EU-OPS General Requirements — Page 20, Lesson 30

I want to walk you through the documents and manuals that must be carried on every commercial flight under EU-OPS. This is a core compliance requirement — the operator is responsible for ensuring that specific items are physically on board before departure, and each item serves a distinct regulatory or operational purpose. Let's start with the documents that each individual flight crew member must personally carry. Every flight crew member is to carry the valid flight crew licence — that's the original, not a copy — plus any necessary ratings. Ratings are endorsements on the licence, such as a type rating for the specific aircraft or an instrument rating. The licence proves the holder is legally qualified to act as a pilot; the ratings prove they are qualified for that particular flight. Now, the operator must also ensure that certain manuals are carried on all flights. The first is the parts of the Operations Manual (OM) relating to flight crew duty — that means the sections that define crew responsibilities, rest requirements, and duty procedures. The second is the parts of the OM required for the conduct of the flight — for example, standard operating procedures, performance data, and emergency checklists. Third, the operator must carry the current Aeroplane Flight Manual (AFM) , unless the Authority has approved the Operations Manual as containing the necessary information instead. The AFM is the manufacturer's official document containing the aircraft's certified performance, limitations, and operating procedures. Next, there is a list of additional information and forms that the operator must ensure are carried on all flights, where relevant. Let me go through each one: - The Operational Flight Plan (OFP) — this is the detailed plan for the specific flight, including route, fuel calculations, and alternates. - The required parts of the Aeroplane Technical Log — the technical log records the aircraft's serviceability status, defects, and maintenance actions. - The ATS flight plan — that's the Air Traffic Services flight plan filed with air traffic control. - Appropriate NOTAM/AIS briefing material — NOTAMs are Notices to Air Missions, and AIS is Aeronautical Information Service; these provide current updates on airspace, facilities, and hazards. - Appropriate meteorological information — the weather reports and forecasts relevant to the route. - Mass and Balance documentation — the load sheet showing the aircraft's weight and centre of gravity is within limits. - Details of special categories of passengers — this includes security personnel if not considered as crew; persons of reduced mobility, abbreviated as PRMs; inadmissible passengers; deportees; and persons in custody. Each of these categories has specific handling and notification requirements. - Special load notification — this includes dangerous cargo, which must be declared and documented. - Current maps and charts — the navigation charts for the route and airports. - Any other documentation that may be required by a state — this includes cargo manifests and passenger manifests, as well as any other forms a state may demand. - Forms to comply with the reporting requirements of the Authority and the Operator — these are the standardised forms for incident reports, defect reports, and other mandatory reporting. Finally, there is an important flexibility clause. The Authority may permit the information — or parts of it — to be carried in a form other than as printed material. So electronic formats are allowed, but an acceptable standard of accessibility, usability and reliability must be assured. That means the electronic system must be easy to access in the cockpit, usable without excessive distraction, and reliable enough that the information is always available when needed.