SPECIAL OPERATIONS AND PLANNING MINIMA

Special Operations

Increased Bank Angles

For the use of bank angles of more than 20° between 200 - 400 ft AGL, or more than 30° above 400 ft AGL, special procedures, subject to the approval of the Authority, shall be used. Such procedures shall meet at least, the following criteria:

• The applicable OM PART B must contain approved data for the required increase of operating speed and data to allow the construction of the flight path considering the increased bank angles and speeds;
• Visual guidance must be available for navigation accuracy;
• Weather minima and wind limitations must be specified for each runway and approved by the Authority;
• Appropriate simulator training shall be accomplished for applicable Commanders.

Steep Approach Procedures

For the use of steep approach procedures using glide slope angles of 4° or more and with screen heights of less than 50 ft (but not less than 35 ft) special procedures, subject to the approval of the Authority, shall be used. Such procedures shall meet at least, the following criteria:

• The applicable OM Part B must state the maximum approved glide slope angle, any other limitations, normal, abnormal or emergency procedures for the steep approach as well as amendments to the field length data when using steep approach criteria;
• A suitable glide path reference system comprising at least a visual glide path indicating system must be available at each aerodrome at which steep approach procedures are to be conducted;
• Weather minima must be specified and approved for each runway to be used with a steep approach.

Such aerodrome shall be classified as category C aerodrome. Consideration must be given to the following:

• The obstacle situation;
• The type of glide path reference and runway guidance;
• The minimum visual reference to be required at DH and MDA;
• Required airborne equipment;
• Required Commander qualification and aerodrome familiarisation;
• OM Part B limitations and procedures;
• Missed Approach criteria.

Planning Minima

Departure

Actual weather conditions shall be taken into account at the departure aerodrome.

Take-Off Alternate

When weather condition on departure aerodrome is below the landing minima, a take-off alternate should be nominated and noted on OFP. This take-off alternate should be within one hour of flight with one-engine inoperative (330 NM). Terrain and weather en-route to take-off alternate must permit single-engine operation.

Planning minima for take-off alternate:

• Aerodrome weather conditions must be at or above the applicable minima at least from one hour before to one hour after ETA (but not below CAT I minima);
• The ceiling must be taken into account when the only approaches available are non-precision and/or circling approaches;
• Any limitation related to one-engine inoperative operations must be taken into account.

Destination

For destination aerodromes (except isolated destination aerodromes) the following planning minima must be met:

• Forecasted RVR and/or visibility shall be according Aerodrome Operating Minima as stated in OM Part A, Chapter 8.1.3 for intended approach procedure; and
• For intended non-precision approach or circling approach (if applicable), the forecasted ceiling shall be at or above applicable MDH.

Destination Alternate(s)

A take-off must not be commenced unless the appropriate weather reports or forecasts, or any combination thereof, indicate that during a period commencing 1 hour before and ending 1 hour after the ETA at:

• Destination aerodrome and destination alternate aerodrome, or
• Destination alternate aerodromes (two), the weather conditions will be at or above the applicable planning minima for destination and alternate aerodrome. The alternate(s) have to be specified in the OFP.

Flight may be planned and executed without selected destination alternate(s) under following conditions:
1) Duration of the planned flight from take-off to landing does not exceed 6 hours; and
2) Two separate runways are available at the destination and the appropriate weather reports or forecasts for the destination aerodrome, or any combination thereof, indicate that, for the period from 1 hour before until 1hour after the ETA at destination, the ceiling height will be at least 2000 ft or circling MDH + 500 ft, whichever is greater, and the visibility will be at least 5000 m;

Important: Runways on the same aerodrome are considered to be separate runways when they are separate landing surfaces, each having an approach procedure based upon a separate aid, which may overlay or cross such that, if one of the runways is blocked, it will not prevent the planned operation on the other runway.

or

3) The destination aerodrome is isolated and no destination alternate exists.
Two destination alternates must be selected, if:

• The appropriate weather reports or forecasts for the destination or any combination thereof, indicate that during a period commencing 1 hour before and ending 1 hour after the ETA at the destination, the weather conditions will be below the applicable planning minima, 

or

• No weather forecasts are available for destination.

For destination alternate aerodromes the minima specified in the following table must be met:

Planned Type of Approach Planning Minima

CAT II / III CAT I minima (RVR)
CAT I Non-Precision minima (RVR and Ceiling)
Non-Precision
Increased Non-Precision minima
(RVR + 1000 m and Ceiling + 200 ft)
Circling Circling minima
Planning Minima for Destination (& Enroute) Alternates

Enroute Alternate(s)

When choosing Enroute Alternates they must comply with 60 minutes maximum diversion distance for single engine operation (refer to FCOM-PRO-SPO-40-60 Performance).

Planning minima for enroute alternates shall be the same as for destination alternate.