Non-routine Flight Operations - How does it work?

From the flight crew end, it's a flight number designated for non-common carriage and sometimes you need paperwork, depending on what kind of flight it is. For example, a repo for logistics purposes doesn't even need a dispatch release, but you usually get one anyway. A repo for a discrepancy that is normally grounding, but requires a repo, will require approval paperwork from the FAA. Same goes for maintenance check flights...it depends on the write-up. It all depends on what can you can fly with, with or without passengers or just without.
 
So do the pilots in your case need a special designation, or is it covered in recurrent training? Thanks.
 
mjg407 said:
So do the pilots in your case need a special designation, or is it covered in recurrent training? Thanks.
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We split up our Ferry/MX Check flights into two groups. A Group 1 Ferry or OCF can be flown by any qualified line pilot. A Group 2 Ferry/OCF has to be flown by a specially "trained" pilot. Those guys are generally any management pilot of sim instructor. I don't know if they get special training but somehow I doubt it.

Group 2 stuff involves shutting down systems in flight or anything that you wouldn't do during normal operations.
 
mjg407 said:
For the 121 and 135 guys, do you need a separate designation to perform maintenance check flights?

http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/avia...ty/info/all_infos/media/2008/InFO08032Sup.pdf
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Of all the two 121 airlines I worked at, there was no separate designation to do mx check flights.

At one airline, you got lots of support in terms of what needed to get done, figuring out whether the aircraft was airworthy, all the paperwork was done.

At the other airline, it was fend for yourself, you had no turnover from mx as to what needed to get checked, and you really needed to scrutinize the aircraft log to make sure all the legal paperwork was really good to go before you launched. Mx and repos were done under Pt 91. and you usually had to file your own flight plan and one time, I got an FO who hadn't seen the sim yet (he was on day 2 of initial newhire ground school.) The chief pilot's response was the FO only needed a commercial multi, they weren't going to pull a line FO out to do the flight.
 
I was called out one time as an FO to do one of these, mainly as a gear jerker. The captain and flight engineer did these regularly and went through a checklist of items (such as alternate flap extensions, etc). I think I was just there to keep the seat warm. :D
 
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