NATOPS

Compliance with stipulated manual procedures is mandatory, but deviations are allowed per the following statements found in all NATOPS manuals:

In order to remain effective, NATOPS must be dynamic and stimulate rather than suppress individual thinking. Since aviation is a continuing, progressive profession, it is both desirable and necessary that new ideas and new techniques be expeditiously evaluated and incorporated if proven to be sound. To this end, Commanding Officers of aviation units are authorized to modify procedures contained herein… for the purpose of assessing new ideas prior to initiating recommendations for permanent changes.

—A-7 Corsair Pilot's Flight Operating Manual[6]

However, [this manual] is not a substitute for sound judgment. Compound emergencies, available facilities, adverse weather or terrain, or considerations affecting the lives and property of others may require modification of the procedures contained herein. Read this manual from cover to cover. It is your responsibility to have a complete knowledge of its contents.

—F-14 Tomcat Pilot's Flight Operating Manual Vol. 1[7]

[NATOPS] is not intended to cover every contingency that may arise nor every rule of safety and good practice. To achieve maximum value, the

contents of all directives cited must be studied and understood.

—NATOPS General Flight and Operating Instructions: OPNAV Instruction 3710.7T, page 1-1[1]

The "3710" or "OPNAV 3710", as it is commonly referred to, is issued by the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Often called the "General NATOPS", it is the overarching document in the NATOPS program and it provides policy and procedural guidance applicable to a broad spectrum of users.

Among a variety of topics, 3710 covers:

• The general scope and purpose of the NATOPS program
• What naval aircraft may be used for and who may pilot and crew them
• Flight demonstrations, authorized airfields, cross-country flights and fuel planning
• Supersonic flight operations and aerobatic flight
• Individual qualifications, including instrument ratings
• Aircrew and aircraft documentation requirements

Aircraft specific NATOPS manual cover. These manuals are typically about 2 inches thick.

These are manuals for specific aircraft models containing standardized ground and flight operating procedures, training requirements, aircraft limitations, and technical data necessary for safe and effective operation of the aircraft. There are typically several volumes, including supplements for weapons systems, performance charts, servicing checklist, and post maintenance functional checkflight checklist.

Pocket checklists (or "PCL") contain pertinent extracts from the main publications necessary to normal operations, emergency procedures, and training.

Pocket checklists are designed for quick access to information in the cockpit.

NATOPS flight manuals are prepared using a concept that provides the aircrew with information for operation of the aircraft, but detailed operation and interaction is not provided. This concept was selected for a number of reasons: reader interest increases as the size of a technical publication decreases, comprehension increases as the technical complexity decreases, and accidents decrease as reader interest and comprehension increase. To implement this streamlined concept, observance of the following rules was attempted:

1. The pilot, NFO or enlisted naval aircrewman is considered to have above-average intelligence and normal (average) common sense.
2. No values (pressure, temperature, quantity, etc.) which cannot be read in the cockpit are stated, except where such use provides the pilot with a value judgment. Only the information required to fly the aircraft is provided.
3. Multiple failures (emergencies) are not covered.
4. Simple words in preference to more complex or quasi-technical words are used and, unnecessary and/or confusing word modifiers are avoided.

Miscellaneous NATOPS manuals are issued for special aircraft-related operations or systems that require fleet-wide standardization.

CV NATOPS Manual with distribution notice.

They include:

• Air traffic control
• Air-to-air refueling
• Ground refueling
• Aircraft signals
• Carrier operations (CV NATOPS Manual)
• Air-capable ship operations
• Amphibious assault ship (LHA/LHD) operations
• Flight deck/hangar deck operations
• Instrument flight rules
• Landing signal officer procedures
• Weapons
• Crash and salvage

Changing NATOPS publications requires following a full approval process. Changes can be rapidly accomplished for urgent/safety of flight issues (via electronic directive to make pen and ink modifications to publications/procedures). There is also an annual conference for manual users (aircrew, maintenance personnel, engineers, policy makers, etc.) do deal with more routine/less urgent matters. These conferences produce a list of "recommended changes" that are then vetted by an approval process prior to promulgation.[8]

Individual pilots, flight officers or crewmembers are evaluated when initially qualifying (or requalifying after a non-flying assignment) in a given T/M/S aircraft, and a minimum of annually thereafter. Flight crews may also be evaluated prior to annually as part of a unit NATOPS evaluation administered by NATOPS evaluators. NATOPS exams consist of an open book examination, a closed book examination, an oral examination, and an evaluation flight or simulator check. Use of operational flight trainers (OFTs) / weapon system trainers (WSTs) is encouraged for simulated emergencies and scenarios that present significantly increased risk when actually performed in an aircraft. If no such flight simulator / training device is available, aircraft may be used. Evaluation flights in aircraft that require simulated emergencies are avoided.

Prior to commencing the evaluation flight, an evaluee must achieve a minimum grade of qualified on both open book and closed book NATOPS examinations. The oral examination is also part of the ground evaluation, but may be conducted as part of the flight evaluation.

A unit NATOPS evaluation is conducted for every squadron/unit every 18 months by the appropriate NATOPS evaluator(s). The unit NATOPS evaluation includes NATOPS evaluations for each crew position (ground evaluation and an evaluation flight) selected at random by the evaluator to measure overall adherence to NATOPS procedures. NATOPS evaluators will re-evaluate all squadron NATOPS Instructors during a unit NATOPS evaluation and will also select one flight crewmember from each aircraft position at random for a flight or simulator evaluation. For random evaluation check selectees who perform well beyond expectations, NATOPS evaluators may recommend to the squadron commanding officer that the individual be tracked for qualification and designation as a NATOPS instructor.[1]