CAA-B Air Law cheat sheet

ICAO Annex 2 contains the Rules of the Air; Standard = mandatory ('shall'), Recommended Practice = desirable ('should').

Right-of-way: converging aircraft of same category - the one on the right has right-of-way; head-on - both alter course to the right.

Overtaking: the overtaking aircraft, whether climbing, descending or level, keeps clear and passes to the right.

Landing: an aircraft on final approach or landing has right-of-way over aircraft on the ground or in the traffic circuit.

VMC minima (below 10,000 ft AMSL): flight visibility 5 km, 1500 m horizontally and 1000 ft vertically from cloud.

VMC minima (at/above 10,000 ft AMSL): flight visibility 8 km, 1500 m horizontally and 1000 ft vertically from cloud.

Aircraft on the ground: give way to aircraft landing or in the final stages of approach; taxiing aircraft yield to aircraft taking off.

Position lights at night: red on left wingtip, green on right wingtip, white on tail; anti-collision lights must be on.

No person may operate an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger life or property of others.

Private Pilot Licence (Aeroplane) minimum age: 17 years; Class 2 medical certificate required.

Commercial Pilot Licence minimum age: 18 years; Class 1 medical certificate required.

Airline Transport Pilot Licence minimum age: 21 years; Class 1 medical certificate required.

PPL privileges: may not act as pilot-in-command of an aircraft carrying passengers for compensation or hire.

Aircraft nationality and registration marks must be displayed on the fuselage or equivalent structure; marks are assigned by the State of Registry.

Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) is issued by the State of Registry and must be renewed per its validity period.

Pilot logbook must record date, aircraft type, registration, route, duration, and pilot function for each flight.

Medical certificate validity for Class 2 under age 40: 24 months; over 40: 12 months (per ICAO Annex 1).

Licence holders must maintain recent flight experience: e.g., 3 takeoffs and landings within preceding 90 days to carry passengers.

Controlled airspace classes: A (IFR only), B, C, D, E (IFR and VFR with varying separation); F and G are uncontrolled.

Class G airspace: no ATC clearance required; VFR and IFR both permitted; separation not provided to VFR.

Aerodrome traffic zone (ATZ) typically extends 5 NM radius from the aerodrome reference point up to 2000 ft AGL.

Control zone (CTR) extends from surface to a specified upper limit; control area (CTA) extends upward from a specified lower limit.

Mandatory transponder airspace: usually Class A, B, C, D, and E; transponder Mode C required.

ATIS provides current aerodrome information (weather, runway in use, altimeter) on a discrete VHF frequency.

Aerodrome elevation is the highest point of the landing area; runway threshold elevation is the highest point of the touchdown zone.

A clearance is an authorization from ATC; it does not relieve the pilot of responsibility for terrain clearance or traffic avoidance.

Position reporting: required at compulsory reporting points; report aircraft identification, position, time, altitude, and next position.

Documents to be carried on board: Certificate of Registration, Certificate of Airworthiness, Crew Licences, Journey Log, and Radio Licence.

Aircraft must be equipped with a current maintenance release and, if applicable, an approved MEL (Minimum Equipment List).

Pre-flight action: pilot-in-command must ensure aircraft is airworthy and that weather and fuel are sufficient for the flight.

Fuel requirement: enough fuel to reach destination plus alternate plus 45 minutes at normal cruise (VFR day).

Accident: an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft that results in death, serious injury, or substantial damage.

Serious incident: an occurrence that nearly resulted in an accident; must be reported to the accident investigation authority.

Reportable occurrences: engine failure, fire, near miss, runway incursion, and loss of separation must be reported.

The pilot-in-command is responsible for notifying the nearest appropriate authority of an accident as soon as possible.

Flight time limitations: maximum 8 hours flight time in any 24-hour period for single-pilot operations (per typical national rules).