Opinion ID: 508948
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Conflict Between Ozark's Operations Specifications and Operations Manual

Text: 13 Petitioners also allege that Ozark's Operations Manual is inconsistent with its Operations Specifications, and therefore both can not be followed simultaneously. The sections of the Operations Manual cited by Petitioners recommend that pilots communicate with an FSS regarding additional traffic information, whenever possible, and require the use of a listening watch for information on local traffic whenever possible. This is not inconsistent with the operations specifications because the manual's rules concern only additional traffic information. It is undisputed that Petitioners did not obtain any traffic information at all. In addition, Petitioners could have followed both the manual and the specifications; it was certainly possible for the pilots to obtain traffic information from the Columbia FSS, either directly or from the ARTC which was in phone contact with the FSS. Finally, the FAR explicitly requires the following of the Operations Specification, not the manual. Even if the two are interpreted to be inconsistent, Petitioners had notice through FAR Sec. 121.3 to follow the Operations Specifications.