Unit of competency
Modification History
Release 1. This is the first release of this unit of competency in the AVI Aviation Training Package. |
Application
This unit involves the skills and knowledge required to manage aircraft performance and load in compliance with relevant regulatory requirements of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) and national operating standards. It includes applying weight and balance control to flight planning, identifying constraints affecting load planning and planning an aircraft load. It also includes applying principles of aircraft balance and longitudinal stability to load planning, identifying aircraft structural limitations, and identifying aircraft weight and performance planning safety factors. It also includes determining aircraft weight and speed limitations, calculating take-off runway requirements, calculating climb performance, calculating landing runway requirements, and determining aircraft buffet boundaries and speeds. This unit addresses aviation technical skill requirements (physical, mental and task-management abilities) related to route planning and navigation duties of flight dispatch personnel and contributes to safe and effective performance in complex aviation operational environments. Operations are conducted as part of commercial or military aircraft activities across a variety of operational contexts within the Australian aviation industry. Work is performed independently or under limited supervision as a single operator or within a team environment. Licensing, legislative, regulatory or certification requirements are applicable to this unit. |
Pre-requisite Unit
Not applicable. |
Competency Field
H – Route Planning and Navigation |
Unit Sector
Not applicable. |
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENTS |
PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
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Elements describe the essential outcomes. |
Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
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1 |
Apply weight and balance control to flight planning |
1.1 |
Components of weight, balance and control are considered and applied in flight planning activities |
1.2 |
Weight and control limitations are included in flight planning calculations |
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1.3 |
Required fuel and payload quantities, including minimum fuel reserves, maximum allowable payloads and fuel quantity limitations, are considered when calculating weight and balance |
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1.4 |
Calculated aircraft weight centre of gravity (CG) is within aircraft limits and is established for take-off, cruise and fuel economy calculation purposes |
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1.5 |
Ground handling of baggage and cargo is minimised through load distribution and loading sequence planning |
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1.6 |
Weight and CG are derived and calculated using basic data methods and applied to flight planning calculations |
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1.7 |
Comprehensive loadsheet is compiled that includes all required flight performance and load planning data |
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2 |
Identify constraints affecting load planning |
2.1 |
Implications of advanced sales on payload, weight and control limitations are considered |
2.2 |
Aircraft, route, fuel required and performance limitation planning factors are assessed for potential constraints to load planning activities |
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2.3 |
Hazards are identified, risks are assessed and hazard management implemented |
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2.4 |
Operator advance index tables and potential impact of weight and fuel minima during seasonal change are identified and considered |
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2.5 |
Unusual conditions when advanced allotment tables may be exceeded, the operational impacts and associated contingency planning factors are considered |
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2.6 |
Load planning constraints and limitations are prioritised based on operational and regulatory requirements |
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3 |
Plan an aircraft load |
3.1 |
Aircraft design and weight, taxi, take-off, landing and zero-fuel weights (ZFW) are reviewed and applied to load planning activities |
3.2 |
Operational load planning factors affecting a restriction on weight, operational (phase of flight), environmental, equipment, airspace and airport/aerodrome are considered and applied as required to aircraft load planning |
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3.3 |
Aircraft operating weight and passenger weight limits are summarised within load planning documentation |
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3.4 |
Weight of minimum fuel based on ZFW, quantity, fuel type and specific gravity (including fuel quantity conversions) are reviewed and applied to load planning calculations |
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3.5 |
Available payload based on specific conditions affecting a flight, including maximum take-off weight (MTOW), regulated take-off weight (RTOW), minimum fuel and taxi fuel requirements, are determined |
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3.6 |
Manual loadsheet, including payload location and last-minute changes, is prepared |
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3.7 |
Loadsheet, including payload location and last-minute changes, is interpreted and automated |
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4 |
Apply principles of aircraft balance and longitudinal stability to load planning |
4.1 |
Load planning factors, including balance, CG (variations), balance on the ground, principles of lift and centre of pressure, mean aerodynamic chord (MAC) and functions of stabilisers, are identified and considered when calculating aircraft performance and load |
4.2 |
Aircraft point of balance is calculated using aircraft data and aircraft balance principles, and is applied to load planning calculations |
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5 |
Identify aircraft structural limitations |
5.1 |
Satisfactory aircraft balance calculations are achieved ensuring aircraft is safely loaded, floor strengths have not been exceeded and load/cargo is capable of being satisfactorily restrained |
5.2 |
Fuselage structural limits over, forward and aft of the wing, and weight limitations for associated loading zones are considered and applied to load planning activities |
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5.3 |
Maximum allowable package sizes are determined using aircraft tables |
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5.4 |
Methods of restraint and the effect on passengers and crew, damage and CG, including principles of inertia and forces applied to load, are considered and applied to load planning activities |
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5.5 |
Advantages and limitations of certified and non-certified cargo pallets and containers, and methods of load security are considered when calculating aircraft load limitations |
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6 |
Identify aircraft weight and performance planning safety factors |
6.1 |
Aircraft certification considerations, including structural strength, loads, speed limitations, operating environment, performance capability, runway lengths and terrain, are considered and applied to aircraft weight and performance calculations |
6.2 |
Aircraft certification standards, including categories, state-based variations, operating weight or CG never exceeding limits, and aircraft flight manual restrictions are considered and applied to aircraft weight and performance calculations |
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6.3 |
Environmental considerations, including certified aircraft operating envelope, pressurisation capabilities, system limitations and aircraft flight manual envelope charts, are considered and applied to aircraft performance calculations |
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7 |
Determine aircraft weight and speed limitations |
7.1 |
Positive and negative load factor limitations, including normal and ultimate (structural), speed limitations and differing express terms of speed, are considered and applied to aircraft performance calculations |
7.2 |
Boundaries of aircraft operating envelope for a specific weight are determined using flight strength diagrams, illustrating effect of wind gusts, margins of speed limits and turbulence penetration considerations |
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8 |
Calculate take-off runway requirements |
8.1 |
Turbo-jet aircraft take-off requirements are determined considering clearways and stop-ways, runway requirements and alternatives to balanced field length methods |
8.2 |
Critical engine failure speeds, flap positions and reduced thrust take-off stopping distance at critical engine failure speeds are calculated |
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9 |
Calculate climb performance |
9.1 |
Take-off flight path, climb segments; including terrain and obstacle avoidance; and the effects of weight, altitude and temperature are determined |
9.2 |
En route considerations affecting climb performance, such as take-off weight, en route alternate selection and terrain, are considered and applied to aircraft performance calculations |
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9.3 |
Approach and landing requirement planning factors, including terrain and obstacle avoidance, and effects of weight, altitude and temperature, are considered and applied to aircraft performance calculations |
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10 |
Calculate landing runway requirements |
10.1 |
Runway landing distance requirements are determined, including effect of aircraft configuration, available stopping distance, and effects of marginal conditions |
10.2 |
Landing distance based on varying environmental conditions, effect of obstacles and braking systems is calculated |
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11 |
Determine aircraft buffet boundary and speeds |
11.1 |
Aircraft buffet characteristics, and the effect of variations of a given weight and speed are identified and applied to aircraft performance calculations |
11.2 |
Permissible buffet for a range of aircraft speeds for combinations of weight and altitude, including safe operating margins, is calculated |
Foundation Skills
Foundation skills essential to performance are explicit in the performance criteria of this unit of competency. |
Range of Conditions
Range is restricted to essential operating conditions and any other variables essential to the work environment. Non-essential conditions may be found in the Aviation Training Package Companion Volume Implementation Guide. |
Unit Mapping Information
This unit replaces and is equivalent to AVIH0011 Manage aircraft performance and load. |
Links
Companion Volume Implementation Guides are found in VETNet’ - https://vetnet.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=4725260a-0af3-4daf-912b-ef1c2f3e5816