Definition
Operations and maintenance (O&M) refers to the combined activities of operating an aircraft (flying it, dispatching it, managing its day-to-day use) and maintaining it (inspecting, servicing, repairing, and ensuring continued airworthiness). In the MEL context, O&M procedures are the specific operational steps a pilot must follow and the maintenance actions a technician must perform when an item of equipment is inoperative but the aircraft is still legal to fly under the MEL.
Plain English
The everyday tasks of running an aircraft, split into two sides: flying and using it (operations) and looking after it mechanically (maintenance). When something is broken but the MEL allows the flight, O&M procedures tell the pilot what to do in the cockpit and tell the mechanic what to do on the ground.
Context Anchor
Seen in Minimum Equipment List discussions when deciding whether an aircraft can legally and safely fly with equipment that is not working.
Why Pilots Care
Following the correct O&M procedures ensures compliance with regulations and maintains safety margins when equipment is deferred.
Intuition Check
O&M does not mean general flying and general upkeep here. In this context, it means the specific required actions tied to a particular inoperative item.
Example Sentence 1
Before accepting the aircraft with the inoperative landing light, the pilot reviewed the O&M procedures in the MEL to confirm both the operational restriction and that the required maintenance placard was in place.
Example Sentence 2
Maintenance personnel completed the required O&M actions to defer the faulty generator.