. It is good airmanship & good practice for a pilot to inspect the outside of the aircraft to ensure it is aerodynamically and operationally fit for flight. They will:

1. Check inside the cockpit to ensure that brakes are on and switches are off.
2. Walk right round the aircraft, checking the surfaces of fuselage, wings & tail plane for signs of damage, ice, hydraulic fluid, fuel or oil leaks, and check fastenings of inspection panels.
3. Check pitot head and static vent covers have been removed
4. Check external control locks, external undercarriage locks, engine covers and blanking plates have been removed
5. Inspect the undercarriage for serviceability, noting signs of damage or excessive wear in tyres and wheels.

Checks before starting
Starting engines is a team procedure between the pilot and the ground handling team.
Before starting the Captain will ensure that:

1. They, the crew and passengers are correctly seated and strapped in.
2. He will then check the cockpit to ensure that fuel and other services required are switched on
3. The undercarriage is selected down and is shown as being locked down
4. The brakes are locked on and pressurised
5. The engines are switched as required.

The pilot will then indicate the engines ready to be started by shouting “All clear for starting?”. The Ground crew will then check it is clear. The pilot then repeats this before starting the engine.

Checks after starting
Engine checks after start-up vary according to type.

1. Piston engines
1. Check that the oil pressure registers on the gauge.
2. Engine warmed to the cylinder head and oil temps.
3. Run engine to higher rpm, to test the power output, functioning of magnetos and operation of the propeller variable pitch control.
4. This may be done at dispersal or may be done after taxiing to the marshalling point at the runway in use.
2. Jet Engines
1. Jet engines do not require warming up
2. There is a brief period during start-up, whilst the engine is winding up to idling rpm and the flame is not fully stabilized
3. If the temperature is rising too rapidly the engine must be closed down before the permitted maximum is exceeded – otherwise engine damage can occur or a fire could break out.

Taxiing – Prelims & Speeds
Any special points to be watched while taxiing are described in the Aircrew Manual for the aircraft type.
In general:

1. The pilot must check the brakes ASAP after starting to taxi whilst the speed is still low.
2. The pilot will always keep the amount of engine power used in taxiing as low as possible, since aircraft brakes can quickly overheat if abused.

Taxiing speeds depend entirely on he circumstances. The overall consideration must be to limit the speed to:

1. give time to cope with any emergency
2. to limit the stresses on the undercarriage
3. Any obstructions or turning sharply.

Taxiing Steering
If the aircraft has nose wheel steering, wheel brakes will be used only to slow or stop the aircraft.

1. In aircraft without nose wheel steering, the pilot has to use the brakes to steer the aircraft - left brake to turn left
2. The application of brake to one wheel and not the other, in order to steer the aircraft is called “differential braking”.

In tail wheel aircraft, where the CoG is behind the main wheels, there is a tendency for a turn, once started, to tighten up.
In nose wheel aircraft, where the CoG is ahead of the main wheels, a natural directional stability results and the turning force has to be maintained to sustain the turn.

Taxiing Wind

1. The wind velocity can be an important consideration when taxiing.
2. The effect of the wind on the keel surfaces (ie the fin and rudder) normally tends to turn an aircraft into wind – the “weather cock” effect.
3. In a strong wind, the effectiveness of the brakes in countering weather cocking may well be the limiting factor in the use of these aircraft.
4. In strong or gusty winds the controls must be held firmly to prevent them being blown against their stops;
5. Aircrew Manuals indicate when control locks may be used when taxiing.

Taxiing – Obstructions

1. The pilot must keep a good look-out for obstructions and other aircraft at all times when taxiing.
2. In a large aircraft it is normal to post crew members in suitable positions in the aircraft to supplement his look out.
3. In single piston engine aircraft the pilot’s forward view is restricted by the nose:
1. As such they must taxi slowly
2. Yaw the nose from side to side to ensure that the way ahead is clear.

In any aircraft, if doubt exists about the clearances or position of obstacles, the aircraft should be stopped.

Pre-take-off checks
“Pre-take-off checks” are vital to the safety of the aircraft. The actions following PTOCs are called “vital actions”. The PTOCs ensure equipment for successful take-off and climb away is functioning and set correctly:

1. the supply of fuel to the engine
2. the position of the flaps
3. the operation of the flight instruments
4. plus others

PTOCs are generally double checks of previous checks – but they are the final checks before take off.
In multi-crew aircraft the checks are done on “challenge and response” basis.
In single-seat aircraft the pilot does them from memory.