CAT.POL.A.355 Approval of reduced required landing distance operations

EQUIVALENT LEVEL OF SAFETY A level of safety equivalent to that intended by CAT.POL.A.330(a) may be achieved when conducting reduced required landing distance operations if mitigating measures are established and implemented. Such measures should address flight crew, aircraft characteristics and performance, aerodromes and operations. It is, however, essential that all conditions established are adhered to as it is the combination of said conditions that achieves the intended level of safety. The operator should in fact also consider the interrelation of the various mitigating measures. The competent authority may require other mitigating measures in addition to those proposed by the operator.

CONTROL OF THE TOUCHDOWN AREA The control of the touchdown area may be ensured by using external references visible from the flight crew compartment. The end of the designated touchdown area should be clearly identified with a ground reference point beyond which a go-around is required. Adequate go-around and balked landing instructions should be established in the OM. A written and/or pictorial description of the procedure should be provided for crew use.

TYPE EXPERIENCE The operator should specify in the OM the minimum pilot’s experience on the aircraft type or class used to conduct such operations.

TRAINING PROGRAMME

(a)Initial training

(1)The aerodrome training programme shall include ground and flight training with a suitably qualified instructor.

(2)Flight training should be carried out on the runway of the intended operations, and should include a suitable number of:

(i)approaches and landings; and

(ii)missed approach/balked landings.

(3)When performing approaches and landings, particular emphasis should be placed on:

(i)stabilised approach criteria;

(ii)accuracy of flare and touchdown;

(iii)positive identification of the ground reference point controlling the touchdown area; and

(iv)correct use of deceleration devices.

(4)These exercises should be conducted in accordance with the specific control procedure of the touchdown area established by the operator and should enable the flight crew to identify the external visual references and the designated touchdown area.

(b)Recurrent training The operator should ensure that in conjunction with the recurrent training and checking programme required by Subpart FC of Annex III (Part-ORO) to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, the pilot’s knowledge and ability to perform the tasks associated with this particular operation, for which the pilot is authorised by the operator, are verified.

RECENCY The operator should define in the OM appropriate recent-experience requirements to ensure that the pilot’s ability to perform an approach to and landing on the intended runway is maintained.

AERODROME LANDING ANALYSIS PROGRAMME (ALAP) The intent of an ALAP is to ensure that the aerodrome critical data related to landing performance in reduced required landing distance operations is known and taken into account in order to avoid any further increase of the landing distance. Two important aerodrome-related variables largely contribute to increasing the landing distance: landing (ground) speed and deceleration capability. Related factors to consider should include at least the following elements:

(a)Topography Terrain around the aerodrome should be considered. High, fast-rising terrain may require special approach or decision points, missed approach or balked landing procedures and may affect landing performance. Aerodromes located on top of hilly terrain or downwind of mountainous terrain may occasionally experience conditions of wind shear and gusts. Such conditions are particularly relevant during the landing manoeuvre, particularly during the flare, and may increase landing distance.

(b)Runway conditions Runway characteristics, such as unknown slope and surface composition, can cause the actual landing distance to be longer than the calculated landing distance. Braking action always impacts the landing distance required as it deteriorates. To this regard, consideration should be given to, and information obtained on, the maintenance status of the runway, as a wet runway surface may be significantly degraded due to poor aerodrome maintenance.

(c)Aerodrome or area weather Some aerodromes may not have current weather reports and forecast available for flight planning. Others may have automated observations for operational use. Others may depend on the weather forecast of a nearby aerodrome. Area forecasts are also valuable in evaluating weather conditions for a particular operation. Comparing forecasted conditions to current conditions provides insight on upcoming changes as weather systems move and forecasts are updated. Longer flight segments may lean more heavily on the forecast for the ETA, as current conditions may change significantly as weather systems move. The most important factors that should be considered are contained in AMC1 CAT.OP.MPA.300(a), AMC1 CAT.OP.MPA.311, GM1 CAT.OP.MPA.311, GM1 CAT.OP.MPA.303 and GM2 CAT.OP.MPA.303.

(d)Adverse weather Adverse weather conditions include, but are not restricted to, thunderstorms, showers, downbursts, squall lines, tornadoes, moderate or severe turbulence on approach, heavy precipitation, wind shear and icing conditions. In general, all weather phenomena having the potential to increase the landing distance should be carefully assessed. Among these, tailwind is particularly relevant. Wind variations should be carefully monitored as they may lead to variations in the reported and/or actual wind at the touchdown zone. Due consideration should be given also to the crosswind perpendicular to the landing runway as a slight variation in the direction of the crosswind may result in a considerable tailwind component.

(e)Runway safety margins Displaced thresholds, aerodrome construction, and temporary obstacles (such as cranes and drawbridges) may impact the runway length available for landing. NOTAMs must be consulted during the flight preparation. Another safety margin is the size and adequacy of the runway strip and the RESA. A well-designed and well-maintained runway strip and RESA decrease the risk of damaging

AERODROME LANDING ANALYSIS PROGRAMME (ALAP) — AERODROME FACILITIES The ALAP may also consider the services that are available at the aerodrome. Services such as communications, maintenance, and fuelling, availability of adequate RFFS and medical services may have an impact on operations to and from that aerodrome, though not directly related to the landing distance. It is also worth considering whether the aerodrome is only meeting ICAO and national standards or also ICAO recommendations, as well as when the aerodrome bearing ratios are below the design and maintenance criteria indicated in ICAO Doc 9157 ‘Aerodrome Design Manual’.

EQUIPMENT AFFECTING LANDING PERFORMANCE Equipment affecting landing performance typically includes flaps, slats, spoilers, brakes, anti-skid, autobrakes, reversers, etc. The operator should establish procedures to identify, based on the aircraft characteristics, those systems and the equipment that are performance relevant, and to ensure that they are verified to be operative before commencing the flight. Appropriate entries should be included in the MEL to prohibit dispatch with such equipment inoperative when conducting reduced required landing distance operations.

EQUIPMENT AFFECTING LANDING PERFORMANCE Should any item of equipment affecting landing performance become inoperative during flight, the failure will be dealt with in accordance with the abnormal/emergency procedures established in the OM and, based on the prevailing conditions for the remainder of the flight, the commander will decide upon the discontinuation of the planned operation of reduced required landing distance.

CORRECT USE OF DECELERATION DEVICES Flight crew should use full reverse when landing, irrespective of any noise-related restriction on its use, unless this affects the controllability of the aircraft. The use of all stopping devices, including reverse thrust, should commence immediately after touchdown without any delay.

SPECIFIC MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS Additional maintenance instructions, such as, but not limited to, more frequent checks for the aircraft’s deceleration devices, especially for the reverse system, should be established by the operator in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and be included in the operator’s maintenance programme in accordance with Annex I (Part-M) to Regulation (EU) No 1321/2014.

SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES The operator should establish procedures for the flight crew to check before take-off the correct deployment of the deceleration devices, such as the reverse system.

ADDITIONAL AERODROME CONDITIONS

(a)Operators should establish procedures to ensure that:

(1)the aerodrome information is obtained from an authoritative source, or when this is not available, from a source that has been verified by the operator to meet quality standards that are adequate for the intended use; and

(2)any change reducing landing distances that has been declared by the aerodrome operator has been taken into account.

(b)Additional aerodrome conditions related to aeroplane type characteristics, orographic characteristics in the approach area, available approach aids and missed approach/balked landing considerations, as well as operating limitations, should also be taken into account.

(c)When assessing the aerodrome characteristics and the level of risk of the aeroplane undershooting or overrunning the runway, the operator should consider the nature and location of any hazard beyond the runway end, including the topography and obstruction environment beyond the runway strip, the length of the RESA and the effectiveness of any other mitigation measures that may be in place to reduce the likelihood and the consequences of a runway overrun.