CAT.OP.MPA.185 Planning minima for IFR flights — aeroplanes

SI No. 1290/2024

Text in magenta in force from 30 October 2025

  1. Planning minima for a take-off alternate aerodrome

    The operator shall only select an aerodrome as a take-off alternate aerodrome when the appropriate weather reports and/or forecasts indicate that, during a period commencing one hour before and ending one hour after the estimated time of arrival at the aerodrome, the weather conditions will be at or above the applicable landing minima specified in accordance with CAT.OP.MPA.110. The ceiling shall be taken into account when the only approach operations available are non-precision approaches (NPA) and/or circling operations. Any limitation related to OEI operations shall be taken into account.

  2. Planning minima for a destination aerodrome other than an isolated destination aerodrome

    The operator shall only select the destination aerodrome when:

    1. the appropriate weather reports and/or forecasts indicate that, during a period commencing one hour before and ending one hour after the estimated time of arrival at the aerodrome, the weather conditions will be at or above the applicable planning minima as follows:

      1. RVR/visibility (VIS) specified in accordance with CAT.OP.MPA.110; and

      2. for an NPA or a circling operation, the ceiling at or above MDH; or

    2. two destination alternate aerodromes are selected.

  3. Planning minima for a destination alternate aerodrome, isolated aerodrome, fuel en-route alternate (fuel ERA) aerodrome, en-route alternate (ERA) aerodrome.

  4. The operator shall only select an aerodrome for one of these purposes when the appropriate weather reports and/or forecasts indicate that, during a period commencing one hour before and ending one hour after the estimated time of arrival at the aerodrome, the weather conditions will be at or above the planning minima in Table 1.

Table 1 Planning minima Destination alternate aerodrome, isolated destination aerodrome, fuel ERA and ERA aerodrome

Type of approach Planning minima
CAT II and III CAT I RVR
CATI NPA RVR/VIS

Ceiling shall be at or above MDH
NPA NPA RVR/VIS + 1000 m

Ceiling shall be at or above MDH + 200 ft
Circling Circling

 

The title and text below will replace the text above on 30 October 2025:

CAT.OP.MPA.185 Fuel scheme – in-flight fuel management policy - aeroplanes

  1. The operator must establish procedures for in-flight fuel or energy management for aeroplanes that ensures:

    1. continual reanalysis and validation of the assumptions made during the planning stage (pre-flight or in-flight replanning, or both) and adjustment if necessary;

    2. that the amount of usable fuel or energy remaining on board is protected and not less than the fuel or energy that is required to proceed to an aerodrome where a safe-landing can be made; and

    3. relevant fuel or energy data for the purposes of points (1) to (2) is recorded.

  2. The aeroplane operator must have procedures in place to require the commander to obtain delay information from a reliable source when unforeseen circumstances may result in landing at the destination aerodrome with less than the final reserve of fuel or energy plus any fuel or energy required to proceed to an alternate aerodrome (should it be required) or to an isolated aerodrome.

  3. The aeroplane commander must advise air traffic control of a ‘minimum fuel or energy state’ by declaring “MINIMUM FUEL” when the commander has committed to land at a specific aerodrome and calculated that any change to the existing clearance to that aerodrome may result in landing with less than the planned final fuel or energy reserve.

  4. The aeroplane commander must declare to air traffic control a situation of ‘fuel or energy emergency’ by broadcasting “MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, FUEL” when the usable fuel or energy that is calculated to be available upon landing at the nearest aerodrome where a safe landing can be made is less than the planned final reserve fuel or energy.