COURSE: AIR TRANSPORT OPERATIONS AND MANAGEMENT
MODULE: AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS
EXAM REVISION.
Lecture 1:
IATA Codes: 3 letter codes used by the traffic department of operators. Sometimes related to the name of the
airport, sometimes do not.
ICAO Codes: 4 letter codes used on the operational side of aviation. This are divided on a regional basis.
• 1st Letter: is the geographical area. Some examples are:
• A - South Pacific
• B - North Atlantic
• C - Canada
• D - North Western Africa
• E - Northern Europe
• F - Southern Africa
• G - West Africa
• H - East Africa
• K - United States of America (Continental)
• L - Southern Europe
• M - Caribbean and Central America
• N - Oceania (South Western Pacific)
• O - Middle East and South West Asia
• P - Northern Pacific
• R - Northern Far East
• S - South America
• T - South Eastern Caribbean
• U - Countries of the former Soviet Union
• V - Central Southern Asia, Indian Ocean and South East Asia
• W - South East Asia
• Y - Australia
• Z - China and surrounding region
, • 2nd letter: Is a country within that area.
o EB: Belgium, ED & ET: Germany, EG: UK, EH: Netherlands, EK: Denmark, ET
o In Southern Europe: LE: Spain, LF: France, LI: Italia, LG: Greece, etc.
o South America: SK: Colombia, SA: Argentina, SB: Brazil.
• 3rd & 4th Letter: Individual airport. EHAM: Amsterdam.
• CA and US use the IATA code as part of the ICAO code: KJFK for JFK or CYYZ.
----------------------------------- --------------------- -------
Weight & Mass:
• Mass: is a measure of how much matter an object contains. Its unit is the Kg.
, • Weight: is dependant on the force of gravity, its unit is the Newton = mass x the force of gravity. Wight = Mass
x Gravity
• The value of gravity at sea level on Earth is 9.8 m2. Thus if an object with a MASS of 5 kg will have a weight of 49
Newtons.
Mass Definitions
(i) DOM - Dry Operating Mass: The total mass of the aircraft excluding fuel and traffic load. It includes items such as:
crew and crew baggage, catering and removable passenger service equipment, potable water and lavatory
chemicals, etc.
(ii) TL / PL- Traffic Load / Pay LoadThe total of passenger, baggage and freight. Often referred as “payload”. The
mass that earns the money.
(iii) APS - Aircraft Prepared for Service Mass: Same as DOM but is a more commonly used day-to-day term. Each
individual aircraft has a different mass due to different engine types, seat configuration, onboard facilities, etc.
Some carriers with same facilities on entire fleet thus same APS form for all aircraft.
(iv) BEM/BEW - Basic Empty Mass: the mass of the aircraft with all its basics fixed equipment (eg: engines, avionics,
seats, galleys, etc) + a declared quantity of unusable fuel and oil.
(v) MRM - Maximum Ramp Mass: The maximum approved mass for commencement of ground manoeuvres. It is
usually greater than the MTOM as fuel will be consumed during engine start, taxi and ground holding. This value
changes from airport to airport, as the surface bearing strength of the ramp and the taxiways has to be considered.
(vi) OM: DOP + Fuel.
(vii) Useful Load: Traffic load + usable fuel
(viii) Zero Fuel Mass: DOM + Traffic Load
(ix) Max Zero Fuel Mass – MZFM: The max permissible mass without usable fuel onboard. This is due to the structural
limits of the aircraf.
(x) TOM – Take Off Mass: the mass of the aircraft including everything at the start of the take-off run.
(xi) MSTOM: Max Structural Take Off Mass: is the max take off mass allowable at the start of the take off run.
(xii) MTM – Max Taxi Mass: Virtually identical to MRM but ignores surface bearing properties.
(xiii) LM – Landing Mass: mass of the aircraft at the moment of touchdown. Whenever an overweight landing
happens, an structural revision must be carried out on the aircraft.
------------------------ ---------------------- ---------------------
Runway Length Definitions