ATPL Air Law study guide
ATPL Air Law · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The ATPL Air Law examination is one of the theoretical knowledge papers that a candidate must pass before qualifying for an Airline Transport Pilot Licence. It suits ab initio students enrolled on an integrated or modular ATPL course, and also licence holders who need to add or renew the ATPL theory credits. The ATPL Air Law study guide has 9 sections and about 2,357 words.
01International Law and Conventions
Air law rests on the 1944 Chicago Convention, which created ICAO and established that each State has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory (Article 1). The Convention's Annexes carry the technical standards; States adopt them nationally and may file differences.
308 words, about 2 min02Airworthiness of Aircraft
Airworthiness is the fitness of an aircraft to fly safely, established through type certification, production approval and continuing airworthiness. ICAO Annex 8 sets the minimum standards; States issue Certificates of Airworthiness (C of A) based on their own codes (e.g.
304 words, about 2 min03Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks
Every aircraft engaged in international navigation must have a nationality, determined by registration in a State (Chicago Convention Articles 17-21). The State of registry exercises jurisdiction over the aircraft.
283 words, about 1 min04Personnel Licensing
ICAO Annex 1 sets minimum standards for flight crew, ATC and maintenance licences. A licence is issued by a State and is valid only if the holder meets medical, experience and skill requirements.
286 words, about 1 min05Rules of the Air
ICAO Annex 2 governs rules of the air: right-of-way, lights, signals, flight rules (VFR/IFR), and minimum heights. Know the right-of-way hierarchy: converging aircraft - the one with the other on its right gives way; head-on - both turn right; overtaking - the overtaken aircraft has right of way.
279 words, about 1 min06Air Traffic Services and Airspace
ICAO Annex 11 covers ATS: area control, approach and aerodrome control. Annex 10 covers communications, navigation and surveillance.
229 words, about 1 min07Aeronautical Information and Charts
ICAO Annex 15 governs aeronautical information services. The core products are the AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication), NOTAMs, AIC (Aeronautical Information Circulars) and the integrated aeronautical information package.
211 words, about 1 min08Aircraft Operations and Operator Obligations
ICAO Annex 6 covers operation of aircraft. Operators must have an operations manual, a minimum equipment list (MEL), fuel policy, mass and balance control, and crew duty/rest limitations.
233 words, about 1 min09National Law, Licensing and Enforcement
International standards become binding through national law. States enact their own civil aviation acts, regulations and licensing rules.
224 words, about 1 min