Let's begin with the Introduction — Page 78, Lesson 75

I want to walk you through the start of Chapter 6, which introduces the Medium Range Jet Transport (MRJT) Simplified Flight Planning — this is the core aircraft model we'll use for the rest of this part of the syllabus. Let's begin with the Introduction. In modern airline operations, the performance database for a jet aircraft like this one is almost always stored inside the company's flight planning computer system and the aircraft's own Flight Management System (FMS) . The company operations computers will produce flight plans for you, choosing optimum routes and cruise modes based on the instructions you give them. Those instructions can include: best direct track non-airways, best direct airways track, best North Atlantic track, least fuel or least time track, and also Extended Range Operations (EROPS) and non-normal operations — for example, flying with the gear down. As a crew member, you use the FMS data base for in-flight fuel monitoring and for replanning the aircraft's performance when needed. The purpose is to get prompt, accurate information and to reduce the need to keep referring back to the Operations Manual. Now, here's the important part for your exam: Part Flight Crew Licensing, Flight Planning & Monitoring (Aeroplanes) requires you to be familiar with the reference material in the CAP 697 MRJT — that document is based on extracts from the Boeing 737-400 Operations Manual. You'll need to answer related examination questions from it. And a key note: in the actual Flight Planning exam, you will be issued with a workbook instead of the full CAP 697, containing only the pages you need for that particular exam. Let's move to Aeroplane Data and Constants. The aircraft is a monoplane with twin turbojet engines and a retractable undercarriage — so a conventional jet transport configuration. Now, the Structural Limits — these are the maximum masses you must never exceed. I'll list them exactly: - Maximum Ramp (Taxi) Mass (MRM) : 63,060 kg — this is the heaviest the aircraft can be when it's being pushed back or taxiing, including the fuel for start and taxi. - Maximum Take-off Mass (MTOM) : 62,800 kg — the maximum weight at the start of the take-off roll. - Maximum Landing Mass (MLM) : 54,900 kg — the maximum weight at touchdown. - Maximum Zero Fuel Mass (MZFM) : 51,300 kg — this is the maximum weight of the aircraft without any usable fuel on board; it protects the wing structure from bending loads. - Dry Operating Mass (DOM) : 34,270 kg — this is an average value, taken from a source other than the CAA Data Sheet. The Dry Operating Mass is the basic weight of the aircraft plus crew, catering, and all items that are not payload or fuel. - Maximum Fuel Load : 5,311 US gallons. So those are the fundamental mass limits and constants you need to know for this aircraft type. We'll build on these as we go into the simplified flight planning method.