Appendix D: Special Terminal Operation Procedures (STOP) for Operations in a Noncontiguous State
D.6 En Route, Flight Monitoring, and Communications
D.6.1 General
An aircraft dispatcher or fight follower monitors the progress of each flight under that individual’s control until the flight has landed or passed beyond the area of control, or until the individual is properly relieved by another dispatcher or flight follower. Flight monitoring, at a minimum, consists of the monitoring of each aircraft’s fuel state, flight time remaining, destination and alternate airport weather trends, en route winds and weather (including PIREPs), ATC constraints, and the status of airport and navigational facilities. Title 14 CFR § 121.99 requires that reliable and rapid two-way communications between each flight and the aircraft dispatcher be available at any point in the flight, including overwater portions of international flights.
D.6.2 Domestic Operations
Title 14 CFR § 121.601(c) requires the aircraft dispatcher to report to the PIC any additional information that could affect the safety of the flight. This information may be delivered by voice message or by other means, such as the ACARS.
D.6.3 Supplemental Operations
Title 14 CFR § 121.603(b) requires that during a flight, the PIC shall obtain any additional available information of meteorological conditions and irregularities of facilities and services that may affect the safety of the flight.
D.6.4 Flight Monitoring
All flights released under STOP are monitored, tracked, and controlled by a dispatcher or flight follower. For flights to remote sites without phone service, flightcrews are provided with appropriate satellite communications. During the flight:
- The dispatcher or flight follower:
- Provides the PIC with any additional available information of meteorological conditions (including any changes in primary weather information or adverse weather phenomena, such as CAT, thunderstorms, or low-altitude wind shear) that may affect the safety of the flight.
- Provides the PIC with any additional available information regarding irregularities of facilities and services that may affect the safety of the flight, including any changes in NOTAMs (refer to 14 CFR § 121.601).
- Monitors any and all information available for weather at the destination and alternates, as well as the progress of the flight. All flights on an IFR flight plan are tracked using aircraft situation display software.
- The PIC:
- Ensures contact is established with the dispatcher or flight follower as soon as practical after takeoff, reaching cruise altitude in non-turbine airplanes or leaving 10,000 MSL in turbine airplanes.
- Requests any available updated information for the destination and alternate airports at approximately 30 minutes before ETA when a flight has a cruise time of more than one hour. If the report does not indicate conditions suitable for a visual approach, the flight proceeds to the alternate airport. Ensures that the dispatcher or flight follower is informed of the intent, either directly or via relay.
- When contacting the dispatcher or flight follower, forwards progress reports to the dispatcher or flight follower and includes ETA at the destination (or alternate), fuel remaining, and aircraft maintenance status.
D.6.5 En Route Terrain Clearance
Title 14 CFR part 121 subpart I contains limitations on weights at which aircraft may be dispatched due to terrain clearance requirements. These limitations apply to all types of aircraft operated under 14 CFR part 121.
D.6.6 En Route IFR to VFR Transition Point
Filing to the destination will normally be IFR to a point where VFR can be expected to be achieved. The IFR to VFR transition point should be no more than 50 NM from the intended destination. If upon arrival at the transition point the crew is unable to establish and maintain VFR through landing, then the flight proceeds to the primary alternate. If the weather unexpectedly begins to deteriorate while en route to the destination, but after transitioning to VFR, a course change may need to be made to maintain VFR. If VFR cannot be maintained to destination, coordinate with ATC for an IFR clearance to the alternate airport.
Maintain terrain clearance visually until at or above minimum safe altitudes and an IFR clearance has been obtained.
D.7 Destination Approach and Arrival
D.7.1 General
Flight operations to destination airports with weather reporting deficiencies proceed no further than the final approach fix on an instrument approach to the airport, or descend no lower than the minimum en route altitude, unless the flightcrew has visual contact with the runway and can maintain VFR in VMC.
D.7.2 Visual Inspection
In VMC conditions, the flightcrew conducts a visual inspection of the airport prior to landing. This inspection will allow the flightcrew to assess the winds using a windsock and/or environmental factors (e.g., blowing/drifting snow, wind over water, or leaf and tree movement). When available, these visual cues are compared to the onboard FMS-derived wind calculations, ensuring optimum situational awareness. This wind check prior to landing ensures an approach and landing into the wind and compliance with the company’s crosswind limitation. On final approach, the flightcrew verifies the indicated air speed is greater than the aircraft’s ground speed.