ORO.FC.105 Designation as pilot‑in‑command/commander

SI 2024 No. 1290

  1. In accordance with 8.e of Annex IV to Regulation (EC) No 216/2008, one pilot amongst the flight crew, qualified as pilot-in-command in accordance with Annex I (Part‑FCL) to Regulation (EU) No 1178/2011, shall be designated by the operator as pilot-in-command or, for commercial air transport operations, as commander.
  2. The operator shall only designate a flight crew member to act as pilot‑in‑command/commander if he/she has:
    1. the minimum level of experience specified in the operations manual;
    2. adequate knowledge of the route or area to be flown and of the aerodromes, including alternate aerodromes, facilities and procedures to be used;
    3. in the case of multi-crew operations, completed an operator’s command course if upgrading from co‑pilot to pilot‑in‑command/commander.

  3. In the case of commercial operations of aeroplanes and helicopters, the pilot‑in‑command or commander, or the pilot to whom the conduct of the flight may be delegated, must have had initial familiarisation training on the route or area to be flown and aerodrome, facilities and procedures, and must maintain this knowledge by:

    1. operating at least once on the aerodrome within a 12 month period;
    2. operating at least once to the route or area within a 36 month period.
  4. In respect of point (c)(2), where a route or area is not operated upon for a 12 month period, the pilot‑in‑command or commander, or the pilot to whom the conduct of the flight may be delegated, must, in addition, undertake refresher training on the route or area.
  5. Notwithstanding points (c) and (d), in the case of operations under VFR by day with performance class B and C aeroplanes and helicopters, familiarisation training on the route and aerodromes may be replaced by area familiarisation training.