MOC Statuses
| Status | API Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Draft | draft | Change request submitted. Basic details captured. |
| Screening | screening | Change is being evaluated against the 8-question screening checklist. |
| Risk Assessment | risk_assessment | Change has been screened and requires a formal risk assessment. |
| Approval | approval | Risk assessment complete. Change awaiting management approval. |
| Implementation | implementation | Change approved and being implemented. |
| Post-Review | post_review | Change has been implemented. Effectiveness and safety impact under review. |
| Closed | closed | MOC process complete. Record is immutable. |
Status Lifecycle
Status Transition Rules
| From | To | Permitted Roles | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Draft | Screening | Safety manager, admin | All required fields populated |
| Screening | Risk Assessment | Safety manager, admin | At least one screening question answered “Yes” |
| Screening | Closed | Safety manager, admin | All screening questions answered “No”; rationale documented |
| Risk Assessment | Approval | Safety manager, admin | Risk assessment completed with residual risk documented |
| Approval | Implementation | Accountable executive, safety manager, admin | Approval signature recorded |
| Approval | Risk Assessment | Safety manager, admin | Additional analysis reason documented |
| Implementation | Post-Review | Safety manager, admin | Implementation date recorded |
| Post-Review | Closed | Safety manager, admin | Review findings documented |
| Post-Review | Risk Assessment | Safety manager, admin | New hazards identified |
Change Categories
| Category | API Value | Description | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operational | operational | Changes to how operations are conducted. | New routes, revised flight procedures, changes to dispatch practices, weather minima adjustments. |
| Organizational | organizational | Changes to structure, personnel, or responsibilities. | Key personnel changes, department restructuring, outsourcing maintenance, new vendor relationships. |
| Technical | technical | Changes to aircraft, equipment, or systems. | Avionics upgrades, new aircraft type, software updates, ground support equipment changes. |
| Regulatory | regulatory | Changes driven by new or amended regulations. | New airworthiness directives, revised OpSpecs, regulatory amendments, TSA security requirements. |
| Process | process | Changes to documented procedures or workflows. | SOP revisions, checklist modifications, training curriculum updates, quality assurance process changes. |
8-Question Screening Checklist
The screening checklist determines whether a proposed change requires a formal risk assessment. If any question is answered “Yes,” the MOC advances to Risk Assessment. If all are answered “No,” the MOC may be closed with documented rationale.1. Does this change affect aircraft operations or flight safety?
1. Does this change affect aircraft operations or flight safety?
Covers direct and indirect effects on flight operations, airspace, or aircraft performance.
2. Does this change introduce new hazards or alter existing hazards?
2. Does this change introduce new hazards or alter existing hazards?
Covers conditions that could foreseeably cause or contribute to an aircraft accident.
3. Does this change affect existing risk controls or safety barriers?
3. Does this change affect existing risk controls or safety barriers?
Covers weakening, removal, or bypassing of current safety defenses.
4. Does this change affect personnel qualifications, training, or competencies?
4. Does this change affect personnel qualifications, training, or competencies?
Covers new skills, certifications, or training required to operate safely under the change.
5. Does this change affect equipment, tools, or systems used in safety-critical functions?
5. Does this change affect equipment, tools, or systems used in safety-critical functions?
Covers aircraft systems, maintenance tooling, dispatch systems, or safety-critical software.
6. Does this change affect documented procedures, SOPs, or checklists?
6. Does this change affect documented procedures, SOPs, or checklists?
Covers operating procedures that must be revised to reflect the change.
7. Does this change affect interfaces with external organizations or systems?
7. Does this change affect interfaces with external organizations or systems?
Covers ATC coordination, vendor relationships, interline agreements, or data system
integrations.
8. Could this change have unintended consequences on other operations or departments?
8. Could this change have unintended consequences on other operations or departments?
Covers second-order effects — a change in one area may create risks elsewhere.
Emergency vs. Standard Timelines
Some changes cannot wait for the full MOC process. PlaneConnection supports two timeline modes.| Attribute | Standard MOC | Emergency MOC |
|---|---|---|
| Trigger | Planned change with lead time. | Urgent change required by immediate safety concern, regulatory directive, or operational necessity. |
| Screening | Full 8-question checklist. | Abbreviated screening — minimum of questions 1, 2, and 3. |
| Risk Assessment | Full assessment with initial and residual risk. | Expedited assessment focused on immediate hazards and interim controls. |
| Approval | Accountable executive or designee. | Safety manager can approve with post-facto executive review within 72 hours. |
| Implementation | After full approval. | Immediate implementation with interim controls. |
| Post-Review | Within 30 days of implementation. | Full retrospective review within 14 days. Includes completing any deferred screening questions and risk assessment steps. |
| Target Completion | 30 — 90 days depending on complexity. | Implementation within 24 — 72 hours; full MOC closure within 30 days. |
MOC Fields
| Field | Type | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
code | String | Auto | Auto-generated tracking code (e.g., MOC-2026-0008). |
title | String | Yes | Brief description of the proposed change. |
description | Text | Yes | Detailed description of the change, its purpose, and expected impact. |
category | Enum | Yes | operational, organizational, technical, regulatory, or process. |
timeline | Enum | Yes | standard or emergency. |
status | Enum | Auto | Current workflow status. |
initiator | User reference | Auto | The person who submitted the change request. |
screening_responses | Array | At Screening | Answers to the 8 screening questions with rationale. |
risk_assessment | Reference | At Risk Assessment | Link to the associated risk assessment record. |
approval_date | Date | At Approval | Date of management approval. |
approved_by | User reference | At Approval | The person who approved the change. |
implementation_date | Date | At Implementation | Date the change was deployed. |
review_findings | Text | At PIR | Post-review findings and effectiveness evaluation. |
review_date | Date | At PIR | Date of post-review. |
linked_reports | Array | No | Safety reports related to the change. |
linked_cpas | Array | No | CPAs generated from the MOC risk assessment. |
created_at | Timestamp | Auto | Record creation timestamp (UTC). |
updated_at | Timestamp | Auto | Last modification timestamp (UTC). |
Post-Review
The post-review (PIR) evaluates whether the change was implemented as planned and whether any unanticipated safety effects have emerged. The review covers:| Review Area | Description |
|---|---|
| Implementation fidelity | Was the change implemented as described in the MOC? Were there deviations? |
| Hazard validation | Did the identified hazards materialize? Were there unanticipated hazards? |
| Control effectiveness | Are the risk controls functioning as intended? Is the residual risk at or below the accepted level? |
| Operational impact | How has the change affected day-to-day operations? Any unexpected consequences? |
| Stakeholder feedback | Input from affected personnel on the change’s practical effects. |
Regulatory Alignment
| Part 5 Section | Requirement | MOC Component |
|---|---|---|
| 5.51 | SRM applicability — changes to existing systems | MOC process triggers SRM for all qualifying changes |
| 5.53 | System analysis and hazard identification | Screening checklist and risk assessment |
| 5.55 | Safety risk assessment and control | Integrated risk assessment with initial and residual risk |
| 5.71 | Safety performance monitoring | Post-review |
| 5.97 | SMS records | MOC records retained per policy |
Related
Manage Change
Initiate and manage an MOC.
Risk Assessment Matrix
Risk matrix used during MOC risk assessment.
CPA Lifecycle
Lifecycle for actions generated from MOC risk assessments.
FAA Part 5 Overview
Regulatory context for Management of Change requirements.