FLIGHT PHASES

Flight crew sign in

 crew members are required to sign in at the airport flight operations office (nominally) 1 hour prior to the departure of the first leg. Crews arrive earlier.

•  Cabin crew attend the briefing session with the chief purser. Planning task

• pre-flight briefing 

Operations/Planning

best routing (min. Time, min. Fuel, ride conditions). Flight plan accounting for aircraft type, forecast weather conditions, and other constraints and limitations. 

• The flight plan is printed out and its details are examined by incoming cockpit crew 

Pre-flight

cockpit crew performs an exterior walk around examination. 

• Cockpit setup and system checks. 

• Cabin crew performs the in-flight inspection and galley preparation 

• Communication between the cockpit and cabin crew members is critical to the safety and efficiency of the flight 

• The crew must determine the airworthiness of the aircraft 

• Pre-flight - interior and exterior inspections of the aircrafts or any activity involved with preparing the aircraft for departure 

• Pre-flight inspections are outlined in a checklist format 

Pre-departure

boarding the passengers 

• Closing aircraft door 

• Completing the baggage and cargo loading 

• “Prior to push-back” portion of the checklist 

• Arming the escape slide mechanism, of the entry doors

• As the scheduled departure time approaches, the captain, lead agent and ground crew chief coordinated their efforts to see that all pre-departure requirements are met

• Pilots finalize Flight Management System (FMS) 

Gate departure

removing the wheel chocks and releasing the parking brake 

• Starting engine 

• Receiving a confirmation of ramp clear 

• Beginning taxi-out 

• Clear left and clear right 

Taxi-out

calculating finalized take-off performance data 

• Resetting stabilizer trim and set take-off references speeds through the bugs on the airspeed indicators 

• Making a departure PA announcement to inform the flight attendants that the take-off is imminent 

• In case of a pushback, permission must be received from controlling authority 

• Fist officer contacts the ground to get taxi clearance 

• Once closeout information is processed, the crew completes the taxi and before take-off checklist 

• Captain announcement that take-off is imminent 

Takeoff

position and hold clearance to an aircraft in preparation for final take-off clearance 

• Making final checks of the wind/weather and the presence of runway contamination 

Terminal area departure

aircraft is accelerated to maximum low attitude climb speed, after the immediate airport traffic area is cleared 

• Flight attendants typically commence their in-flight service duties during climb-out 

• The climb flight profile is determined by both ATC/airspace requirements, and performance characteristics which may be aircraft-specific

• 250 knots below 10,000 feet (accelerated) 

• Aircraft climbs through approximately 1500 feet above ground level (AGL), the FAs are notified by a chime 

Climb

dynamics of the flight environment require continues monitoring

• Cockpit crew checks the FMS and performance charts 

• As the aircraft climbs through the transition altitude, the crew resets their altimeter 

• Passenger-related activities during the climb including meal and beverage services, any PA announcements and entertainment systems 

• Captain makes a PA describing en route flight time and weather conditions, eta, destination weather 

Cruise

maintaining a time/fuel log in order to compare planned time and fuel burn performance 

• On international flights, transitioning through airspace boundaries under the jurisdiction of other national sovereignty may require supplementary procedures 

• Flight Information Region (FIR) boundaries normally require advance notification via the flight planning process 

• The crew performs various administrative duties in preparation for descent

Descent

beginning the approach and landing preparations 

• Transmitting an “in range” message to the destination airport station 

• Setting up the navigation equipment for the expected arrival

• Cabin crew activities for descending 

• 30-40 minutes 

• Touch down estimate 

• Tow in only 

Terminal Area Arrival

begins when the aircraft descent below 10,000 feet about 30-40 miles from the destination airport 

• Being issued additional real-time landing information or instructions 

• Braking action reports are given by previous arrivals

Final approach

if the runway is in sight and clear of obstruction at the decision point, the cockpit crew continues the descent until initiating the landing “flare” maneuver

Landing and Rollout

using a combination of reverse thrust, ground spoilers and wheel braking to decelerate to taxi speed and vacate the runway after touching down on the runway 

• After touching down the runway, the PF uses reverse thrust 

Taxi in

pilots use taxiway diagrams of the destination airport to assist in the execution of taxi clearances 

• Once brakes are parked, agent moves the jet bridge into position at the entry door, or in the case of airstair, it is positioned under exit doors 

• Instructions given by ATC 

• Marshaller uses wand signals to direct and stop the aircraft at desired location 

Parking

verifying the disarming of the doors with the flight attendants and opening the designated exit doors 

• Unloading and processing the baggage and freight 

• Parking brake and opening cabin door trigger the “IN” event 

• IN time is used to determine a number of metrics including the length of flight

Post-Flight

cockpit crew accomplishes any required debriefing reports 

• Flight attendant make liquor and duty-free deposit 

• Turned around