Performance Classes A, B, C

What are Performance Classes?

The Performance Classes A, B and C are defined in Regulation (EU) 965/2012 Part-CAT.POL and ICAO Annex 6. They group aircraft by engine count, MTOM and passenger capacity — and therefore by the safety level required on engine failure.

Purpose: define the minimum performance requirements for take-off, climb, cruise, descent and landing — stricter at higher classes.

Performance Class A

Scope:

• Multi-engine turbine aeroplanes with:
  • MOPSC ≥ 10 (Maximum Operational Passenger Seating Configuration) or
  • MTOM ≥ 5 700 kg.
• In practice: all commercial transport aeroplanes (A320, B737, ATR 72, Embraer 190, etc.).

Performance requirements:

• Engine failure at any point of flight must be safely handled — Class A aircraft must be able to climb with one engine inoperative.
• Specific minimum climb gradients in each flight phase.
• Stricter runway requirements: take-off distance, accelerate-stop distance, balanced field length.
• One-Engine-Inoperative (OEI) climb gradient specified in each phase.

Performance Class B

Scope:

• Propeller aeroplanes with:
  • MOPSC ≤ 9 and
  • MTOM ≤ 5 700 kg.
• In practice: typical PPL training aircraft (C172, PA-28, DA40) and smaller business types (C208, PA-46, TBM).

Performance requirements:

• Less strict than Class A.
• Multi-engine Class B: after engine failure during cruise the aircraft must be able to reach an aerodrome — but not at the take-off point.
• Single-engine Class B: after engine failure a successful forced landing must be possible — no continued flight required.
• Take-off and landing computed over a 15 m / 50 ft obstacle.

Consequence for PPL(A):

• You fly Class B. Most theory exam questions on performance refer to Class B SE (single-engine) aircraft.
• With engine out in SE Class B: select a suitable forced-landing site — no climb possible.

Performance Class C

Scope:

• Multi-engine piston aeroplanes with:
  • MOPSC ≥ 10 or
  • MTOM ≥ 5 700 kg.
• In practice: virtually no current aircraft — historical types like DC-3, DC-6, large piston transports.

Performance requirements:

• Own historical rules, in practice barely relevant.

Summary

Relation to Part-NCO (PPL)

For non-commercial operations (Part-NCO) with Class B aircraft the performance calculation is simplified — the PIC must ensure before every flight that:

• Take-off Distance Required ≤ Take-off Distance Available (TODR ≤ TODA),
• Landing Distance Required ≤ Landing Distance Available (LDR ≤ LDA),
• With appropriate safety factors (for PA-28/C172 typically 1.33 × AFM value for unpaved or wet runways).

Obligation: use AFM/POH data — no rules of thumb, no estimates!