Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences › Physical Sciences
Helicopter Pre-Flight Planning Procedures Training
Description
This course equips helicopter pilots and ground crew with the essential procedures for thorough pre-flight planning. It covers regulatory requirements, weight and balance calculations, weather assessment, route planning, and emergency contingencies to ensure safe and efficient flight operations.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply regulatory and organisational requirements for helicopter pre-flight planning.
- Analyze weather conditions and NOTAMs to assess flight safety.
- Calculate weight and balance to ensure helicopter performance within limits.
- Design a flight route incorporating fuel planning, alternate airports, and airspace considerations.
- Evaluate risk factors and implement mitigation strategies for identified hazards.
- Demonstrate completion of pre-flight planning documentation and briefings.
Target Audience
Helicopter pilots, flight operations officers, and ground crew involved in pre-flight planning for rotary-wing aircraft.
Prerequisites
None — open enrollment. However, a valid helicopter pilot licence or relevant aviation experience is recommended.
Course Outline
Objectives:
• Understand the importance of pre-flight planning for flight safety
• Identify regulatory requirements for pre-flight planning
• Recognize the components of a pre-flight planning checklist
• Explain the role of weather information in flight planning
• Describe the consequences of inadequate planning
Topics:
• Overview of pre-flight planning procedures
• Regulatory framework (CAA, ICAO, SA-CATS)
• Key documents: flight plan, weight and balance, performance calculations
• Introduction to weather sources and interpretation
• Risk management principles in aviation
Objectives:
• Interpret meteorological reports (METAR, TAF, SIGMET)
• Assess wind, visibility, cloud cover, and turbulence impacts
• Evaluate weather hazards specific to helicopter operations
• Use weather radar and satellite imagery
• Apply weather minimums for VFR and IFR flights
Topics:
• Reading and decoding aviation weather reports
• Understanding atmospheric phenomena affecting helicopters
• Weather hazards: icing, thunderstorms, wind shear
• Weather decision-making and alternate planning
• Practical weather briefing exercise
Objectives:
• Calculate helicopter weight and balance correctly
• Determine takeoff and landing performance
• Apply performance charts for different conditions
• Understand center of gravity limits
• Compute fuel requirements and reserves
Topics:
• Weight and balance theory and calculations
• Performance charts: hover ceiling, climb, cruise
• Effects of altitude, temperature, and humidity
• Fuel planning and reserves
• Practical weight and balance exercise
Objectives:
• Plan a helicopter route using aeronautical charts
• Identify airspace classes and restrictions
• Calculate headings, groundspeed, and time en route
• Select suitable alternates and emergency landing sites
• Use GPS and flight planning software
Topics:
• Aeronautical charts and symbols
• Airspace classification and special use airspace
• Navigation techniques: dead reckoning, VOR, GPS
• Route selection and alternate planning
• Practical route planning exercise
Objectives:
• Interpret NOTAMs and apply them to flight planning
• Understand ATC procedures and communication requirements
• File a flight plan correctly
• Manage flight plan amendments and cancellations
• Coordinate with ATC for special operations
Topics:
• NOTAMs: types, decoding, and application
• ATC procedures for helicopter operations
• Flight plan forms and electronic filing
• Communication with ATC during planning
• Practical flight plan filing exercise
Objectives:
• Apply risk assessment models (e.g., PAVE, CARE)
• Identify hazards specific to helicopter operations
• Make go/no-go decisions based on planning
• Develop personal minimums and limits
• Use crew resource management (CRM) in planning
Topics:
• Risk assessment frameworks (PAVE, CARE, TEAM)
• Hazard identification and mitigation strategies
• Decision-making models and human factors
• Crew resource management (CRM) principles
• Case studies of planning-related incidents
Objectives:
• Conduct a complete pre-flight planning process
• Integrate all previous topics into a comprehensive plan
• Present and defend planning decisions
• Demonstrate proficiency in practical planning tasks
• Review and critique planning scenarios
Topics:
• Full pre-flight planning scenario from start to finish
• Presentation and peer review of flight plans
• Instructor-led debrief and feedback
• Review of key concepts and common errors
• Written assessment on planning procedures
Practicals
Overview
Practical exercises reinforce theoretical knowledge through hands-on application of pre-flight planning tasks. Learners will practice weather interpretation, weight and balance calculations, route planning, flight plan filing, and risk assessment in simulated scenarios.
Practical Activities
- Weather Briefing and Interpretation — Learners decode real METARs, TAFs, and SIGMETs, and plan a flight considering weather constraints. (6h)
- Weight and Balance and Performance Calculations — Learners perform weight and balance calculations and use performance charts for a specific helicopter type. (6h)
- Route Planning and Flight Plan Filing — Learners plan a cross-country route, select alternates, and file a flight plan using standard forms and software. (6h)
- Integrated Pre-Flight Planning Scenario — Learners complete a full pre-flight planning exercise from weather briefing to flight plan filing, including risk assessment. (6h)
Summatives
Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course via daily exercises, scored practical assignments, and a final summative test at the end.
Practical Assignments — 30%
Practical assignments are observed and scored against a rubric during the practical sessions. Each delegate's practical mark is averaged into a single 100% score and contributes 30% to the final total.
Daily Exercises — 20%
Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 20% to the final total.
Final Test — 50%
On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 50% to the overall mark.
Final Total
| Component | Out of | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Practical Assignments (rubric-scored) | 100% | 30% |
| Daily Average (multiple choice) | 100% | 20% |
| Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) | 100% | 50% |
| Final Total | — | 100% |
All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.
Certificate
How it works
- Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
- Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
- You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
- If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it
Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.
Training Discounts
Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.
| Delegates | Discount |
|---|---|
| 5 | 3% off |
| 10 | 6% off |
| 15 | 9% off |
| 20 | 12% off |
| 25 | 15% off |
| 30 | 18% off |
| 50 | 30% off |
| 75 | 40% off |
| 100 | 40% off |
3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
Let us know you're interested and we'll arrange a session that suits you.
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