Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is policies, procedures, and
responsibilities set out by an airline that supports operational personnel in
ground and flight operations of a commercial aircraft safely and consistently.
The primary purpose of SOP is to identify and describe the standard
tasks and duties (considering the who – does – what – and – when). To achieve
consistently safe flight operations through adherence to SOPs that are clear,
comprehensive, and readily available to airlines operational personnel such as
flight crew, cabin crew, engineers, air traffic staff, etc.
In this article, I will give you a background, benefits of SOPs. And considerations to be followed when developing SOPs for flight
operations.
Background
For many years the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has
identified deficiencies in standard operating procedures as contributing causal
factors in aviation accidents. Among the most commonly cited deficiencies
involving flight crews have been their non-compliance with established SOPs;
another has been the non-existence of established SOPs in some manuals used by
flight crews.
The ICAO has recognized the importance of SOPs for safe flight
operations. Recent amendments to ICAO Annex 6 and PANS-OPS Document 8168, Vol.
I, establish that each Member State shall require that SOPs for each phase of
flight be contained in the operations manual used by pilots.
Many Aviation Safety Organizations have concluded that Air Operators
perform with higher levels of safety when they establish and adhere to adequate
SOPs.
By adhering to SOP, the airline ensures its aircraft is flown correctly
per the manufacturer's guidelines. Furthermore, airlines utilize aircraft
resources and functionality appropriately. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) provides a flight crew with a
step-by-step guide to effectively and safely carry out operations. Furthermore,
most managerial tasks completed by flight crews are contained in standard
operating procedures (SOPs). Adherence to SOPs means each pilot knows what they and the other pilot
should be doing in any given phase of flight. It is important when working for
a large airline with hundreds of pilots. Many experts agree that implementation of any procedure as an SOP is
most effective if: 1) The procedure is
appropriate to the situation. 2) The procedure is
practical to use. 3) Crew members understand
the reasons for the procedure. 4) Pilot Flying (PF), Pilot
Not Flying (PNF), and Flight Engineer duties are delineated. 5) Effective training is
conducted. 6) The attitudes shown by
instructors, check airmen, and managers, all reinforce the need for the
procedure. SOPs design should take into consideration the following: 1) The nature of the airline environment and type of operation; 2) The operational philosophy, including crew coordination; 3) The training philosophy, including human performance training; 4) The airline corporate culture, including the degree of flexibility to
be built into SOPs design; 5) The levels of experience of different user groups, such as flight
crews, aircraft maintenance engineers, and cabin attendants; 6) Resource conservation policies, such as fuel conservation or wear on
power plants and systems; 7) Flight deck automation, including flight deck and systems layout and
supporting documentation; 8) The compatibility between SOPs and operational documentation; and 9) Procedural deviation during abnormal/unforeseen situations. The SOP must not only achieve the task at hand but also be understood by
a crew of various backgrounds and experiences within an airline. SOP's can also
be developed as time goes by to incorporate improvements based on experience,
accidents, near misses, or innovations from other manufacturers or operators to
suit the needs of a particular organization. Safety in commercial aviation continues to depend on good crew
performance. Good crew performance, in turn, is founded on standard operating
procedures that are clear, comprehensive, and readily available to the flight
crew.How do airlines benefit from adhering to Standard
Operating Procedures (SOPs)?
Why do airline pilots must adhere to SOPs?
Key Features of Effective SOPS for Aircraft Operations
What should be taken into consideration while
designing SOPS?