Aerodrome Usability Assessment

Before operating into a new route or airport, Wizz Air requires an analysis addressing obstacle clearance for all phases of flight, runway dimensions and pavement loading, navigation aids and lighting, weather considerations, emergency services, fuel burn calculations, ATC services, critical engine inoperative operations, depressurization over critical areas, irregular pre-threshold terrain or known deficiencies, and special airport classification. Wizz publishes LVO tables, airport briefings, and route information appendices in OMC - Airports, available via the onboard EFB/online library.

Approved Aerodrome Baseline

Wizz only approves aerodromes where runway length and characteristics are sufficient for aircraft performance requirements, suitable instrument approaches/ATS/lighting/comms/weather reporting/nav aids exist, and RFFS category is sufficient. Approved aerodromes (A/B/C) are listed in OMC - Airports.

Dispatch When Landing Performance Is Limiting

If the runway may be wet: use AFM wet landing distance if provided (not less than dry requirement), or if not provided, use 115% or more of dry required landing distance.

If the runway may be contaminated: LDA must be at least the dry/wet dispatch landing distance or 115% or more of the approved contaminated landing distance data, whichever is greater.

Alternate Requirement

If the Commander cannot comply with the most-likely-assigned runway criteria and the runway at ETA may be wet or contaminated, the aircraft shall only be dispatched if one alternate is designated. If the Commander cannot comply with the most-favourable-runway/still-air criteria at a destination where the runway may be contaminated and landing depends on a specific wind component, two alternates must be designated. In both cases the alternate(s) must allow compliance with the applicable dry or wet/contaminated dispatch landing criteria.

Takeoff / SID Constraint Discipline

The engine-out flight path is flown according to the takeoff briefing (EOSID/SID/radar vectors). Acceleration altitude is a compromise between obstacle clearance and thrust-limiting time. If conditions change (wind/runway/contamination), recompute performance. Never accept an intersection takeoff until takeoff performance has been checked.

Clean Wing Is Non-Negotiable

Performance is certified on a clean wing. Wing temperature can remain significantly below 0°C after cruise even if OAT is above 0°C, causing upper-wing icing and light frost under the wing. Only 3 mm frost on the underside of the wing tank area is acceptable. The Captain determines whether ground de/anti-ice is required based on exterior inspection of all vital surfaces from clear vantage points.

RCAM Logic for Runway Assessment

RCAM combines runway state/contaminant, PIREP braking action, and estimated surface friction (ESF) into six Landing Performance Codes. Critical rule: make a primary assessment from contaminant type/depth and OAT, downgrade if reports indicate worse, do not upgrade the primary assessment.

De/Anti-Icing Policy at Limited Stations

Wizz policy is compliant with CAT.OP.MPA.250 and aligned with SAE Global Aircraft De-icing Standards. HOT tables are based on FAA guidance. One-step: single application removes contamination and provides protection. Two-step: Type I removes contamination, followed by Type II/IV for anti-ice protection.

If no ground engineer is available, the handling agent must report to the Commander before starting, provide the anti-icing code (type/mixture) and actual start time, and the aircraft must be thoroughly checked after completion.

Final Reserve Fuel by Variant

Wizz defines final reserve fuel as 30 minutes holding at 1,500 ft in standard conditions.

On the A321 you are protecting a larger fixed reserve figure, which can change dispatch feasibility at fuel-sensitive alternates or airport clusters in marginal weather.

Abnormal Configuration Difference

In a degraded case (landing with one engine and no green + yellow hydraulics), the A321 has a specific landing flap recommendation: FLAP 3. Crews who do not consciously register the type swap risk applying the wrong abnormal configuration.

Circling Technique Reminder

Airbus guidance uses CONF 3, gear down, and F speed as the baseline for circling setup. This is especially relevant when crews swap types and must remain stabilized inside circling protection.

Alpha Protection

If the aircraft enters alpha protection, the PF should exit as quickly as possible by easing the sidestick forward to reduce AOA, while adding power as needed.

Alpha Floor Trigger Logic

When alpha floor protection is triggered, the autothrust engages and commands TOGA on all engines. TOGA LK is displayed on the FMA. The only means to deselect TOGA LK is to turn autothrust off. The manuals do not restrict alpha floor activation to a specific autothrust mode.

CAT II Procedural Context

Above 1,000 ft: check speed, disconnect and re-engage autothrust mode - TOGA LK should disappear from the FMA.
Below 1,000 ft: go around if visual references are not sufficient.
Alpha floor protection is inhibited below 100 ft at landing.

TOGA LK Recovery

TOGA LK is the latched TOGA-thrust condition. Once safe speed is restored, cancel alpha floor with the disconnect pushbutton (on either thrust lever), then set appropriate thrust and re-engage automation as appropriate.

Terrain Display Behavior

The Terrain Awareness Display (TAD) provides terrain display on the ND independently of aircraft relative altitude. Terrain appears in various densities of green, yellow, red, or magenta depending on threat level. Areas without terrain data appear magenta. The "white/2,000 ft" color code claimed in earlier outputs is not supported by the WZZ FCOM.

Alert Behavior

If an EGPWS terrain/obstacle alert occurs and TERR ON ND was not already selected, terrain and obstacles automatically appear and the TERR ON ND pushbutton ON light illuminates. If the current ND mode or range is unsuitable, the ND provides prompts such as "TERR CHANGE MODE" or "TERR REDUCE RANGE."

Mountain Briefing Additions

Beyond the normal approach briefing, explicitly include: MSA/sector altitude and highest terrain relative to planned vertical profile; missed approach path relative to terrain; navigation accuracy expectation (reduced accuracy can deactivate enhanced modes, requiring raw-data crosscheck); and ND setup for terrain SA early in the approach.

Planned Fuel Structure

Wizz fuel planning includes: taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel (including statistical methods), alternate fuel (go-around from MDA/DH through approach/landing at alternate; if two alternates required, plan for the one requiring greater fuel), final reserve fuel (30 minutes holding at 1,500 ft standard, with variant-specific values), additional fuel (when required), arrival delay fuel (allocated at planning for anticipated holding), and extra fuel at Commander discretion.

In-Flight Fuel Management Calls

Golden Rules

Fly, Navigate, Communicate - in that order, with appropriate task-sharing. PF focuses on flight path/speed/trajectory control; PM actively monitors and calls deviations. "Navigate" explicitly includes: know where you are, where you should be, where you should go, and where the weather/terrain/obstacles are.

Use the appropriate level of automation at all times. Understand the FMA at all times - crosscheck FCU/MCDU actions via FMA/PFD/ND. If insufficient time to analyze, change automation level (managed to selected, selected to manual).

ECAM Task-Sharing

First priority: maintain a safe flight path. After PF calls "ECAM ACTIONS": PF flies/navigates/communicates; PM manages the failure on PF command, reads ECAM/checklist, performs actions on PF command, requests PF confirmation to clear actions. PM never touches thrust levers.

Critical/guarded switches must be crosschecked by both pilots before action. PF may call "STOP ECAM" at any time. In failures during takeoff/go-around: delay ECAM actions until approximately 400 ft and stable on a safe trajectory.

PTU Fundamentals

PTU capability: A bidirectional PTU enables the yellow system to pressurize the green system and vice versa. It operates automatically when differential pressure between green and yellow exceeds 500 PSI.

PTU limitation: Hydraulic fluid cannot be transferred from one system to another. A system that has lost fluid cannot be "refilled" by PTU action.

Remaining hydraulic source: If green and yellow are unavailable, the blue system remains, normally pressurized by its electric pump and in emergency by the RAT-driven pump.

Approach Management

Plan early for the operational consequence set: longer landing distance margins, possible system limitations, and clear coordination with ATC/airport services. Apply strict task-sharing to prevent heads-down loss of control margin. Note the A321-specific landing flap recommendation (FLAP 3) in the stated degraded hydraulic and engine case.

RTO Hazard Factors

Factors that detract from a successful RTO: tire damage, brakes worn or not working correctly, error in gross weight determination, incorrect performance calculations, incorrect runway line-up technique, initial brake temperature, delay in initiating stopping procedure, and runway friction coefficient lower than expected.

Pre-Takeoff Discipline

Confirm computed takeoff data reflects actual conditions. If conditions change, recalculate. Crew should not be pressured into accepting takeoff clearance before fully ready. Never accept an intersection takeoff until takeoff performance has been checked.

The 100-Knot Gate

Below 100 kt: Captain will seriously consider rejecting for any ECAM warning/caution.

Above 100 kt approaching V1, be go-minded and only reject for: major failure, sudden loss of thrust, any indication the aircraft will not fly safely, any red ECAM warning, or these specific amber cautions: F/CTL SIDESTICK FAULT, ENG FAIL, ENG REVERSER FAULT, ENG REVERSE UNLOCKED, ENG 1(2) THR LEVER FAULT.

If a tire fails within 20 kt of V1 and debris does not cause noticeable engine parameter fluctuations, it is better to get airborne, reduce fuel load, and land with full runway length available.

Winter / Short-Runway Impact

The hazard drivers (especially friction lower than expected and line-up technique) become more acute. Briefing discipline and the "no intersection until performance checked" posture become operationally critical.

Non-Precision Approach Strategy

NPA types include VOR, NDB, LOC/LOC-BC, and R-NAV. The Airbus strategy: fly the NPA "ILS alike" with the same mental model. Guidance modes are referred to the FMS flight plan consolidated by raw data. LOC-only is the exception (use LOC mode and localizer scale). AP use is recommended to reduce workload.

Navigation accuracy trap: if NAV ACCY DNGRADED or GPS PRIMARY LOST occurs during a managed NPA, crosscheck accuracy. If positive, continue managed. If negative, revert to selected approach with raw data. For ATC vectors to final: use DIR TO FAF with RADIAL INBND to create an ILS-like beam.

Circling Approach Setup

Preparation: in active F-PLN enter STAR + instrument approach + missed approach. Insert F speed constraint at FAF because circling is flown CONF 3, gear down, F speed. In SEC F-PLN: copy active, insert landing runway, keep discontinuity.

Flying: remain within circling area with required visual references at all times. Selected modes with AP are recommended. Critical rule: must NOT fly the pattern with AP engaged in NAV mode. Use ND ROSE with low range for SA. Initiate base turn when approximately 45 degrees from runway threshold. Circling area based on 180 kt max for Cat C.

Loss of Visual References

If visual references are lost: climb and leave the circling area into the missed approach of the initial instrument approach.

Critical automation trap: if SEC F-PLN has been activated, the FMS go-around is associated with the landing runway (not the instrument approach). In that case, fly go-around using selected guidance, following the pre-briefed missed approach.