Flight performance class
Flight performance classes are categories in the aircraft according to their technical performance (their performance) are divided. They are designed to ensure that identical requirements apply to all aircraft in a particular category. The classification is carried out by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) in the "Air Operations Regulation" (EU OPS) ; This Regulation (EC) No. 965/2012 of the European Commission contains detailed rules for commercial air transport by airplanes and helicopters, including ramp inspections of aircraft operated by operators that are subject to the safety oversight of another country when they land at aerodromes on the territory of EU are located. This new regulation has replaced the EU OPS (Regulation (EG) 859/2008) since October 2012 .
The aircraft are classified into one of the flight performance classes A, B or C and oblige the aircraft operator to apply these rules accordingly. The decisive factors for the division are the maximum take-off weight, the number of passenger seats and the type of drive.
Categories
In Europe, the classes for aircraft are as follows:
| drive | up to 9 passengers and 5700 kg | from 10 passengers or 5701 kg |
|---|---|---|
| Jet engine | Class a | Class a |
| Turboprop | class B | Class a |
| Piston engine | class B | Class C |
Flight performance class A
Performance class A includes all multi-engine aircraft with propeller turbine drive that have more than 9 passenger seats or whose maximum take-off weight exceeds 5,700 kg. In addition, all multi-engine aircraft with turbine jet propulsion also belong to this performance class. Aircraft in this class must meet the highest requirements. For example, an engine failure in aircraft of this category must not automatically lead to an emergency landing. The aircraft must also be able to be operated safely on contaminated runways (snow, mud).
Performance class B
Performance class B includes all propeller aircraft up to a maximum take-off weight of 5,700 kg and a maximum of 9 passenger seats. In Appendix 1 to JAR-OPS 1.525 (b), certain minimum climb rates are required for multi-engine aircraft. If these cannot be met, a multi-engine aircraft can also be classified as “single-engine”. Another special feature is that an engine failure up to a height of 300 feet AGL (above ground level) does not have to be taken into account in this aircraft class (IEM OPS 1.535 §1).
Flight performance class C
Performance class C includes all propeller aircraft with piston engines and more than 9 passenger seats or a maximum take-off weight of more than 5,700 kg. Aircraft of this class, like aircraft of the A-class, can operate on contaminated runways and safely survive an engine failure.
The forerunner of this classification comes from America . There the weight limit is given to this day at 12,500 pounds .
Helicopters are divided into two categories in Europe :
| Number of engines | up to 9 passengers and 9072 kg | from 10 passengers and 9072 kg |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Category B | - |
| more than 1 | Category B | Category A |
The value 9072 kg is equivalent to 20,000 pounds .
Regulatory application
Approval of an aircraft type
| Flight performance class | Set of rules |
|---|---|
| Class a | EASA CS-25 |
| class B | EASA CS-23 |
| Class C | no new registration |
Approval of a helicopter type
| Weight | Passengers | Set of rules |
|---|---|---|
| up to 3175 kg (7000 lbs) | <10 | EASA CS-27 |
| up to 3175 kg (7000 lbs) | ≥10 | EASA CS-29 |
| from 3175 kg (7000 lbs) | <10 | EASA CS-29 |
| from 3175 kg (7000 lbs) | ≥10 | EASA CS-29 |
Commercial flight operation with one type of aircraft
The classification of the classes for aircraft is based on EU OPS Section F.
| Flight performance class | EU regulation |
|---|---|
| Class a | EU OPS Section G |
| class B | EU OPS Section H |
| Class C | EU OPS Section I |
These sections indicate which safety buffers are required for runway lengths and which climb rates are required on commercial flights. The focus of the safety surcharges differ depending on the flight performance class.
background
The aim of the different flight performance classes is to achieve an appropriate level of safety, taking into account the technical possibilities of the respective performance class. Security surcharges ("Net Performance Factors") are usually selected in the individual regulations in such a way that a deviation from the norm can occur on every millionth flight at most.
Examples
A small airplane with a piston engine and propeller (e.g. Diamond DA40 ) should be approved. It has four seats and a maximum take-off weight of 1150 kg. According to the table above, it belongs to flight performance class B. This means that the procedures for approval at EASA CS-23 can be found . When making commercial flights with this aircraft, the pilot will comply with EU OPS Section H.
A passenger jet (e.g. Airbus A350 ) is to be approved. It can be assigned to class A simply because of the jet engines. It must therefore meet the requirements of EASA CS-25 . Since such aircraft are almost exclusively operated commercially, the operating procedures for the pilots are based on EU OPS Section G.
A large airplane with a piston engine (such as the Douglas DC-6 ) would not receive a new license these days. For the aircraft that still exist, pilots must adhere to EU OPS Section I.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Annexes to the draft Commission Regulation on 'Air Operations - OPS , EASA, accessed on February 22, 2015
- ↑ EU OPS 1.470 (PDF # page = 99) , accessed on November 26, 2014
- ↑ §23.3 Airplane categories , FAR , accessed on November 26, 2014
- ↑ EASA CS-27 , accessed June 25, 2015
- ↑ EASA CS-29 , accessed June 25, 2015
- ↑ EASA CS-27 , accessed June 25, 2015
- ↑ EASA CS-29 , accessed June 25, 2015
- ↑ EASA CS-29 , accessed June 25, 2015
- ↑ EASA CS-29 , accessed June 25, 2015
- ↑ EU OPS Section G (PDF # page = 101) , accessed on November 26, 2014
- ↑ EU OPS Section H (PDF # page = 110) , accessed on November 26, 2014
- ↑ EU OPS Section I (PDF # page = 119) , accessed on November 26, 2014
See also
literature
- Joachim Scheiderer, Applied Flight Performance. An introduction to operational flight performance from take-off to landing. Berlin and Heidelberg 2008