NCO.OP.110 Aerodrome operating minima — aeroplanes and helicopters
Regulation (EU) 2021/2237
(a) For instrument flight rules (IFR) flights, the pilot-in-command shall establish aerodrome operating minima for each departure, destination or alternate aerodrome that is planned to be used in order to ensure separation of the aircraft from terrain and obstacles and to mitigate the risk of loss of visual references during the visual flight segment of instrument approach operations.
(b) The aerodrome operating minima shall take the following elements into account, if relevant:
(1) the type, performance, and handling characteristics of the aircraft;
(2) the equipment available on the aircraft for the purpose of navigation, acquisition of visual references, and/or control of the flight path during take-off, approach, landing, and missed approach;
(3) any conditions or limitations stated in the aircraft flight manual (AFM);
(4) the dimensions and characteristics of the runways/final approach and take-off areas (FATOs) that may be selected for use;
(5) the adequacy and performance of the available visual and non-visual aids and infrastructure;
(6) the obstacle clearance altitude/height (OCA/H) for the instrument approach procedures (IAPs), if established;
(7) the obstacles in the climb-out areas and clearance margins;
(8) the competence and relevant operational experience of the pilot-in-command;
(9) the IAP, if established;
(10) the aerodrome characteristics and the type of air navigation services (ANS) available, if any;
(11) any minima that may be promulgated by the State of the aerodrome;
(12) the conditions prescribed in any specific approvals for low-visibility operations (LVOs) or operations with operational credits.;
TAKE-OFF OPERATIONS
(a) General
Take-off minima should be expressed as visibility (VIS) or runway visual range (RVR) limits, taking into account all relevant factors for each runway/final approach and take-off area (FATO)/operating site planned to be used and aircraft characteristics and equipment. Where there is a specific need to see and avoid obstacles on departure and/or for a forced landing, additional conditions, e.g. ceiling, it should be specified.
(b) Visual reference
(1) The take-off minima should be selected to ensure sufficient guidance to control the aircraft in the event of both a rejected take-off in adverse circumstances and an engine failure after rotation.
(2) For night operations, sufficient lighting should be in operation to illuminate the runway/final approach and take-off area (FATO) and any relevant obstacles.
(3) For point-in-space (PinS) departures to an initial departure fix (IDF), the take-off minima should be selected to ensure sufficient guidance to see and avoid obstacles and return to the heliport if the flight cannot be continued visually to the IDF. The minimum VIS should be 800 m and the minimum ceiling should be 250 ft.
(4) For helicopters outside of a runway environment, the minimum VIS should be 800 m, and for offshore helideck operations, the minimum VIS should be 500 m.
MONITORING AND VERIFICATION
(a) Preflight and general considerations
(1) At navigation system initialisation, the pilot-in-command should confirm that the navigation database is current and verify that the aircraft position, if required, has been entered correctly.
(2) The active flight plan, if applicable, should be checked by comparing the charts or other applicable documents with navigation equipment and displays. This includes confirmation of the waypoint sequence, reasonableness of track angles and distances, any altitude or speed constraints, and, where possible, which waypoints are fly-by and which are fly-over. Where relevant, the RF leg arc radii should be confirmed.
(3) The pilot-in-command should check that the navigation aids critical to the operation of the intended PBN procedure are available.
(4) The pilot-in-command should confirm the navigation aids that should be excluded from the operation, if any.
(5) An arrival, approach or departure procedure should not be used if the validity of the procedure in the navigation database has expired.
(b) Departure
(1) Prior to commencing a take-off on a PBN procedure, the pilot-in-command should verify that the area navigation system is available and operating correctly and the correct aerodrome and runway data has been loaded. A positive check should be made that the indicated aircraft position is consistent with the actual aircraft position at the start of the take-off roll (aeroplanes) or lift-off (helicopters).
(2) Where GNSS is used, the signal should be acquired before the take-off roll (aeroplanes) or lift-off (helicopters) commences.
(3) Unless automatic updating of the actual departure point is provided, the pilot-in-command should ensure initialisation on the runway or FATO either by means of a manual runway threshold or intersection update, as applicable. This is to preclude any inappropriate or inadvertent position shift after take-off.
(c) Arrival and approach
(1) The pilot-in-command should verify that the navigation system is operating correctly and the correct arrival procedure and runway (including any applicable transition) are entered and properly depicted.
(2) Any published altitude and speed constraints should be observed.
(3) The pilot-in-command should check approach procedures (including alternate aerodromes if needed) as extracted by the system (e.g. CDU flight plan page) or presented graphically on the moving map, in order to confirm the correct loading and the reasonableness of the procedure content.
(4) Prior to commencing the approach operation (before the IAF), the pilot-in-command should verify the correctness of the loaded procedure by comparison with the appropriate approach charts. This check should include:
(i) the waypoint sequence;
(ii) reasonableness of the tracks and distances of the approach legs and the accuracy of the inbound course; and
(iii) the vertical path angle, if applicable.
(d) Altimetry settings for RNP APCH operations using Baro VNAV
(1) Barometric settings
(i) The pilot-in-command should set and confirm the correct altimeter setting and check that the two altimeters provide altitude values that do not differ more than 100 ft at the most at or before the FAF.
(ii) The pilot-in-command should fly the procedure with:
(A) a current local altimeter setting source available — a remote or regional altimeter setting source should not be used; and
(B) the QNH/QFE, as appropriate, set on the aircraft’s altimeters.
(2) Temperature compensation
(i) For RNP APCH operations to LNAV/VNAV minima using Baro VNAV:
(A) the pilot-in-command should not commence the approach when the aerodrome temperature is outside the promulgated aerodrome temperature limits for the procedure, unless the area navigation system is equipped with approved temperature compensation for the final approach;
(B) when the temperature is within promulgated limits, the pilot-in-command should not make compensation to the altitude at the FAF; and
(C) since only the final approach segment is protected by the promulgated aerodrome temperature limits, the pilot-in-command should consider the effect of temperature on terrain and obstacle clearance in other phases of flight.
(ii) For RNP APCH operations to LNAV minima using Baro VNAV:
(A) the pilot-in-command should consider the effect of temperature on terrain and obstacle clearance in all phases of flight, in particular on any step-down fix;
(B) if the temperature is outside promulgated limits for RNP APCH to LNAV/VNAV minima, the pilot-in-command should not use a Baro VNAV function for vertical guidance, unless the area navigation system is equipped with approved temperature compensation for the final approach.
(e) Sensor and lateral navigation accuracy selection
(1) For multi-sensor systems, the pilot-in-command should verify, during the approach, that the GNSS sensor is used for position computation.
(2) For aircraft with RNP input selection capability, the pilot-in-command should confirm that the indicated RNP value is appropriate for the PBN operation.
NCO.OP.150 Carriage of passengers
Regulation (EU) 2018/394
The pilot-in-command shall ensure that, prior to and during taxiing, take-off and landing, and whenever deemed necessary in the interest of safety, each passenger on board occupies a seat or berth and has his/her safety belt or restraint device properly secured.
NCO.OP.165 Ice and other contaminants – ground procedures
Regulation (EU) No 800/2013
The pilot-in-command shall only commence take-off if the aircraft is clear of any deposit that might adversely affect the performance or controllability of the aircraft, except as permitted in the AFM.
NCO.OP.175 Take-off conditions — aeroplanes and helicopters
Regulation (EU) 2021/2237
Before commencing take-off, the pilot-in-command shall be satisfied that:
(a) according to the information available, the meteorological conditions at the aerodrome or the operating site and the condition of the runway/FATO intended to be used will not prevent a safe take-off and departure; and
(b) the selected aerodrome operating minima are consistent with all of the following:
(1) the operative ground equipment;
(2) the operative aircraft systems;
(3) the aircraft performance;
(4) flight crew qualifications.
AMC1 NCO.OP.175 Take-off conditions — aeroplanes and helicopters
ED Decision 2022/012/R
METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS FOR TAKE-OFF — AEROPLANES
(a) When the reported visibility is below that required for take-off and RVR is not reported, a take‑off should only be commenced if the pilot-in-command can determine that the visibility along the take-off runway/area is equal to or better than the required minimum.
(b) When no reported visibility or RVR is available, a take-off should only be commenced if the pilot‑in-command can determine that the RVR/VIS along the take-off runway/area is equal to or better than the required minimum.
NCO.OP.206 Approach and landing conditions — helicopters
Regulation (EU) 2021/2237
Before commencing an approach to land, the pilot-in-command shall be satisfied that:
(a) according to the information available, the meteorological conditions at the aerodrome or the operating site and the condition of the final approach and take-off area (FATO) intended to be used will not prevent a safe approach, landing or missed approach; and
(b) the selected aerodrome operating minima are consistent with all of the following:
(1) the operative ground equipment;
(2) the operative aircraft systems;
(3) the aircraft performance;
(4) flight crew qualifications.