INTRODUCTION TO AVIATION

& FLIGHT SAFETY

DEPARTMENT

By Atheer Alghamdi
MAY 2023  
Shortcuts
Shortcuts that are found in the Manual, other documents or verbally mentioned a lot.

Shortcuts Stand For

RCA Root Cause Analysis
SDB Safety Data Briefing
FDR Flight Data Recording
QAR Quick Access Recorder
WQAR Wireless Quick Access Recorder
CAP
GACA General Authority Of Civil Aviation
OEM Original Equipment Manifactor
SASQ
SOP Standard Operating Procedures
FDC Flight Deck Report
SPI Safety Performance Indicator
SPT Safety Performance Target
Air Safety Report
Who fills the ASR?
ASR -Flight Deck Crew (Captain, First Officer)
-Flight Dispatch 
-Flight Crew scheduling

SMS Safety Management System

AQD Aviation Quality Database (Where All The eReports Stored)
SNF
RNP Required Navigation Performance
EGPWS Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System
Aircraft Registration
An alpha-numeric string marked prominently on the exterior surface of all civil aircraft.

- The registration code specifically indicates the country where the aircraft is registered as
well as a unique serial number for the aircraft.

- Radios aren’t always reliable and the signal may not be strong enough to hear clearly.
Using the phonetic alphabet and saying the numbers separately means that a message can
be received, even when the radio signal is poor.

Letter Stand For NOTE: The first 4 rows of this table is

sorted from the smallest to the largest
aircraft in the Saudia fleets.
S (Sierra) Airbus A220 & Airbus A221

Q (Qubec) Airbus A330

NOTE: The first 4 rows of this table is
sorted from the smallest to the largest
R (Romeo) Boeing 787-10 aircraft in the Saudia fleets.

K (Kilo) Boeing 777-300

HZ (Hotel Zulu) Saudi Arabia

A (Alpha) Saudia Airlines

HZ-AK38 HZ(Hotel Zulu) = Saudia A(Alpha) = Saudia , K(Kilo) = 777-300 , 38 = Aircraft

The Main Sections of an Airplane
Airplanes are not all alike, but they are comprised of basic components. The main
sections of an airplane include the Fuselage, Wings, Cockpit, Engine, Propeller, Tail Assembly,
And Landing Gear. Understanding the basic functions of how these parts interact is the first step
to understanding the principles of aerodynamics.

Section Name Description Photo

Fuselage The fuselage is the main section, or
body, of the airplane. This is where
you’ll find passengers, cargo, and the
flight crew. The fuselage is the
foundation for the structure of the
aircraft. The tail number, which
identifies each plane, is often located at
the rear of the fuselage near the tail.

Wings A plane is capable of flight because its

wings provide lift. Lift is created by the
shape of the wings and the plane’s speed
as it moves forward. Wings include
ailerons and flaps.
- “Aileron” is a French word.
It means “little wing” or
“fin.” They are used in pairs
to control the airplane’s
roll/bank.
- Flaps reduce the stalling
speed of a wing at a given
weight.
- The Leading Edge of the
wings faces the front of the
plane. Likewise, the Trailing
Edge of the wing can be
defined as the back edge that
includes the aileron and trim
tab.
Some wings are fixed high on the plane
above the fuselage and known as high
wing aircraft. Low wing aircraft are
planes on which the wings are installed
lower than halfway up the fuselage.
Cockpit This is where the pilot controls the
aircraft. The cockpit includes a Seating
Area For The Flight Crew, Flight
Instruments, Avionics, Audio/Radio
Communications, And Flight Controls.
- Electronic Flight
Instruments include a multi-
function display (MFD). This
is used to control heading,
speed, altitude, altimeter, etc.
The Primary Flight Display
(PFD) typically includes
attitude indicator, airspeed,
heading, and vertical airspeed
indicator. A navigation display
(ND) provides route
information, such as
waypoints, windspeed, and
wind direction. A flight
management system (FMS)
includes details about the
flight plan. A transponder,
which shows the planes
location to Air Traffic Control
(ATC), is also located in the
cockpit. 

Engine An aircraft engine, or aero engine, is the

power source for a plane. Most are either
piston engines or gas turbines. Some
drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAV), have used electric motors. There
are many manufacturers and models of
engines. Each is designed for specific
aircraft, whether large or small.
Manufacturers recommend an engine
overhaul at specified times after an
engine has flown a certain number of
hours.

Tail The tail provides stability during flight.

(Empennage) This is very similar to how feathers on
an arrow provide stability. In fact, if
“empennage” sounds French, it’s
because it is. The term is derived from
the French word empenner, which means
“to feather an arrow.” The tail assembly
consists of the Vertical Stabilizer,
Rudder, Elevator, Horizontal Stabilizer,
And Static Wicks.
Landing Gear The landing gear is the undercarriage of
an airplane. It is used for both takeoff
and landing. The landing gear supports
the plane when it is on the ground.
Landing gear allows the plane to take
off, land, and taxi without damage. Most
landing gear have wheels. However,
some aircraft use skis or floats to operate
on snow, ice, or water. Faster aircraft,
such as many twin-engine or jet aircraft,
have retractable landing gear. Upon
takeoff, the folding landing gear are
stowed away to reduce drag during
flight.
Wireless Retrieve Rate

EGPWS
Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System

- The EGPWS contains the following databases:

• Terrain database: A worldwide terrain database of varying degrees of resolutions
• Obstacle database: Known obstacles 100 feet or greater in height
• Runway database: Runways 3500 feet or longer in length (2000 feet or longer in some EGPWS models)
 Important Concept

TCAS
Traffic alert and Collision Avoidance System

- Sierra Transponder: it sends out signal showing the

aircraft Position, Altitude and Vertical Speed.

- TCAS scan the airspace at 40-mile radius horizontally

and 9900 upward and downward vertically. Therefore, TCAS has two Antennas fitted
(one on the top of the fuselage and the other on the
bottom).

- TCAS consider as MEMORY ITEM, meaning the entire

procedure is done by memory

- When another aircraft enters the airspace, the little diamond well pops up on the
Navigation Display. Where it well shows where the aircraft is and the vertical
separation to your aircraft.

1 2

In 1, the airplane is in 2000 feet above In 2, the diamond turned fully white
your airplane, there is no imminent which indicate a proximate intruder.
2 3 threat. But no threat if it maintains its altitude
separation.
1 1- Indicator foe when an airplane
4 enters the airspace.
2- Indicator if the airplane is
above (+) you or below (-) you.
3- ?
4- The downward arrow is an
indicator for decent, and
upward arrow is indicator for

In 3, now the intruder is suddenly When it became RED, the TCAS

descending and the diamond turns into
amber dot. Here is where the TCAS
become active and indicate the other
plane as a potential threat.
- An aural warning is
automatically called out
“traffic, traffic!”
predict the closest point of approach in
25 second and call out for resolution
advisor for BOTH airplanes.
One of the airplane well get the
advisory to climb and the other to
descend. To increase the vertical
separation to each other.
After completion the procedure , you
resume back to your given flight
level(altitude), activate the autopilot
and your flight director and notify
ATC.
Instrument Landing System (ILS)
Defined as a precision runway approach aid based on two radio beams which together provide
pilots with both vertical and horizontal guidance during an approach to land.
Flap
- In Airbus: 0,1,2,3 and Full
- In Boeing: Max is 30 in all.

PFD (Primary Flight Data)