Why Your Organization Needs a Flight Operations Manual
For Your UAV- Drone Program
Flight operations manual will help your organization be more effective, cost efficient, successful, and successful. Its power cannot be overstated. An organized, focused, specific, plan for your UAS program will saves lives, reduces costs, and gives people an actual increased level of protection.
- BENEFITS OF HAVING A FLIGHT OPERATIONS MANUAL:
There is an almost infinite number of benefits of having a Flight Operations Manual.
By taking subjectivity out of the situation. You might have someone who is overzealous. Willing to take unnecessary risks. You might have someone who is inexperienced as to the capabilities of the UAS. You might have someone who is not aware of the laws and know what they can and cannot do.
- Create a pre-flight checklist.
- Just like on a plane.
- Standard operating procedures.
- What kind of training is required by the UAS pilot?
- Who will be in charge of maintaining the UAS?
- Who will make the repairs?
- What if you want to fly at night? Or beyond VLOS? What do you need to do? Is there someone who can help?
Airforce has a saying that its rules are written in blood. You can build off the experiences and mistakes made by those who have gone before you. Having a written set of guidelines keeps people from taking unnecessary risks, mental errors, keep systems from failing.
WHAT DOES A FLIGHT OPERATIONS MANUAL CONTAIN?
A traditional outline for a Flight Operations Manual will contain. It provides a standardized list of many things including the maintenance of UAV, pilot requirements.
Section 1- Flight Operations Manual: Organization and Administration
An overview of the organizational structure, including responsibilities, duties, and qualifications for all positions and titles within the operation. This section also includes personnel policies, pre-flight planning or checks, ongoing educational requirements, alcohol / drug policy, trip expenses, and record keeping.
Section 2- Flight Operations Manual: Safety Management System
The operator’s SMS, including the various forms, overall processes, and components, forming a continuous cycle of improvement. The Hazard Identification, Tracking, and Resolution System is customized for each operator in both text and graphic format. We can also provide separate files for each of the forms so that you may print / distribute them as needed.
Section 3- Flight Operations Manual: Operating Procedures
The operational control system including Trip Scheduling, Weather, Flight Rules, Performance, Fuel Requirements, Weight and Balance, Aircraft Defects, Use of Checklists and SOPs, Flight / Duty Time Limitations, Aircraft Equipment, and Passenger and Cabin Safety Procedures.
Section 4- Flight Operations Manual: Qualifications and Training
Details of the qualifications and required training for all Flight Department personnel.
Section 5- Flight Operations Manual: Aircraft Maintenance
An overview of the maintenance control system, including, Elements of Aircraft Maintenance, Aircraft Records, Preventative Maintenance, Deferred Maintenance Items / Discrepancy Management, Technical Dispatch, Parts, Material Control, Tool Calibration, Maintenance Arrangements, and Maintenance Safety Programs.
Section 6- Flight Operations Manual: Protection of Evidence
Evidence must be preserved for it to be admitted into evidence at trial.
Section 7- Flight Operations Manual: Company Forms
Samples of the forms referenced throughout the manual. We can also provide separate files for each of the forms so that you may print / distribute them as needed.
FLIGHT OPERATIONS MANUAL WILL BE CUSTOM
To your situation and unique geography. Do you have freeways, railroad tracks, We will send you sections of the manual for review, and schedule development sessions to review each section with key personnel from your department, conducted online at your convenience. After we have completed developing the manual you issue a copy of the full manual for your review “review draft”.
ONCE CREATED IT CAN BE A TEMPLATE
Of course, your needs and technology will change the needs of your UAS program overtime and the FOM can be updated for those changes. But the FOM will be a platform to build off of. This is why things needs to start off right. So that 10, 20, 30 years from now you aren’t trying to correct mistakes that have already been made.
How easy is it to straighten a tree when it is small? It can be done with a small wire, however, once a tree reaches a certain size it become almost impossible to straighten it.
Do you have an off-the-shelf flight operation’s manual?
While there may be common elements between each operators’ manual, the intent of the manual is to reflect your particular operation. Therefore, the manual will be unique. While a boilerplate manual is better than no manual the best part about creating your own is that it is specifically describes and details your operation.
GO – NO GO INSTRUCTIONS Operator-provided content, aircraft-specific SOPs, expanded Winter Operations, etc., may be included in Appendices. High-speed car chases.
If you need help from an experienced Arizona attorney, then contact the Dunaway Law Group at 480-702-1608 or message us HERE.
* The information provided is informational only, does not constitute legal advice, and will not create an attorney-client or attorney-prospective client relationship. Additionally, the Dunaway Law Group, PLC limits its practice to the State of Arizona.
