This article details the flight release process including initial setup, features such as pilot and crew fitness checks, special restrictions for certain flight types, and system notifications.
The very first step of setting up the release process is to determine which types of flights need to be released. In order to do it, please contact our support and let them know which Sales Workflows have to have a release process. This can be done only by us. The workflow table can be found in the Admin Settings / Sales / Workflows
In the Dispatch panel if activated as a setting the Release page is displayed. Users with a Dispatch profile can Submit the Flight for Release and users with an Accountable Manager, or Admin profile can release the flight.
Please note that the Release process has some selectable special features.:
- Operational Control and Release Number. If selected the system will determine the who has the operational control of the flight based on the Flight Type (135/commercial flights, the operator has the operational control and for 91/private flights the account on the flight leg has it)
- Maintenance Release. When selected, the system will not allow the authorized person to release flight until someone on behalf of maintenance checks the checkbox and releases the flight on behalf of maintenance. The system documents the name of the user and adds a timestamp
- Pilot Report Fit for Duty. This setting can be used when pilots must report themselves fit for duty before a flight.
All cockpit crew members will be listed with a checkbox and either dispatch, or the pilots themselves on their mobile app, can report their fitness status. Please note that the PIC, SIC, AUG PIC, AUG SIC and the AUG Cruise Relief Pilot MUST report themselves fit for duty, in order to release the flight. Any other pilot, or instructor assigned to the flight can report fit for duty and will not restrict the release process..png?width=688&height=221&name=image(51).png)
- Cabin Crew Fit for Duty. The process is the same as above, but there is no flight release restriction if any assigned cabin crew member does not check the checkbox
- 725 NM and International Flight Release. If the operator would like to restrict international flight and/or the flight is flying over 725NM over water releases to be done by designated persons who have Accountable Manager profile, they should be added in Settings / Dispatch section / Special Flight Releasers field. Type in the name of the person and select from the list. Once the person is added, flights with the above parameters can only be released by those persons. If any other person with an Accountable Manager profile tries to release it, the system will show an error reminding the person about the above process.
In Dispatch Settings, the company can activate the Release process and set in which cases the flight should be re-Submitted for Release.
On the Release page the system displays the Assigned Crew with potentially missing qualifications, the Duty Time and other calculations, and also all Aircraft-related Maintenance data and pending HIL/MEL items. The system also warns of any irregularities in those categories.
In the last column of the Duty Time calculation panel, you will see an X or a checkmark. When you hover over the marks, it will tell you if the Duty calculation was based on the previous Tech Log entry, or on a general, fully rested crew calculation.
Once the Flight is released, the system will auto-set it back to RED DO and displays a MAGENTA WARNING when there is a:
- Aircraft Change
- Airport Change
- Schedule Change (please note that you can add a threshold, below that change the flight remains Released)
- Crew Change
- Maintenance Event on the Timeline
- If a new maintenance event affects the flight (either AOG, Scheduled, or Unscheduled Maintenance)
- Maintenance List change, or new MEL/HIL item in the Aircraft record
- New PAX detected, when the number of PAX increasing after the Release, or there is a PAX name change
- We also block any Maintenance Event List auto updated from a maintenance system provider such as CAMP, as long as the system detects a Released flight. However this can be overwritten by a user and the flight gets Unreleased
In those cases Dispatch has to re-submit the Flight for Release and the responsible user has to release it again.
The system also auto-sends mobile notifications to different parties involved in the Release process:
- The assigned Crew receives notifications once the Flight is released, when re-submitted for release in case of changes and when it is re-released
- All users who have permission to Release a flight receive notifications once the flight is Submitted
- The Dispatch user who Submits the flight will also receive a notification once the flight is Released
In the Report / Dispatch section of FL3XX, you will find a report called Flight Release that lists all releases along with re-submissions and re-releases with a time stamp and the name of the users involved.
Release Snapshot
Each time the flight is released, the system creates a snapshot of it as version 1, version 2, etc. This serves the purpose of accountability. When you open the snapshot it shows the exact crew qualification, flight and duty time calculation, maintenance and HIL/MEL status of the flight at the point of the original and later releases.
FAQ
Q: Why is a released flight setting the status back to NR (gray) automatically?
A: The system will reset the status back to NR (gray) when it detects that the flight release is not required for the current workflow. Go to Settings > Sales > Workflows and check if Activate Release is checked for the workflow of the affected flights.
Q: How do I filter flights that need to be released? And why it includes unreleased flights?
A: On the Dispatch page, click the Filter Icon and choose 'For Release.' This selection will include the booking with "For Release" leg/s. For instance, if a booking consists of 3 legs, where 2 legs are already released and 1 is not, all 3 legs will be displayed as part of the same booking, with the unreleased leg matching the applied filter.