Waypoints PilotBooks Vol 13 - ATPL(A) Flight Planning - April 2023

AC61-1.7, Syllabus No 40 - ATPL (Aeroplane) Flight Planning is based on flight planning for an oceanic IFR flight for a multi-engine turbine powered heavy air transport aircraft.

Assessment of this syllabus will be predominantly based on the specific published ‘representative’ aircraft performance data, as provided by ASPEQ in the exam and appropriate Computer-generated Flight Plans (CFPs). This data is provided in an exam “Workbook”. Waypoints equivalent to this is our “Data Booklet”.

ATPL (A) Flight Planning requires an understanding of both the ground flight planning phase and the inflight use of a CFP, including the management of inflight planning contingencies.

Consequently, the study guide is designed to cover the current requirements of AC61-1.7, Syllabus No 40, and far more, comprising four sections:
- Flight Planning Policies and Processes;
- Computer Generated Flight Plans;
- Flight Planning Data Extraction; and,
- Exam Preparation Material.

The study guide has been written to cover the items in the syllabus, and well beyond, and the practice exercises are designed to focus your attention on ‘need to know’ material. I am very confident that the study guide accurately reflects the interpretation of the Computer-generated Flight Plan (CFP). However, I am much less confident about the interpretation, emphasis and flavour of the ASPEQ examination questions pertaining to other aspects of the syllabus. Consequently, I have done my best to interpret the syllabus and explain flight planning concepts, revisions to the CFP and the use of raw data tables for the ‘representative’ aircraft, as given in the Waypoints Data Booklet, as provided as a companion document to this manual.

Additionally, I have learnt from experience, that despite my best efforts and review, I cannot create practice exercises that are completely without error and typos. Sorry, the effect of being human I’m afraid!

I look forward to hearing about my errors and about how you found the exam questions and how well this material prepared you. It is only through such feedback that this material can be improved.