Checklist: Flight Department 2026 Operational Guidance

Operational support company Nimbl has released a 2026 Flight Department Prep Checklist, shown below, to help operators identify, evaluate, and address key operational areas and strengthen compliance with regulations as a new year begins.

“It’s the ideal time for operators to take a hard look at their current procedures,” says Nimbl CEO Mark Baier. “Identifying operational gaps early and making the necessary adjustments is crucial to avoiding disruptions and keeping operations running safely and seamlessly.”

Nimbl’s compliance and safety experts emphasize that proactive reviews of aircraft fleet changes, key personnel movement, minimum equipment list (MEL) regulatory updates, emergency response plan (ERP) responsibilities, and letters-of-authorization (LOA) requirements in advance are essential to maintaining safe and compliant operations.

Nimbl also emphasizes that having a formal Safety Management System in place to manage operational risk reporting and safety documentation reduces the probability of encountering safety hazards before and after taking flight.

Operational Documentation

Operations Manual (OM) has been reviewed

Have aircraft been added to or removed from your fleet? Have there been changes to management or key personnel? Do procedures still accurately reflect how you currently operate?

Minimum Equipment List (MEL) has been reviewed

Have you tracked regulatory updates or received notifications from your service provider regarding MEL changes? Have any equipment changes or upgrades been made to your aircraft that may impact your MEL?

Known upcoming flights have been reviewed

Do you have all required letters of authorization (LOA) for your destinations and airspace?

All necessary documentation is gathered and accessible to the appropriate people

Is the accessible documentation up to date? If so, is it available in the preferred format, digitally or physically? 

Safety Management

Safety Management System (SMS) documentation is current and accessible

Recent hazard reports and safety audits have been reviewed

Have findings been addressed, mitigated, and communicated internally?

SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) Safety Goals have been identified

Safety Promotion activities have been conducted

Have you held safety meetings, distributed safety bulletins, or conducted training to reinforce your safety culture?

Fatigue Risk Management practices are in place

Are crew schedules monitored for compliance with duty/rest limits? Is fatigue risk being considered in operational planning?

Regulatory and Operational Readiness

Subscribed to regulatory update services (e.g., FAA, ICAO, EASA) and have a designated person or vendor who monitors regulatory changes

Is this responsibility clearly documented and understood within your team?

Recent regulatory changes have been implemented

Service providers have been consulted regarding any planned flight department changes

Are there any upcoming changes you expect in the near future? Do you plan to:

• Add or remove aircraft?
• Change registration numbers?
• Add personnel or start using contract personnel?
• Start operating in new locations?

Training and Currency Requirements for the upcoming year have been reviewed

Are pilots, technicians, and dispatchers scheduled for required recurrent training? Are any new aircraft or procedures triggering new training needs?

Annual internal operational review or audit has been scheduled or completed

This checklist serves as a light version of an internal audit, however, conducting a more in-depth, formal audit is always recommended to ensure comprehensive safety and regulatory compliance going into the upcoming year.

Formerly known as AviationManuals, Nimbl (gonimbl.com) provides safety management, procedures manuals, and compliance support to aircraft operators.