ATPL Air Law key terms

The 1944 international treaty that set the basic framework for civil aviation, covering sovereignty, aircraft nationality, airworthiness, licensing, rules of the air and facilitation, and creating ICAO.

The principle that every state has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory, so overflight or landing by foreign aircraft requires permission.

One of the numbered technical standards and recommended practices attached to the Chicago Convention, such as Annex 1 on licensing or Annex 2 on rules of the air.

A specification whose uniform application is recognised as necessary for safety or regularity, so contracting states must comply and notify ICAO of any difference.

A specification whose uniform application is recognised as desirable but not essential, so states should comply but are not obliged to notify differences.

A set of traffic rights describing what a foreign airline may do, from overflight and technical stops up to carrying traffic between two foreign states.

A bilateral treaty between two states granting airlines designated traffic rights, routes, capacity and tariffs, usually based on the Chicago Convention framework.

A 1929 treaty establishing carrier liability for death, injury, baggage and cargo in international carriage, later modernised by the Montreal Convention.

A 1999 treaty replacing the Warsaw system, imposing strict liability for passenger death or injury and a two-tier cargo liability regime in international carriage.

A 1963 treaty giving the aircraft commander authority to restrain persons committing offences or jeopardising safety on board, and defining state jurisdiction.

A document certifying that an individual aircraft conforms to its approved type design and is safe to operate within stated limitations and conditions.

Approval issued for an aircraft design, engine or propeller, confirming the design meets the applicable airworthiness code before individual aircraft are produced.

A mandatory instruction issued to correct an unsafe condition found in service, requiring compliance within a stated time on affected aircraft or components.

The set of processes, inspections, maintenance, modifications and records that keep an aircraft in a condition meeting its type design throughout its service life.

An operator document, approved by the state, listing equipment that may be inoperative and the conditions under which the aircraft may still be dispatched.

The letters or symbols, selected from the state of registry's allocated group, that identify the country in which the aircraft is registered.

The unique combination of letters or digits assigned by the state of registry and displayed with the nationality marks to identify one individual aircraft.

The state in whose register an aircraft is entered, which exercises jurisdiction over it and sets its nationality and registration marks.

A document issued by the state of registry recording the aircraft's nationality, registration marks, owner and serial number, and carried on board.

A flight crew licence permitting the holder to act as pilot in command or co-pilot of aircraft carrying passengers or cargo for remuneration under stated privileges.

An authorisation entered on a licence specifying the particular aircraft type the holder is qualified to operate, requiring type-specific training and checking.

A document issued after examination to a stated class confirming the holder meets the fitness requirements necessary to exercise licence privileges.

A written entry by a competent authority or examiner on a licence recording a privilege, rating, validity date or limitation granted to the holder.

Visual flight rules, under which the pilot maintains separation from obstacles and traffic by visual reference, subject to specified weather minima.

Instrument flight rules, under which flight is conducted by reference to instruments and separation is normally provided by an air traffic control unit.

Visual meteorological conditions, the weather minima of visibility and distance from cloud that must exist for flight under visual flight rules.

Instrument meteorological conditions, weather less than the prescribed visual minima, requiring flight under instrument flight rules.

The rules determining which aircraft has priority in converging or overtaking situations, such as landing aircraft, balloons and gliders having precedence.

Airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic control service is provided to IFR flights and to VFR flights in accordance with the airspace classification.

A lettered system from A to G defining what services are provided, whether clearance is required and what separation exists in each class of airspace.

An authorisation from an air traffic control unit for an aircraft to proceed under specified conditions, which the pilot must request and comply with.

An air traffic services unit such as a control tower, approach or area control centre that provides control, flight information or alerting service.

A notice distributed by means of telecommunication giving information of a temporary or permanent nature concerning the establishment, condition or change of facilities, services or hazards.

The Aeronautical Information Publication, a state-issued manual containing permanent aeronautical information essential to air navigation within its territory.

A representation of aeronautical data such as routes, navaids, airspace and terrain, produced to a stated scale and purpose for navigation or planning.

The duties placed on the aircraft operator, including operations manuals, crew training, maintenance control, fuel policy, records and reporting of occurrences.

A document prepared by the operator and accepted by the state, containing the procedures, instructions and limitations for conducting its flights.

A written account submitted after a safety-related event such as an incident or serious incident, used for investigation and prevention of recurrence.

Measures a national authority may take against a licence holder or operator for breaches, ranging from warning to suspension or revocation of licences.

The statutes, regulations and orders of a state that implement international obligations and govern aviation activity within its territory.