Airport And Route Operating Criteria (FAM)

Question 1

What is a MAIN airport?

Answer 1

A Main Airport is an airport assessed by the Airport & Route Assessment Committee as suitable for regularly scheduled or charter operations. An airport may be assessed as a Main Airport for all aircraft types or a particular type of aircraft only.

Question 2

What is an Alternate Airport?

Answer 2

An Alternate Airport is an airport to which a flight may proceed when it becomes inadvisable to land at the airport of intended landing or may be planned as the destination for charter operations. A Main Airport may be nominated as an Alternate Airport

Question 3

What is an Isolated Airport

Answer 3

An Isolated Airport is an airport which does not have an Alternate Airport geographically available.

Question 4

What is an Adequate Airport

Answer 4

An Adequate airport is used for ETOPS purposes and is selected as per CAO 82

An Adequate can be used as the destination for charter ops

Question 5

What is an Emergency Airport?

Answer 5

An Emergency Airport is an airport which may be used in an emergency. When used for Designated Point Depressurised (DPD) calculation it must satisfy the Acceptable Airport requirements

The Airport & Route Assessment Committee may approve an Emergency Airport as the destination airport for charter operations.

Question 6

Explain Take-off Alternate

Answer 6

A Takeoff Alternate is an airport which is required whenever the weather conditions at the departure airport are below the lowest published usable landing minima.

= CAT 1 as you may need to return single engine

= B767 and B737 within the published ETOPS time for flights operated to ETOPS (ER) criteria, or 60 minutes at single engine speed for non-ER operations;

= The WX must be above the adequate criteria

= For non australian ports it must be within 415NM (AV2)

Question 7

What is a suitable Airport?

Answer 7

A Suitable Airport is an airport approved for normal operations and which is forecast not to require an Alternate Airport during the period nominated for use.

A Suitable Airport may be a Main or Alternate Airport.

If an airport is forecast to require an Alternate Airport for an INTER or TEMPO period, the airport can still be considered to be a Suitable Airport provided Special Holding Fuel is carried for the required period.

Question 8

What is an Acceptable airport

Answer 8

An Acceptable Airport is an airport which at the time of departure is forecast to be above Landing Minima for the applicable period.
For B767 and B737 aircraft, when used for DPD calculation, an Acceptable Airport may be a Main, Alternate, Emergency, or Adequate Airport

Question 9

What is an Available Airport?

Answer 9

An Available Airport is an airport, which in the judgement of the Captain is appropriate for landing in terms of weather, airport conditions and runway length, at the time of the intended landing.

Note:
For B767 and B737, there is no requirement to land at the nearest Adequate Airport, however the flight time to the Available Airport selected should not exceed the flight time to the nearest Suitable Airport. Continuance of the flight past the nearest Adequate Airport is only justifiable if all relevant safety factors are considered and the action is considered safe.

Question 10

What is the Requirement for an Alternate?

Answer 10

An airport requires an Alternate and cannot itself be nominated as an Alternate if the ETA will be during the currency of, or up to 30 minutes prior to the forecast commencement of any one or more of the following forecast conditions:

• more than scattered (SCT) cloud below the Alternate Criteria; or
• FEW plus FEW is equivalent to SCT
• FEW plus SCT is equivalent to BKN
• SCT plus SCT is equivalent to BKN or OVC

Note: In determining requirements for Alternate Airports, forecast amounts of cloud below the Alternate Criteria are cumulative. For determining requirements, the cumulative cloud amount is interpreted as above.

• visibility less than the Alternate Criteria;
• visibility exceeding the above but the forecast is endorsed with any probability of fog, mist or dust or any other phenomenon reducing the visibility below the Alternate Criteria;
• a crosswind or downwind component greater than the maximum allowed for the aircraft type (wind limits are inclusive of gusts);

• thunderstorms or their associated severe turbulence or the probability thereof.
When weather conditions are expected to improve at a specific time, provision for an alternate need not be made if sufficient fuel is carried to allow the aircraft to hold until that specified time plus 30 minutes.
Note: 30 minute buffers do not apply when the flight will be completed within the time of validity of a Trend Type Forecast (TTF), ie if adverse conditions before, after, or contained wholly within the TTF do not conflict with an ETA within the TTF period, then buffers do not apply.

Question 11

Airspace Policy?

Answer 11

Flights are to be planned within controlled airspace where possible.
In cruise, Flight Crew should always plan to remain in controlled airspace.

Cruise in Class E airspace should only be considered when flight in Class A or Class C airspace is deemed operationally unsuitable.

For operations to non-controlled airports, flight is permitted through Class G airspace.

Descent and approaches should only be conducted in Class G airspace when no alternatives are available.

In Class E airspace, the use of IFR Pickup, VFR Climb/Descent and VFR On Top procedures are not permitted.

Note: Flight through oceanic Class G airspace is permitted when there are no suitable alternatives.

Question 12

What happens if the Controlled airspace you are meant to fly through becomes deactivated to to Industrial action for example?

Answer 12

• Preflight
Flights are not to be planned to enter or operate in deactivated controlled airspace without the approval of the Head of Flying Operations & Chief Pilot or delegate.

• Inflight
If airborne when advised airspace through which a flight has been planned has been deactivated, the flight may continue to fly through such airspace if it is unable to divert (Pilot In Command decision) to another route in Control Area (CTA) that is not deactivated.

Inflight = call dispatch and see if they can re-route

Question 13

Can we operate into an airport with no Approach slope guidance?

Answer 13

Yes, we have exemption from CAO 82.5 para 5.3 provided:
at destination;
- approval from Chief Pilot
- for up to 7 days
- if it fails after takeoff the decision rests with the Pilot in Command

• In circumstances where a temporary displaced threshold is not provided with new approach slope guidance, the threshold crossing height of the main wheels above the displaced threshold while on the normal approach slope guidance path shall not be less than 20ft. Unless the approach can safely be flown along a path above the normally indicated approach path which restores, to a value above 20ft, the crossing height of the main wheels above the displaced threshold, then that system shall not be used. The operating requirements for unserviceable approach slope guidance shall then apply.
• Alternate Airports do not require approach slope guidance.

Question 14

What are the operating requirements if there is no approach slope guidance?

Answer 14

15.9.3 Operating Requirements
The following conditions must be complied with in operations where approach slope guidance is required but is not available.

• Within the preceding 12 months, the Pilot In Command has demonstrated his competency in approach and landing without approach slope guidance under the supervision of an approved Training Pilot. Where the operation is likely to include a landing by night this competency shall have been demonstrated at night.
• The forecast weather conditions shall not be less than the published circling minima for the runway.

Note: Some States do not publish circling minima. If the circling minima is not quoted on the applicable Jeppesen approach chart the following weather conditions shall be used:
• CAT D - 1000ft, 5km.

• The Flight Crew shall review the terrain and obstacles in the vicinity of the airport and relevant runway.
• In selecting the operationally most suitable runway for landing, nothing shall abrogate the authority of the Pilot In Command under CAR 224(3).

Question 15

When must Visual Approach slope guidance become secondary guide to approach slope to visual aim point?

Answer 15

300’

Question 16

When can you operate below the LSALT/MSA on Departure?

Answer 16

Operation below LSALT/MSA during departure is permissible when:

• a Standard Instrument Departure (SID) is being carried out;
• in accordance with Obstacle Clearance Departure Procedures as published on the Electronic Flight Bag;
• under radar control; or
• carrying out a visual departure in Australia when flight can be maintained in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) below the Minimum Vectored Altitude (MVA) (radar environment) or the MSA/LSALT (non-radar environment).

Question 17

When can you descend below the LSALT/MSA on descent?

Answer 17

Operation below LSALT/MSA on arrival at night or in IMC is permissible only when:
• a Standard Arrival Route (STAR) is being carried out;
• an approved instrument approach is being carried out;
• in accordance with approved Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) distance/height charts;
• under radar control; or
• making a visual approach.

Question 18

Explain the Enroute Safety heights on flight plan?

Answer 18

Enroute Safety Heights are depicted on fuel flight plans for Safety Heights at or above 10,000ft. Safety Heights below 10,000ft are only depicted for segments within 100nm of departure and destination. The lowest Safety Height shown is 2,000ft.

Question 19

What are grid MORA altitudes based on?

Answer 19

Safety Heights are based on 1 degree Grid MORAs derived from the Jeppesen terrain database and provide obstacle clearance of 1,500ft in areas where terrain is 5,000ft MSL or lower, and 2,000ft where terrain is greater than 5,000ft MSL.

Question 20

Route and Airport Required Knowledge for PIC?

Answer 20

15.12.1 Requirement
The Pilot In Command of a RPT operation must have an adequate knowledge and understanding of the following:

In relation to a route to be flown:
• the terrain including the minimum safe altitudes; and
• the seasonal meteorology conditions; and
• the meteorological, communication and air traffic facilities, the airspace structure, the air traffic service and procedures; and
• the search and rescue; and
• the navigational services and procedures, including long-range navigation procedures associated with route; and

In relation to each aerodrome at which it is planned to land:
• the physical characteristics; and
• layout; and
• lighting; and
• obstructions; and
• approach aids, and
• arrival, departure, holding and instrument approach procedures, and applicable operating minima.

Question 21

What are the difference between a Restricted and Unrestricted Airport?

Answer 21

Unrestricted you can self brief

Restricted
Those airports or routes which require the operating pilot (in addition to self-briefing from standard operational documentation) to first complete the Initial Qualification Requirements as published in section 15.12.3 Initial Qualification in order to comply with CAR 218(1)(a) and (b), relying on the exemption provisions of CAR 218(2).

Question 22

Following the initial qualification for a restricted route when does the training need to be renewed?

Answer 22

every 12 months

Question 23

Can you use a restricted airport as a Alternate?

Answer 23

By default, for airport qualification purposes, an airport being considered solely for use as an Alternate may be regarded as Unrestricted, unless that airport is explicitly stated in the RMS Airport Directory as being Restricted for planned Alternate purposes. In the latter case, the Pilot In Command should not plan to use the airport as an Alternate unless the recency requirements of this chapter (refer to section 15.12.4 Renewal of Restricted Airports and Routes) are satisfied.

Question 24

Can a PIC plan to go to a restricted airport if the situation arose inflight?

Answer 24

unplanned inflight contingencies which may oblige the Pilot In Command to select an Available Airport at short notice, in which case Unrestricted provisions apply

Question 25

What is the Payload offload policy?

Answer 25

PIC shall contact EFA operations manager

Question 26

In-flight diversion likely?

Answer 26

When a diversion is considered likely, the Pilot In Command should attempt to contact Operations Control for information as to the preferred commercial alternate. This advice should be followed if operationally acceptable.
When the decision to divert has been made, the Pilot In Command should advise Operations Control at the earliest opportunity of their intentions and also the aircraft serviceability state.
Note: OnACARSequippedaircraft,the“ACARSDiversionReport”pageshould be sent as soon as possible while inflight.