SAQA All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.
SOUTH AFRICAN QUALIFICATIONS AUTHORITY 
REGISTERED UNIT STANDARD THAT HAS PASSED THE END DATE: 

Examine airport and flight path characteristics 
SAQA US ID UNIT STANDARD TITLE
262986  Examine airport and flight path characteristics 
ORIGINATOR
SGB Aerospace Operations 
PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QUALITY ASSURANCE FUNCTIONARY
-  
FIELD SUBFIELD
Field 10 - Physical, Mathematical, Computer and Life Sciences Physical Sciences 
ABET BAND UNIT STANDARD TYPE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL CREDITS
Undefined  Regular  Level 6  Level TBA: Pre-2009 was L6  30 
REGISTRATION STATUS REGISTRATION START DATE REGISTRATION END DATE SAQA DECISION NUMBER
Passed the End Date -
Status was "Reregistered" 		 2018-07-01  2023-06-30  SAQA 06120/18 
LAST DATE FOR ENROLMENT LAST DATE FOR ACHIEVEMENT
2024-06-30   2027-06-30  

In all of the tables in this document, both the pre-2009 NQF Level and the NQF Level is shown. In the text (purpose statements, qualification rules, etc), any references to NQF Levels are to the pre-2009 levels unless specifically stated otherwise.  

This unit standard does not replace any other unit standard and is not replaced by any other unit standard. 

PURPOSE OF THE UNIT STANDARD 
The person credited with this unit standard is able to ascertain the runway and apron dimension and assess the load bearing characteristics for a particular aircraft type and operation. Learners will also be able to compare and evaluate the crash, fire and rescue services and the availability and suitability of navigation and learners will also be able to optimise the obstacle clearance requirements and to construct a flight path to mitigate impact of obstacles along the flight path.

The qualifying learner is capable of:
  • Analysing aerodrome characteristics.
  • Analysing obstacle clearance.
  • Analysing engine out flight path. 
    		•

    LEARNING ASSUMED TO BE IN PLACE AND RECOGNITION OF PRIOR LEARNING 
    Learners accessing this qualification will be assumed competent in:
  • Communication at NQF Level 5 or equivalent.
  • Mathematical Literacy at NQF Level 5 or equivalent. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD RANGE 
    N/A 

    Specific Outcomes and Assessment Criteria: 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 1 
    Analyse aerodrome characteristics. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Runway dimensions are evaluated in order to ascertain level of aircraft field length performance possible. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Runway dimensions may include but is not limited to length, width, slope, direction, clearway and stopway.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Taxi way and apron dimensions are assessed to determine suitability for particular aircraft type. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Taxi way and apron dimensions include position of taxi lanes, parking bays, markings and turn radii and taxi way fillets.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Load bearing characteristics are assessed for acceptability for a particular aircraft type and operation. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Load bearing characteristics include load bearing width and length of runway, taxi ways, apron, stopway and seasonal effect.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Manoeuvre areas and dimensions are studied to determine turn radii constraints, line-up distance allowances and manoeuvre safety margins. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Manoeuvre areas and dimensions include taxi way inter-sections, turn pads, high speed turnoffs and runway inter-sections.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Crash, fire and rescue services are compared to the requirement for a particular aircraft and operation. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Crash, fire and rescue services include level available, hours available and seasonal constraints.
     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Navigation aids are evaluated for availability and suitability considering type, time and season of operation for particular aircraft type. 
    ASSESSMENT CRITERION RANGE 
    Navigation aids include type of aids, number of runway ends with aids, precision and non-precision approaches.
     

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 2 
    Analyse obstacle clearance. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Gradients are optimised to improve obstacle clearance limiting weights. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Distance to obstacle is adjusted in order to optimise obstacle clearance margins. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Obstacle clearance gradient is corrected for bank angle in turn. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Obstacle height in turn is adjusted to off-set the loss of climb gradient ability in the turn. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 5 
    Flap setting is selected to yield optimum obstacle limited take off weight. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 6 
    Obstacles are selected for consideration based on the use of a take off flight path in accordance with ICAO Annex 14. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 7 
    Obstacle clearance is determined to clear close-in and distant obstacles for level-off height purposes. 

    SPECIFIC OUTCOME 3 
    Analyse engine out flight path. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERIA     

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 1 
    Flight path is constructed in order to mitigate impact of obstacles along flight path. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 2 
    Obstacles in the take off flight path are identified as to their height and distance above the lift off point, along the departure routing. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 3 
    Standard instrument departures are analysed in order to check for engine out performance. 

    ASSESSMENT CRITERION 4 
    Engine out flight paths are designed to avoid no fly areas, high ground and restricted airspace. 


    UNIT STANDARD ACCREDITATION AND MODERATION OPTIONS 
  • An individual wishing to be assessed (including through RPL) against this unit standard may apply to an assessment agency, assessor or provider institution accredited by the relevant ETQA or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding in place with the relevant ETQA.
  • Anyone assessing a learner against this unit standard must be registered as an assessor with the relevant ETQA or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding in place with the relevant ETQA.
  • Any institution offering learning that will enable achievement of this unit standard or assessing this unit standard must be accredited as a provider with the relevant ETQA or an ETQA that has a Memorandum of Understanding in place with the relevant ETQA.
  • Moderation of assessment will be conducted by the relevant ETQA at its discretion. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD ESSENTIAL EMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE 
  • Sources of information regarding aerodrome characteristics.
  • Methods and techniques for constructing a flight path.
  • Navigation aids.
  • Methods and techniques to analyse gradients and obstacles. 
    		•

    UNIT STANDARD DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME 
    N/A 

    UNIT STANDARD LINKAGES 
    N/A 


    Critical Cross-field Outcomes (CCFO): 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO IDENTIFYING 
    Identify and solve problems pertaining to the analysis of aerodrome characteristics, obstacle clearance and engine out flight path. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO WORKING 
    Work effectively with others in order to obtain the best results when analysing aerodrome characteristics, obstacle clearance and engine out flight path. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO COLLECTING 
    Collect, analyse, organise and critically evaluate information which will have an impact on the examining of airport and flight path characteristics. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO SCIENCE 
    Use science and technology to assist in the analysis of information. 

    UNIT STANDARD CCFO DEMONSTRATING 
    Demonstrate an understanding of the world as a set of related systems where poor and inaccurate data can have a devastating effect on the proposed flight. 

    UNIT STANDARD ASSESSOR CRITERIA 
    N/A 

    REREGISTRATION HISTORY 
    As per the SAQA Board decision/s at that time, this unit standard was Reregistered in 2012; 2015. 

    UNIT STANDARD NOTES 
    Glossary of Terms:
  • V1 is engine failure decision speed.
  • V2 is minimum safe climb speed.
  • Vr is minimum rotation speed.
  • Vmu is minimum un-stick speed.
  • Vmca is minimum control speed air (one or two engines failed).
  • Vs is aircraft stall speed.
  • Vmcg is minimum control speed ground.
  • Vmbe is maximum speed brake energy. 
    		•

    QUALIFICATIONS UTILISING THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
      ID QUALIFICATION TITLE PRE-2009 NQF LEVEL NQF LEVEL STATUS END DATE PRIMARY OR DELEGATED QA FUNCTIONARY
    Core  66109   National Diploma: Aircraft Performance Engineering  Level 6  NQF Level 06  Passed the End Date -
    Status was "Reregistered"     		 2016-12-31  TETA 


    PROVIDERS CURRENTLY ACCREDITED TO OFFER THIS UNIT STANDARD: 
    This information shows the current accreditations (i.e. those not past their accreditation end dates), and is the most complete record available to SAQA as of today. Some Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionaries have a lag in their recording systems for provider accreditation, in turn leading to a lag in notifying SAQA of all the providers that they have accredited to offer qualifications and unit standards, as well as any extensions to accreditation end dates. The relevant Primary or Delegated Quality Assurance Functionary should be notified if a record appears to be missing from here.
     
    NONE 


    All qualifications and part qualifications registered on the National Qualifications Framework are public property. Thus the only payment that can be made for them is for service and reproduction. It is illegal to sell this material for profit. If the material is reproduced or quoted, the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) should be acknowledged as the source.