The term operator proficiency check (OPC) refers to mandatory programs for airlines in which an examiner evaluates the performance/competence of pilots in carrying out normal, abnormal and emergency procedures. OPCs, which are carried out every six months, use the operator’s flight crew training resources and follow defined standards and recommended practices.

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and an airline’s national aviation authority (NAA) together define the expectations for every OPC. The NAA, for example, allows some design flexibility, therefore OPCs are not identical or interchangeable among companies.

OPC variations also reflect factors such the scope of manoeuvres for the pilot flying on a specific airplane type and variant; airline philosophy; operator checklist concepts; and the logic behind the airline’s standard operating procedures.

Temporary targeted exemptions involving some OPCs played a significant part during 2020–2022 in enabling the global airline industry to recover from the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.