How often should you perform ops checks during a flight?

Performing operational checks (ops checks) during a flight is crucial for ensuring the aircraft's systems are functioning correctly and for maintaining safety. Choosing to conduct ops checks every 15-20 minutes strikes an effective balance between regular monitoring and operational efficiency. This frequency allows for timely detection of any potential issues that may arise with critical systems, enabling the crew to address equipment problems before they can affect flight safety or performance.

This interval is also aligned with standard operating procedures across many aviation guidelines, which emphasize the importance of staying vigilant and maintaining situational awareness throughout the flight. Regular checks within this timeframe help in keeping the crew informed about the status of systems such as engines, fuel levels, and navigation instruments, which can be affected by various factors during a flight.

While options suggesting checks every 5-10 minutes may lead to excessive monitoring, potentially distracting the crew from their primary flight duties, longer intervals like 30 minutes or every hour may increase the risk of missing critical changes in aircraft performance or systems status. Thus, a 15-20 minute interval is optimal for operational checks during flight.