Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences Physical Sciences

Low Visibility Operations for Aviation Training

SAQA US 243280 | NQF 6 | Credits 8 | Duration 5 Days
From $1,242 per delegate

Description

This course equips aviation personnel with the knowledge and skills to safely conduct flight operations during low visibility conditions, including fog, haze, and low cloud. It focuses on regulatory requirements, aircraft equipment, and crew procedures to ensure operational safety and compliance with South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) standards.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply relevant regulations and procedures for low visibility operations as per SACAA and ICAO standards.
  • Analyze meteorological conditions and their impact on visibility to make informed operational decisions.
  • Evaluate aircraft systems and equipment required for low visibility takeoff, approach, and landing.
  • Demonstrate proper crew coordination and communication during low visibility operations.
  • Implement decision-making strategies for go-around, diversion, or holding in low visibility scenarios.
  • Assess risks associated with low visibility operations and apply mitigation measures.

Target Audience

Pilots, flight operations officers, and aviation safety personnel seeking to enhance their competence in low visibility operations. This course is ideal for those operating in South African airspace or similar environments.

Prerequisites

Valid South African pilot license (PPL, CPL, or ATPL) or equivalent, and a basic understanding of instrument flight rules (IFR).

Course Outline

Day 1: Fundamentals of Low Visibility and Weather

Objectives:
• Understand the definition and categories of low visibility conditions
• Identify meteorological factors that cause low visibility
• Explain the impact of low visibility on flight operations
• Describe the regulatory framework for low visibility operations
• Recognize the hazards associated with reduced visibility

Topics:
• Definition of low visibility (e.g., fog, mist, haze, smoke)
• Meteorological causes: radiation fog, advection fog, precipitation, dust
• Impact on pilot vision, depth perception, and spatial orientation
• Regulatory overview: SA-CATS, ICAO Annex 6, low visibility operations (LVO)
• Hazard identification: disorientation, collision risk, runway incursions

Day 2: Aircraft Systems and Equipment for Low Visibility

Objectives:
• Describe the role of instrument landing systems (ILS) in low visibility
• Explain the function of enhanced vision systems (EVS) and synthetic vision
• Understand the use of head-up displays (HUD) and auto-land systems
• Identify aircraft lighting and marking requirements
• Discuss the importance of runway visual range (RVR) reports

Topics:
• Instrument Landing System (ILS) categories (CAT I, II, III)
• Enhanced Vision Systems (EVS) and Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS)
• Head-Up Display (HUD) and auto-land capabilities
• Aircraft lighting: landing lights, strobes, taxi lights
• Runway markings and lighting for low visibility
• RVR measurement and reporting

Day 3: Procedures and Crew Coordination in Low Visibility

Objectives:
• Outline standard operating procedures for takeoff in low visibility
• Describe approach and landing procedures under low visibility
• Explain the role of crew resource management (CRM) during LVO
• Understand the importance of briefings and communication
• Identify decision-making criteria for go-around and diversion

Topics:
• Low visibility takeoff (LVTO) procedures
• Precision approach and landing in low visibility
• Crew Resource Management (CRM): roles, communication, cross-check
• Pre-flight and approach briefings specific to LVO
• Decision-making: minima, go-around, diversion planning
• Use of checklists and automation management

Day 4: Regulatory Requirements and Safety Management

Objectives:
• Interpret regulatory requirements for low visibility operations
• Explain the approval process for operators and pilots
• Understand the role of safety management systems (SMS) in LVO
• Identify training and recency requirements
• Discuss incident reporting and investigation related to LVO

Topics:
• SA-CATS and ICAO Annex 6 requirements for LVO
• Operator approval: application, documentation, demonstrations
• Pilot training and proficiency checks for LVO
• Safety Management Systems (SMS): hazard identification, risk assessment
• Incident reporting: runway incursions, excursions, loss of separation
• Case studies of low visibility accidents and lessons learned

Day 5: Practical Integration and Scenario-Based Training

Objectives:
• Apply knowledge to realistic low visibility scenarios
• Demonstrate correct use of procedures and equipment in simulated conditions
• Evaluate decision-making in dynamic low visibility situations
• Conduct a post-flight debrief focusing on LVO performance
• Integrate CRM and threat and error management (TEM) in LVO

Topics:
• Scenario-based training: low visibility departure, approach, and landing
• Simulator or tabletop exercises for LVO emergencies
• Threat and Error Management (TEM) in low visibility
• Post-flight analysis and debrief techniques
• Review of key learning points and assessment
• Course evaluation and feedback

Practicals

16 hours of practicals To be conducted online or on-campus or in-house
Overview

Practical sessions are essential to develop hands-on skills in operating aircraft systems and applying procedures in low visibility conditions. Learners will use flight simulators or training devices to practice low visibility takeoffs, approaches, and landings, as well as manage system failures and crew coordination.

Practical Activities
  • Simulator Session 1: Low Visibility Takeoff and Initial Climb — Learners conduct a low visibility takeoff (LVTO) in a flight simulator with RVR below 400m, using appropriate procedures and crew coordination. (4h)
  • Simulator Session 2: Precision Approach and Landing in Low Visibility — Learners perform CAT II/III ILS approaches to minimums, with and without auto-land, and practice go-around decisions. (4h)
  • Simulator Session 3: System Failures and Emergencies in Low Visibility — Learners handle system failures (e.g., ILS outage, EVS failure, windshear) during low visibility operations and practice diversion procedures. (4h)
  • Practical Assessment: Integrated Low Visibility Scenario — Learners are assessed on a full low visibility flight scenario from pre-flight planning to post-flight debrief, demonstrating all competencies. (4h)

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

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Practicals 30% + Daily Average 20% + Final Test 50%).

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 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 07 Sep 2026 Fri 11 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 28 Sep 2026 Fri 02 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 19 Oct 2026 Fri 23 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 07 Dec 2026 Fri 11 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 11 Jan 2027 Fri 15 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 15 Feb 2027 Fri 19 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $1,242 Register
Mon 01 Mar 2027 Fri 05 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 07 Jun 2027 Fri 11 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 28 Jun 2027 Fri 02 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 19 Jul 2027 Fri 23 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 06 Sep 2027 Fri 10 Sep 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 27 Sep 2027 Fri 01 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 18 Oct 2027 Fri 22 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 06 Dec 2027 Fri 10 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 27 Dec 2027 Fri 31 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
Mon 17 Jan 2028 Fri 21 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $1,242 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 516 sessions across 26 venues
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Mon 13 Jul 2026 Fri 17 Jul 2026 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Winter 2026 $3,834 Register
Mon 13 Jul 2026 Fri 17 Jul 2026 Accra, Ghana Winter 2026 $4,482 Register
Mon 13 Jul 2026 Fri 17 Jul 2026 Kampala, Uganda Winter 2026 $3,834 Register
Mon 13 Jul 2026 Fri 17 Jul 2026 Kinshasa, DRC Winter 2026 $3,834 Register
Mon 13 Jul 2026 Fri 17 Jul 2026 Kigali, Rwanda Winter 2026 $3,834 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 14 Sep 2026 Fri 18 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 05 Oct 2026 Fri 09 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 26 Oct 2026 Fri 30 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 14 Dec 2026 Fri 18 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 18 Jan 2027 Fri 22 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 22 Feb 2027 Fri 26 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,615 Register
Mon 08 Mar 2027 Fri 12 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Fri 19 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 22 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 14 Jun 2027 Fri 18 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 05 Jul 2027 Fri 09 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 26 Jul 2027 Fri 30 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 13 Sep 2027 Fri 17 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Fri 08 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 25 Oct 2027 Fri 29 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 13 Dec 2027 Fri 17 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 03 Jan 2028 Fri 07 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Mon 24 Jan 2028 Fri 28 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,615 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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