An interesting item in the latest Vic RAPAC minutes.
Someone - perhaps unwisely - asked CASA for clarification of operations above 40 degrees C, given that the performance information in many flight manuals only goes up to 40 degrees.
"if an aircraft's AFM caps performance data at 40C, can the aircraft still legally fly when the ambient is above 40C?"
CASA's response:
"If ambient conditions exceed ... the range for which performance data is provided, the aircraft must be grounded"
I'm not sure whether the person who wrote that has actually looked at the performance data provided in a typical flight manual. There are many conditions for which no performance data is provided, so a prohibition on operating in conditions without performance data is not exactly workable.
Looking at e.g. a C172 manual, there is no performance data for any of the following:
- Flaps 0 takeoff
- In fact, nothing for normal takeoffs and landings - all performance data is for short field techniques
- Any runway slope
- Wet grass etc.
Common sense seems to have left the building
https://www.casa.gov.au/files/vic170323pdf