EASA Air Operations (CAT)

EASA Easy Access - Air Operations knowledge required for ATPL (A) licence

Circling Minima for class A

MDH 400ft

RVR 1500m

Circling Minima for class B

MDH 500ft

RVR 1600m

Circling Minima for class C

MDH 600ft

RVR 2400m

Circling Minima for class D

MDH 700ft

RVR 3200m

Approach Minima CAT I

RVR at least 550 m

DH at least 200 ft

Approach Minima CAT II

RVR at least 300 m

DH at least 100 ft

Approach Minima CAT III A

RVR at least 200 m

DH at least 50 ft

Approach Minima CAT III B

RVR at least 50 m

DH at least 0 ft

Approach Minima CAT III C

NO RVR

NO DH

Not used in Europe, where the MINIMUM RVR is 75 m.

Old CAT I/II/III A/III B/IIIC subdivision

The classification does not subdivide CAT III operations into CAT IIIA, IIIB, and IIIC. The actual minima applicable to any operation depends on the aircraft equipment and the specific LVO approval held by the air operator.

The AFM for aircraft certified for CAT III operations will state the lowest usable DH, or no DH. Some AFMs may refer to the previous ICAO classifications as follows:

• CAT IIIA: a DH lower than 30 m (100 ft) or no DH and an RVR not less than 175 m;

• CAT IIIB: a DH lower than 15 m (50 ft) or no DH and an RVR less than 175 m but not less than 50 m; and

• CAT IIIC: no DH and no RVR limitations.

CAT IIIC has not been used in Europe and the minimum RVR in the EU regulations is 75 m.

Define new IAP subdivision (A/B, 2D/3D)

Type A: DH >= 250 ft

Type B: DH < 250 ft

2D: lateral guidance only

3D: lateral and vertical guidance

What are the requirements for CAT II/III approaches

Radio Altimeter capable of determining DH

RA callouts below 200 ft

At least 2 flight crew members

What is the required visibility to commence an approach?

There is no prohibition on the commencement of an approach based on the reported RVR or VIS.

Low visibility conditions definition

Low visibility conditions means meteorological conditions with a runway visual range (RVR) less than 550 m.

At DH, what must be visible in order to continue the descent? (LVO)

For CAT II operations and CAT III operations conducted with fail-passive flight control system:

• Segment of at least three consecutive lights of the centre line of the approach lights or TDZ lights or runway centre line lights or edge lights or a combination of these; and

• A lateral element of the ground pattern, such as an approach lighting crossbar, or the landing threshold, or a barrette of the TDZ lighting unless the operation is conducted using a HUD or an equivalent system to touchdown.

For CAT III operations conducted either with fail-operational flight control systems or with a fail-operational hybrid landing system using a DH:

at least one centre line light to be attained and maintained by the pilot.

LVTO and Specific Approval LVTO RVR required

Take-off operations are classified as ‘normal take-off operations’ with an RVR at or above 550 m and ‘LVTO operations’ with an RVR below 550 m. Only LVTO operations in an RVR of less than 400 m require a specific approval.

Lowest possible DH/MDH depending on IAP type

ILS: 200 ft

LPV: 200 ft

VOR/DME: 250 ft

LNAV/VNAV: 250 ft

LOC: 250 ft

VOR: 300 ft

NDB/DME: 300 ft

LCTR: 350 ft

At what height do you make the final checklist and MA review during a circling approach?

500 ft AGL

Runway type minima (PA, NPA, Non-Instrument), lowest DH/MDH

PA: 200 ft

NPA: 250 ft

Non-Instrument: circling minima

Take-off minima without LVTO approval

Minimum RVR or VIS:

• DAY: 500 m with no facilities; 400 m with centreline markings or rwy edge lights or rwy centreline lights

• NIGHT: 400 m with rwy END lights AND edge lights/centreline lights

What is the altitude above the aerodrome below which the approach can be continued at commander’s discretion in case of temporarily failed or downgraded GROUND equipment?

1000 ft AAL

Maximum bank angle for a stabilised approach?

30 degress

Maximum variations in the ROD for a stabilised approach?

Variations should not exceed 50% of the target ROD

Maximum ROD for a stabilised approach in the FAS?

1000 fpm, in case of higher than normal approach GS (i.e. compliance with ATC speed restrictions) an higher ROD can be maintaned but must be briefed in advance.

At what height should the airplane be stabilised for landing?

Normally 500 ft AAL, for approach operations without visual reference with the ground 1000 ft AAL

For an RNP APCH using Baro VNAV altimeter readings should not differ more than:

100 ft at or before the FAF

Maximum XTK deviation for an RNAV/RNP procedure?

± 0.5 RNP value for the procedure;

up to 1 RNP value in case of brief deviations such as turns

Maximum vertical deviation for an RNAV/RNP approach?

± 75 ft or half-scale deflection at or below 1000 ft AAL, unless the crew has the visual references required to continue the approach

At what distance from the FAF must the a/c be established on the final approach track in order to accept “Direct to” clearances to the IF?

2 NM

Can a pilot accept a “Direct to” clearance to the FAF?

No

Maximum angle to trasition (to and from) an offset track enroute?

45°

An RNP APCH operation should be discontinued if: (3 cases)

• navigation system failure is annunciated (e.g. warning flag);

• lateral or vertical deviations exceed the tolerances;

• loss of the on-board monitoring and alerting system.

Unless sufficient visual reference to continue the approach has been established.

Above what height may the crew decide to continue the approach to a revised minima in case of loss of vertical guidance?

above 1000 ft AGL → switch LNAV minima

below 1000 ft AGL → go-around

What are the differences between Noise Abatement Departure Procedures (NADP) 1 and 2?

NADP1: close-in noise abatement objective, initial thrust reduction at ≥ 800 ft AAL, flap/slat retraction and acceleration at ≤ 3000 ft AAL, then accelerate to en-route climb speed

NADP2: distant noise abatemente objective, flap/slat retraction and acceleration at ≥ 800 ft AAL, thrust reduction after first flap retraction, then accelerate to en-route climb speed

For each type of NADP (1 or 2) a single climb profile should be specified for use at all aerodromes. NADP 1 and 2 may be identical.

NADP - Minimum altitude of the first pilot action and maximum altitude of the end of the procedure?

1- ≥ 800 ft AAL (usually power reduction with or without acceleration

2- ≤ 3000 ft AAL 

Do NADP rules address lateral profile of the departure procedure?

No, the rule addresses only the vertical profile of the departure procedure.

Define RNAV/RNP “X” designation

It represents the lateral navigation accuracy (total system error) in NM, which is expected to be achieved at least 95 % of the flight time by the population of aircraft operating within the airspace, route or procedure.

What does MOPSC mean?

Maximum Operational Passenger Seating Configuration

Maximum distance from an adequate aerodrome for twin engine without ETOPS approval? (ISA conditions, still air)

Class A with MOPSC ≥ 20: d flown in 60 minutes at the OEI cruising speed.

Class A with MOPSC < 20: d flown in 120 minutes (or 180 minutes, subject to approval) at the OEI cruising speed.

Class B or C, the lesser of: d flown in 120 minutes at the OEI cruising speed or 300 NM.

Minimum Obstacle Clearance Altitude (MOCA)

KSS formula

MOCA is the sum of the maximum terrain or obstacle elevation, whichever is higher, plus:

• 1000 ft for elevation ≤ 6000 ft

• 2000 ft for elevation > 6000 ft

(corridor width depends on distance and navaid)

Jeppesen formula

Route MORA:

• 1000 ft for elevation ≤ 5000 ft

• 2000 ft for elevation > 5000 ft

(10 NM either side)

LIDO formula

Minimum Terrain Clearance Altitude (MTCA):

• 1000 ft for elevation ≤ 6000 ft

• 2000 ft for elevation > 6000 ft

(5 NM either side for SID and STAR, 10 NM for airways)

What is the lowest MOCA to be indicated?

2000 ft

Minimum en-route altitude (MEA)

MEA is based on the elevation of the highest point along the route segment, plus:

• 1500 ft for elevation ≤ 5000 ft

• 2000 ft for elevation > 5000 ft but ≤ 10000 ft

• 10% of elevation + 1000ft for elevation > 10000 ft

(10 NM either side up to 100 NM, after 100 NM 10% of segment length up to 60 NM)

During flight preparation for PBN operations, what’s the maximum duration of predicted continuous loss of fault detection that can be ignored?

With RAIM: the availability should be checked during preflight planning and in case of a predicted continuous loss of fault detection of > 5 minutes, the flight planning should be revised to reflect the lack of full PBN capability for that period.

For RNP 4 with only GNSS sensors: the maximum allowable time for which FDE capability is projected to be unavailable on any one event is 25 minutes.

For RNAV 10 operations: time limit declared for the inertial system

What is the duration of an AIRAC cycle?

28 days