The Airbus A330 Flight Crew Operating Manual (FCOM) is a comprehensive document

that guides pilots on the safe and efficient operation of the aircraft. While the precise
breakdown can vary slightly between airline-specific FCOMs or revisions, it generally
follows a logical structure. It's often divided into major sections, which can be thought of
as "parts."

Here's a general summary of the A330 FCOM, broken down into what could be
considered four main parts:

Part 1: Aircraft Systems Description (DSC)

This section provides a detailed explanation of all the aircraft's systems. It's designed for
pilots to understand how each system works, its components, and its normal operation.
This knowledge is crucial for troubleshooting and responding to abnormal situations.

 Key Content:

o Aircraft General: Overview of the aircraft, its dimensions, general

characteristics.

o Air Conditioning & Pressurization: How the cabin is heated, cooled, and
pressurized.

o Auto Flight: Autopilot, Flight Management System (FMS), auto-thrust.

o Communications: Radios, intercom, ACARS, SATCOM.

o Electrical: Power generation and distribution, AC/DC systems.

o Engines: Engine operation, thrust control, starting procedures.

o Fire Protection: Smoke detection and fire extinguishing systems for

engines, APU, cargo, lavatories.

o Flight Controls: Fly-by-wire system, ailerons, elevators, rudder, flaps, slats.

o Fuel: Fuel tanks, fuel transfer, fueling/defueling procedures.

o Hydraulics: Hydraulic systems and their functions (landing gear, flight

controls, brakes).

o Ice and Rain Protection: Anti-ice and de-ice systems for wings, engines,
probes, windows.

o Landing Gear: Gear extension/retraction, braking, nose wheel steering.

o Navigation: IRS, GPS, VOR, DME, ADF, weather radar.

 o Oxygen: Crew and passenger oxygen systems.

o Pneumatics: Engine bleed air, APU bleed air, air conditioning,

pressurization.

o Water/Waste: Potable water and waste systems.

o Indicating/Recording Systems (ECAM, SDAC, etc.): How information is

displayed to the crew, warnings, cautions.

Part 2: Normal Procedures (PRO-NOR)

This section details the standardized procedures for all phases of flight under normal
operating conditions. These are the "how-to" guides for routine operations.

 Key Content:

o Cockpit Preparation: Pre-flight checks, power-up, system configuration.

o Before Pushback/Start: Checks before engine start.

o Engine Start: Procedures for starting engines.

o Taxi: Ground movement procedures.

o Before Takeoff: Last-minute checks before takeoff.

o Takeoff: Takeoff brief, thrust setting, rotation.

o Climb: Climb procedures, speed management.

o Cruise: Cruise procedures, fuel management.

o Descent Preparation: Preparing for descent, approach briefing.

o Descent: Descent profiles and speed control.

o Approach: Approach setup, configuration, landing checks.

o Landing: Landing techniques, rollout.

o Go-Around: Go-around procedures.

o After Landing: Post-landing checks, taxi to parking.

o Parking & Securing: Shutting down the aircraft, securing it.

o Standard Callouts: Required crew callouts during various phases.

 o Supplementary Procedures: Specific procedures not covered in the main
flow (e.g., one-engine taxi).

Part 3: Abnormal and Emergency Procedures (PRO-ABN / PRO-EMER)

This is arguably one of the most critical sections, outlining procedures for dealing with
system malfunctions, emergencies, and non-normal situations. Airbus aircraft are highly
automated, and this section guides pilots on how to interpret ECAM (Electronic
Centralized Aircraft Monitoring) warnings and apply the appropriate responses.

 Key Content:

o ECAM Procedures: How to interpret ECAM messages (warnings, cautions,

advisories) and follow the associated actions.

o Non-ECAM Procedures: Procedures for abnormal situations that may not

trigger an ECAM message immediately.

o Emergency Procedures: Immediate action items for critical emergencies

(e.g., engine fire, rapid depressurization).

o System Specific Failures: Detailed procedures for failures of individual

systems (e.g., hydraulic failure, electrical failure, flight control
degradation).

o Performance for Abnormal Operations: Performance considerations

during abnormal operations (e.g., engine out performance).

Part 4: Performance, Limitations, and Supplementary Information (PER, LIM, SUP)

This section provides crucial data and rules for operating the aircraft within its certified
limits, along with additional important information.

 Key Content:

o Limitations (LIM): Aircraft structural, speed, weight, engine, system, and

operational limitations that must not be exceeded. This is a legally binding
section.

o Performance (PER): Data for takeoff, landing, climb, cruise, and descent
performance, often used with an Electronic Flight Bag (EFB) for
calculations. This includes factors like runway conditions, temperature,
and wind.

o Supplementary Information (SUP): Various other important details,

which can include:
 Extended Twin Engine Operations (ETOPS) procedures (if
applicable to the specific aircraft).

 Cold weather operations.

 Hot weather operations.

 Adverse weather operations (e.g., turbulence, icing,

thunderstorms).

 Weight and Balance information.

 Aircraft dimensions and ground handling.

 Specific operational considerations.