Aeronautical Flight Manual

[Alexia Borson]

AFlight Manual is a manual, associated with the Certificate of Airworthiness, containing limitations within which the aircraft is to be considered airworthy, and instructions and information necessary to the flight crew members for the safe operation of the aircraft. (ICAO Annex 6)

An aeroplane flight manual (AFM) is a document produced by the aircraft manufacturer containing detailed information on the operation of the aircraft. The AFM details the recommended aircraft operating technique for normal, abnormal and emergency operation together with the Aircraft Performance that should be achieved when the aircraft is operated in accordance with these procedures.

The AFM is a vital part of the aircraft inventory and must be carried on all flights unless the National Airworthiness Authority (National Aviation Authority (NAA)) of the aircraft operator has formally accepted that the Operations Manual of the aircraft operator replicates all relevant AFM information for an aircraft. The AFM is specific to each aircraft and reflects the precise equipment and modification state of that aircraft. In practice, National Aviation Authority (NAA) dispensation not to carry the AFM on board an aircraft is commonly obtained by commercial aircraft operators.

Prompt Amendment of the AFM is an important function of an aircraft operator's flight operations department and must be carefully controlled. The control process must also ensure that any documents dependent upon AFM content such as the Operations Manual, flight deck copies of the Emergency and Abnormal Checklist and/or Quick Reference Handbook (QRH)) and crew training materials are also updated following the publication of any amendment.

An aircraft flight manual (AFM) is a paper book or electronic information set containing information required to operate an aircraft of certain type or particular aircraft of that type (each AFM is tailored for a specific aircraft, though aircraft of the same type naturally have very similar AFMs). The information within an AFM is also referred to as Technical Airworthiness Data (TAWD). A typical flight manual will contain the following: operating limitations, Normal/Abnormal/Emergency operating procedures, performance data and loading information.[1]

Originally, an AFM would follow whichever format and order the manufacturer felt appropriate. Eventually, the General Aviation Manufacturers Association came to an agreement to standardize in GAMA Specification No. 1 the format of AFM's for general aviation airplanes and helicopters known as the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH).[2]

Flight manuals contain vital procedural and performance related information for a particular aircraft or aircraft Type. Manuals must be kept up to date - inaccurate information could compromise the safety of the aircraft.

Supplements, change sheets, revisions and so on, relay instructions issued by the design approval holder. They also serve to alert the aircraft operator of any safety issues highlighted by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or State of Design.

If your aircraft was issued with a Certificate of Airworthiness prior to 28th September 2003 (before EASA took on responsibility for design approvals and changes), it would have been certified to the relevant UK standard. Between September 2003 and the UK withdrawal from the European Union, the aircraft owner may have elected to certify the aircraft to the EASA standard.

If certified to a UK standard it is possible that there is a Flight Manual specifically for UK standard or that there is a UK Supplement to the appropriate design approval holder produced Flight Manual. These Manuals and Supplements are still the applicable documents for aircraft registered prior to 28th September 2003 unless the aircraft has been modified, rendering the previously approved supplement obsolete.

It is possible to upgrade your Flight Manual to the latest Type Design Standard. To upgrade the Manual may require a re-certification of the aircraft. It is possible, for example, that the pre-EASA UK standard required different placards or instrument markings and these would need to be addressed. At the very least a detailed comparison would need to be made and a justification provided for a change of manual. This may require a Modification.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published a list of UK specific Flight Manuals and Supplements for Piper and Cessna aircraft, but there may be other aircraft types for which UK specific documents are applicable. You will need to refer to the original Certification records for the aircraft to determine the applicable Manual.

The modification package will state if there is a Flight Manual supplement associated with the modification. Where the modification has been approved by an Airworthiness Approval Note (AAN), the UK AAN database may contain further information for the particular aircraft type.

You will need to contact the Design Approval Holder or check the AAN database for the initial certification of the type in the UK. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published a list of UK specific Flight Manuals and Supplements for Piper and Cessna aircraft.

Difficulties have arisen with UK specific Piper and Cessna Flight Manuals and the relevant Design Approval Holder. Piper has requested that any correspondence with them about a UK specific Flight Manual/Supplement includes a clear indication that it is the UK Manual/Supplement and not just a quote 'report XYZ'.

For Part 21 aircraft certified to the UK standard prior to the inception of EASA (September 28, 2003), supplements and changes sheets are still valid providing the aircraft has not been modified since, rendering any previously approved supplement obsolete. The section 'Checking if UK specific Flight Manual or Supplement applies to your aircraft' on this page provides further information.

Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Supplements and Change sheets may also be valid if the aircraft was imported after 28 September 2003 and has been certified to the UK standard on the condition that the aircraft has not been modified since, rendering any previously approved supplement as obsolete.

Generic Requirements 4 or 6 are still applicable in the UK and will still require an approved Supplement if not covered in the Flight Manual. You can have a situation where two identical aircraft, one certified in the UK before EASA and one post-EASA have different Flight Manuals.

For non-Part 21 aircraft, British Civil Airworthiness Requirements (BCARs) still apply. If the aircraft doesn't conform to a previous UK standard, the aircraft will be considered on an individual basis.

Some orphan aircraft may be operating on a Part 21 Permit to Fly supported by approved Flight Conditions (Part 21 aircraft provides further information). The relevant information should be included in the SAS, or approved Flight Conditions / referenced datasheet.

For non-Part 21 permit aircraft, the relevant information will be included in the Airworthiness approval notes (AAN) for a particular aircraft or type. For a Type Approved aircraft (for example a factory-built microlight or gyroplane), the relevant flight manual standard should be specified on the Type Approval Data Sheet (TADS).

Cessna do not produce a list of Manuals for aircraft prior to late 1970s. Their Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS)s only list later model POH & FM; not the earlier Owners Manuals'. They do not publish amongst their service material the revision status for these earlier types.

Flight Manuals approved in accordance with British Civil Airworthiness Requirements (BCARs) and published by the aircraft Design Approval Holder may be listed on the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Declaration of Flight Manual Standard (DFMS) but are not listed on the Piper Aircraft Company Publications Flight Manual Revision status listing or on the FAA TCDS sheet 2A13. An example being, Piper PA28R-200 CAA approved flight manual is Report VB-359 for aircraft serial no's 28R-725001 to 28R-7635999.

Flight manuals approved before 28th September 2003 were grandfathered into the EASA system. They continue to remain valid in the UK Part 21 system post EU-exit. Difficulties have arisen with UK specific Piper and Cessna Flight Manuals and the relevant Design Approval Holder.

Generic Requirements 4 and 6 detailed in Mandatory Requirements for Airworthiness (CAP747) are still applicable in the UK for both Part 21 and non-Part 21 aircraft and Supplements/Change Sheets are still required to cover the requirements if they are not covered in the Flight Manual.

Revisions are mailed to the current registered owner at no cost as they are released. Owners can submit updated address information via email to: customer...@piper.com. Be sure to include the airplane serial number. If your flight manual is not up-to-date, the last three revisions may be provided at no cost, depending on availability. Email tech...@piper.com to order/check availability.

If, however, your flight manual is more than three revisions out-of-date or one or more of the last three revisions is no longer available, a complete replacement copy of the flight manual must be ordered and there will be a charge. Order by airplane serial number through a Piper Dealer.

Piper owners will want to know that their service documentation is up to date, and Piper has made that simple! Piper owners should subscribe to the free Piper Publication Notification Service to receive an email alerting you when new service letters, service bulletins or change notices are issued for your airplane.

The service publications collection on Piper.com consists primarily of Piper service publications issued December 2, 2013 and later. A few of the earlier publications are also listed. Should you require a service publication that is not present, they are available by request. Please submit your request by emailing: tech...@piper.com. Please note that all Piper service publications are included with a Veryon subscription.

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