Airports

Question 1

Category A Airport

Answer 1

A Category A airport is an airport that is approved for all operations and can be nominated as a Destination, Alternate, Adequate or Emergency airport.

Question 2

Category B Airport

Answer 2

A Category B airport meets category A requirements but has additional considerations. These considerations may be operational, environmental or, on occasion, commercial. The RMS Airport section lists the additional factors that should be considered.

Question 3

Category C Airport

Answer 3

A Category C airport is an airport that cannot be classified as a Category A or B airport but is required for flight planning purposes.

A Category C airport cannot be planned as a Destination or Alternate airport but is approved for use as an Adequate or Emergency airport.

Flight Crew are not to divert to a Category C airport for inflight medical emergencies.

Question 4

Emergency Airport

Answer 4

An Emergency airport is an airport which may be used in an aircraft emergency only. When used for Decision Point Depressurised (DPD) calculations it must satisfy the Acceptable airport requirements noted later in this chapter.

An Emergency airport cannot be planned as a Destination, Alternate or Adequate airport.

Notwithstanding the categorisation of Emergency airports by the Company, the Pilot In Command has the authority to land at any airport in an emergency if they determine that is the most advisable course of action.

Question 5

Departure Airport

Answer 5

An airport from which an aircraft is planned to depart.

If the airport is a Category C airport the PIC must contact the IOC and gain the Duty Captain’s approval before departure.

If the airport is an Emergency airport the PIC must gain Chief Pilot or delegate approval before departure.

Question 6

Destination Airport

Answer 6

A Category A or B airport at which the aircraft is planned to arrive.

Question 7

Alternate Airport

Answer 7

A Category A or B airport to which a flight may proceed if it becomes inadvisable to land at the airport of intended landing.

Question 8

Isolated Airport

Answer 8

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

Question 9

Remote Island

Answer 9

A Remote Island is defined by CASA in CAO 82.0.

Question 10

Adequate Airport

Answer 10

An Adequate airport may be a Category A, B or C airport

Question 11

Suitable Airport

Answer 11

A Suitable airport is a Category A or B airport that:

Does not require an alternate during the period of intended use; or

For which appropriate holding fuel is carried i.e. weather, Navaid availability, etc.

Question 12

Acceptable Airport

Answer 12

An Acceptable airport is a Category A, B, C or Emergency airport which at the time of departure is forecast to be above Landing Minima for the applicable period.

Question 13

Available Airport

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Requirement for an Alternate

Answer 14

The PIC must provide for a Suitable Alternate airport when the arrival at the airport of intended landing will be during the currency of, or up to 30 minutes prior to the forecast commencement of, any one or more of the following weather conditions:

more than scattered (SCT) cloud below the Alternate Criteria;

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:

FEW plus FEW is equivalent to SCT;
FEW plus SCT is equivalent to BKN;
SCT plus SCT is equivalent to BKN or OVC.
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.

An Alternate airport may be a Category A or B airport.

Question 15

When No Instrument Approach is Available

Answer 15

A flight to a destination without an approved instrument approach must be planned with a suitable alternate.

By day or by night, descent below the last lowest safe altitude or MSA can only be made if the requirements are met for a visual approach as listed in AIP ENR 1.5. These rules also apply when the navigation aids that all approved approaches are predicated on, are unserviceable.

Question 16

Requirement for a Takeoff Alternate

Answer 16

A Takeoff Alternate is an airport which is required whenever:

the weather conditions at the departure airport are below the lowest published useable Landing Minima; or

other operational conditions exist that would preclude a return to the departure airport.

A Takeoff Alternate may be a Category A, B, C or Emergency airport.

If required a Takeoff Alternate will be located within two hours flight time of the departure airport, on the basis of one engine being inoperative.

The forecast for the Takeoff Alternate, for the period for which it would be used, must be above landing minima.

When required a Takeoff Alternate will be specified on the flight plan.

If, after flight plan delivery, the weather or other operational conditions at the departure airport deteriorate or change such that a Takeoff Alternate is required the computer flight plan may be amended by hand.

Question 17

Level Changes in RVSM Airspace

Answer 17

Changing levels in RVSM airspace, a pilot must not overshoot or undershoot the cleared level by more than 150 feet.

An overshoot of more than 300 feet requires reporting

Question 18

RFFS Policy

Answer 18

For operations outside Australian territory, Adequate Airports must be capable of providing RFFS. Callout services are acceptable provided the callout can be effected within 30 minutes of notification and the minimum service is equivalent to Category 4. For operations inside Australian territory RFFS is not required

Question 19

Operations Below LSALT/MSA During Departures and Arrivals

Answer 19

Departures
Operation below LSALT/MSA during departure is permissible when:

a Standard Instrument Departure (SID) is being carried out;

in accordance with Company Departure Procedures;

under surveillance 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) (surveillance environment) or the MSA/LSALT (non-surveillance environment).

Arrivals
Operation below LSALT/MSA 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 surveillance control; or

complying with the requirements of a visual approach (for the applicable State).

Question 20

Jeppesen Grid Minimum Off Route Altitude (MORA) Method

Answer 20

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

Grid MORA squares which fall within an obstacle assessment area of 21 nm either side of the airway or track segment centreline, including a 21 nm semi-circular area at the end of each airway or track segment, are examined.

The highest Grid MORA value within the obstacle assessment area is identified and that figure is depicted on the fuel flight plan if at or above 10,000 ft

Question 21

Digital Terrain Method

Answer 21

Where the Jeppesen Grid MORA Method precludes descent below 10,000 ft and a route escape procedure is required for depressurisation or drift-down, a more precise terrain assessment is carried out using Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) digital terrain data. This assessment will allow terrain beyond the aircraft’s track and associated obstacle assessment area (but within the associated Grid MORA square) to be excluded and for the aircraft to potentially descend to a lower Safety Height.

Obstacle assessment areas are established according to the RNP capability of each aircraft type.

Aircraft Type
Aircraft Navigation Capability
Obstacle Assessment Area (either side of track)
B787
RNP 4
8 nm
A buffer of 2,000 ft is applied to the highest obstacle within the obstacle assessment area either side of the airway or track segment centreline, and including a semi-circular area at the end of each airway or track segment to determine the Safety Height.

The flight planning system is capable of storing only one Safety Height. Consequently, where aircraft of different RNP capability operate on the same route, the most conservative Safety Height will be displayed on the fuel flight plan. A note will appear in the NAV/COM log against the appropriate segment as an alert to Flight Crew. The note will take the following (or similar) form:

Safety Height calculated using Digital Terrain Method – 8 (or 21) nm obstacle assessment area.

The Digital Terrain Method also applies to Safety Heights in route escape procedures. The obstacle assessment area used will be noted on the applicable escape procedure charts.

Question 22

Inflight

Answer 22

In the event of a depressurisation and a reversal procedure is required in accordance with an escape procedure, it is intended that this be conducted as soon as possible, at or above GRID MORA and the escape procedure track established as soon as possible.

The Safety Heights in route escape procedures are only valid if the aircraft is within the applicable RNP derived containment area. Outside this area, Grid MORA must be observed.

Aircraft operating between Asia and Europe must depart with both GPS serviceable. In the unlikely event of total GPS failure enroute and actual navigation performance subsequently exceeds RNP4, Grid MORA must be observed.

Question 23

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

Answer 23

with regard to each airport which may be used, all of the following:

physical characteristics and layout,

lighting,

obstructions on and in the vicinity of the airport,

local meteorological characteristics,

approach aids,

arrival, departure, holding and instrument approach procedures, and applicable operating minima.

with regard to the route to be flown, all of the following:

terrain and Safety Heights,

applicable meteorological conditions,

the nature and status of meteorological, communications and air traffic facilities, the airspace structure, ATS and procedures,

search and rescue procedures,

navigational facilities, and any special navigational procedures associated with the route.

Question 24

Diversions/Technical Calls

Payload Offload Policy

Answer 24

All flights shall depart carrying the offered payload for the destination providing the Company Fuel Policy can be complied with.

In cases where this is not possible, prior to any preflight off-load/technical call/overflight decision being made, the Pilot In Command shall contact Operations Control in Sydney who will assess the commercial implications of the options. The decision reached shall not be changed preflight without further consultation with Sydney.

The telephone number to be used in these instances is:

International operations (i.e. QF001 to QF399 inclusive) from within Australia – (02) 9691 1961 (or 2 – 1961);

International operations from outside Australia – +61 2 9669 3944.

Question 25

Inflight

When a diversion is considered likely

Answer 25

the Pilot In Command should attempt to contact Operations Control for information as to the preferred commercial alternate

Question 26

After Landing

Answer 26

As soon as possible after arrival at the diversion airport, establish contact with the Ground Handling Agent to coordinate ground handling and aircraft dispatch.

If the local ground personnel have not been trained or are not qualified to operate aircraft doors, it will be necessary for the Cabin Crew to open and close the door(s). If this is the case, the door procedures described in the SOP chapter of the CCOM are to be used. Any cabin door, either entry or service, must not be open without doorway protection.

Do not disembark passengers until after the Ground Staff or Ground Handling Agent gives their approval.

Flight Crew should request specific takeoff data and obstacle clearance procedure if required from Performance Engineering via Flight Dispatch (+61 2 9691 1320 or SATCOM).

In any delay or disruption that results in any crew member being unable to complete a planned tour of duty, it is the responsibility of the Captain and CSM to contact Operations Control.

Question 27

Diversions Due to Passenger Illness

Answer 27

Diversion due to passenger illness shall not be made to a Category C or an Emergency airport. In addition, carefully check Category B airport constraints if considering use as diversion. Some Category B airports have restrictions on use for a medical emergencies.

In circumstances where a flight diverts due to passenger illness and that passenger disembarks, it is a legal requirement that the baggage belonging to the passenger is off-loaded before the flight can proceed.

In exceptional circumstances, an exemption may be available by contacting the IOC. A decision will be made in consultation with the operating Captain, Duty Captain and the DSC.