ATPL Air Law (010) cheat sheet

Chicago Convention 1944 established ICAO; 96 Articles; core principles: sovereignty of each State over its airspace (Art. 1) and nationality of aircraft (Art. 17).

ICAO Annexes: 1 Personnel Licensing, 2 Rules of the Air, 3 Meteorological Service, 4 Aeronautical Charts, 5 Units of Measurement, 6 Operation of Aircraft (Part I international commercial, Part II international general aviation, Part III helicopters), 7 Aircraft Nationality and Registration Marks, 8 Airworthiness, 9 Facilitation, 10 Aeronautical Telecommunications, 11 Air Traffic Services, 12 Search and Rescue, 13 Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation, 14 Aerodromes, 15 Aeronautical Information Services, 16 Environmental Protection, 17 Security, 18 Dangerous Goods, 19 Safety Management.

Annexes are Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs); Standards are binding unless a difference is filed with ICAO under Article 38; Recommended Practices are desirable but not mandatory.

ICAO organs: Assembly (all States, triennial), Council (36 elected States, three-year term), Secretary General, Air Navigation Commission, Air Transport Committee, Legal Committee; headquarters Montreal.

Freedom of the air: 1st overflight, 2nd technical stop, 3rd set down from home State, 4th take on to home State, 5th carry between two foreign States, 6th via home State, 7th/8th/9th cabotage-related; only first two are non-commercial and generally granted by the International Air Services Transit Agreement.

Article 5 (non-scheduled flights) and Article 6 (scheduled air services require special permission) govern commercial entry; Article 9 allows prohibited areas; Article 10 requires landing at customs airports.

Other bodies: IATA (airline trade association, not a regulator), EASA (EU agency), Eurocontrol (European ATM), FAA (US), and the UN family (ICAO is a UN specialised agency).

Warsaw/Montreal Convention and the Tokyo, Hague and Montreal (1999) Conventions address liability, offences and unlawful interference; they are separate from the Chicago system.

An aircraft has the nationality of the State in which it is registered; it may be registered in only one State but may be transferred between registers (Chicago Arts. 17-19).

Registration marks: Annex 7 requires a nationality mark (e.g. G-, D-, N-, F-) plus a registration mark; marks must be painted or affixed, visible on both sides of the fuselage and under the wings for heavier aircraft.

Certificate of Registration states nationality, registration marks, owner and operator; carried on board.

Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) certifies the aircraft conforms to its type design and is safe; validity depends on continuing airworthiness (maintenance, ADs, SBs).

Required documents on board (international flight): C of Registration, C of Airworthiness, crew licences, journey logbook, radio licence, passenger/cargo manifests, and, where applicable, noise certificate and insurance certificate.

Airworthiness categories (EASA): Certificate of Airworthiness (commercial), Restricted C of A, Permit to Fly; EASA Part-M and Part-145 govern continuing airworthiness and maintenance organisations.

Aircraft must be operated under an AOC for commercial air transport; AOC issued by the State of the operator, oversight per Annex 6 Part I.

Special flight permits / ferry permits allow flight when the C of A is not in force, subject to restrictions; no passengers for hire.

Annex 1 sets licence standards: PPL, CPL, MPL, ATPL, plus ratings (IR, type, class, instructor); States may add national ratings.

ATPL privileges: act as PIC or co-pilot in commercial air transport on aircraft type-rated; ATPL(A) requires 1,500 h total (or 1,000 h in an approved university/ATP integrated course), 500 h cross-country, 100 h night, 75 h instrument, 250 h PIC (or 150 h PIC plus 100 h PICUS).

CPL(A) minimum 200 h total, 100 h PIC, 20 h cross-country PIC, 10 h instrument, 5 h night; privileges: PIC in non-type-rated aircraft and co-pilot in commercial transport, not PIC of commercial transport.

PPL(A) minimum 40 h (EASA), including 10 h solo and 5 h solo cross-country; privileges: non-commercial, carry passengers only if 3 take-offs/landings in previous 90 days.

Medical certificates: Class 1 (commercial), Class 2 (private), Class 3 (ATC); validity decreases with age (Class 1: 12 months under 40, 6 months 40-59, 4 months 60+ in single-pilot commercial).

Records: pilot logbook records all flight time, take-offs/landings, instrument and night time; must be retained and produced on request; FTL records kept by operator.

Licence validity: ratings have expiry dates (e.g. IR 12 months, type rating 12 months, instructor 3 years in EASA); recent experience and proficiency checks required.

Language proficiency (ICAO Level 4 operational, 5 extended, 6 expert) required for international operations; Level 4 must be re-tested periodically.

Right of way: converging aircraft of same category - the one on the right has right of way; head-on - both turn right; overtaking - the overtaken aircraft has right of way; landing aircraft has priority over aircraft on ground.

VMC minima (airspace classes B–E, below 10,000 ft AMSL): 5 km flight visibility, 1,500 m horizontal and 300 m (1,000 ft) vertical cloud distance; at/above 10,000 ft: 8 km, 1,500 m, 300 m. Class F/G below 900 m: 5 km, clear of cloud, surface in sight.

VFR flight levels: below 3,000 ft AGL not required; above, use semicircular rule (000-179° odd thousands +500 ft, 180-359° even thousands +500 ft) for IFR and VFR in most States.

IFR cruising levels follow the semicircular rule by magnetic track; in RVSM airspace (FL290-FL410) 1,000 ft separation between approved aircraft.

Position lights: red on left wing, green on right wing, white on tail; anti-collision beacons/strobes required; navigation lights on from sunset to sunrise or in poor visibility.

Interception signals: intercepted aircraft rocks wings (acknowledge), flashes landing lights (cannot comply), uses Series of three manoeuvres (proceed); intercepting aircraft signals: rock wings (follow me), abrupt break-away (descend), etc.

Distress (MAYDAY) vs urgency (PAN PAN); distress signals include SOS, red flares, square flag with ball, continuous radio alarm.

Speed limits: 250 kt IAS below 10,000 ft (unless approved), 200 kt in Class C/D terminal areas, 230 kt in Class C airspace (varies by State).

Airspace classes (ICAO): A - IFR only, all separated; B - IFR and VFR, all separated; C - IFR separated from IFR and VFR, VFR separated from IFR; D - IFR separated from IFR, traffic info to VFR; E - IFR separated from IFR, VFR not separated; F - advisory; G - uncontrolled.

ATS units: Area Control Centre (ACC), Approach Control (APP), Aerodrome Control Tower (TWR), Flight Information Service (FIS), Alerting Service.

Clearances: read back safety-related items (route, level, heading, speed, frequency, SSR code); clearance does not relieve pilot of responsibility for terrain and traffic separation in VMC.

Separation minima: radar 3 NM within 40 NM of radar head (terminal), 5 NM en route; vertical 1,000 ft in RVSM, 2,000 ft above FL410; procedural separation by time or distance.

SSR codes: 7700 emergency, 7600 radio failure, 7500 unlawful interference; Mode C altitude reporting; TCAS RA must be followed.

Squawk and radio failure: in IMC maintain last assigned level for 7 minutes, then climb to MSA; in VMC remain VMC and land at nearest suitable aerodrome.

Holding: standard turns right, 1-minute legs below 14,000 ft, 1.5-minute above; entry sectors (direct, parallel, teardrop).

Reduced vertical separation minima (RVSM) applies FL290-FL410 between approved aircraft; non-approved must fly outside this band.

AIS products: AIP (Aeronautical Information Publication), AIP Supplements, NOTAM, PIB (Pre-flight Information Bulletin), AIC (Aeronautical Information Circular).

AIP contains GEN (general), ENR (en-route), AD (aerodromes) sections; effective on AIRAC cycle (28 days).

NOTAM classes: NOTAMN (new), NOTAMR (replace), NOTAMC (cancel); issued for temporary changes to facilities, services, procedures or hazards.

Charts: ICAO 1:500,000 (world aeronautical), 1:250,000 (topographical), 1:50,000 (aerodrome obstruction), en-route, SID/STAR, approach plates.

Chart symbols: aerodrome elevation, runway heading and length, MSA (minimum sector altitude), MORA, transition altitude/level.

Units: distances in nautical miles, altitudes in feet, horizontal visibility in metres/km, wind in knots, QNH/QFE in hPa.

AIRAC effective dates are fixed; changes to procedures requiring chart amendment are published at least 28 days before effect.

AIP amendments and NOTAMs must be checked before flight; PIB is generated from current NOTAMs for the route.

Annex 13 defines accident: an occurrence associated with the operation of an aircraft where a person is fatally or seriously injured, the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure, or the aircraft is missing/inaccessible.

Incident: an occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft that affects or could affect the safety of operation.

Serious incident: an incident involving circumstances indicating a high probability of an accident (e.g. near collision, hard landing, runway incursion, TCAS RA).

State of Occurrence must institute an investigation; State of Registry, State of Operator, State of Design and State of Manufacture are entitled to participate as accredited representatives.

The sole objective of investigation is prevention of accidents and incidents, not apportionment of blame or liability (Annex 13, Art. 3.1).

Preliminary report within 30 days to ICAO; final report as soon as possible; safety recommendations issued to States and operators.

Notification: State of Occurrence notifies ICAO and other States without delay using the prescribed format (Annex 13 Appendix 1).

Flight recorders (FDR/CVR) must be preserved and protected; readout by approved laboratories; BEA, AAIB, NTSB are examples of investigating authorities.

Annex 9 (Facilitation) aims to prevent unnecessary delays; covers entry/clearance of aircraft, crew, passengers, cargo and mail.

Documents for crew: passport, crew licence, crew member certificate (CMC), general declaration; passengers require passport and visa where applicable.

Customs: aircraft stores, duty-free allowances, customs declaration; bonded stores sealed; crew may be subject to customs checks.

Immigration: passenger manifest, API/PNR where required; transit passengers may need transit visas.

Health: International Certificate of Vaccination (yellow card) for yellow fever where required; WHO International Health Regulations; quarantine for certain diseases.

Aircraft disinsection may be required by destination State (e.g. Australia, some tropical countries); carried out per WHO procedures.

General Declaration (GenDec) lists crew, passengers and stores; cargo manifest for freight.

Facilitation requires States to accept certain documents and limit documentary requirements to those in Annex 9.

Annex 17 covers security: protection of civil aviation against acts of unlawful interference; States must establish a national civil aviation security programme.

Unlawful interference includes hijacking, sabotage, armed attack, bomb threats, and attacks on aviation facilities.

Tokyo Convention 1963 (offences on board), Hague Convention 1970 (unlawful seizure of aircraft), Montreal Convention 1971 (sabotage), Montreal Protocol 1988 (airport violence).

Screening: passengers, cabin and hold baggage, cargo and mail must be screened; prohibited items list published by State.

Access control: airside/landside boundary, security restricted areas, crew and staff identification, escorting of unauthorised persons.

Squawk 7500 for unlawful interference; pilot should follow company and ATC procedures, avoid transmitting sensitive info on open frequency.

Aircraft search and security checks before flight; catering and stores screened; security instructions from the operator's security programme.

Safeguarding: States must protect aircraft on the ground and facilities; operator responsible for security of its aircraft and screening compliance.

EASA Basic Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 establishes EASA and common rules; implementing rules include Part-FCL (licensing), Part-ORO, Part-CAT, Part-M, Part-145, Part-66.

Part-FCL: pilot licensing requirements, privileges and ratings; Part-ORO: organisation requirements for operators; Part-CAT: commercial air transport operations.

EU-OPS was replaced by EASA Air Operations Regulation (EU) 965/2012; FTL rules in Subpart FTL (ORO.FTL).

EASA Part-M covers continuing airworthiness; Part-145 maintenance organisations; Part-66 certifying staff licensing.

National law: each EU State implements EASA rules and may add national requirements (e.g. airspace, noise, security); UK retained retained EU law post-Brexit.

Pilot licences issued by EASA Member States are mutually recognised; third-country licences require validation/conversion.

Operator certificates (AOC) issued by national authorities under EASA oversight; EASA conducts standardisation inspections.

State-specific: e.g. German LuftVO, French Code de l'aviation civile, UK ANO and CAP documents; differences from ICAO filed with ICAO.

Warsaw Convention 1929 and Montreal Convention 1999 govern international carriage: passenger death/injury, baggage and cargo delay/damage.

Montreal Convention 1999: strict liability up to 128,821 SDR for passenger death/injury (2019 revision); baggage 1,288 SDR; cargo 19 SDR/kg; delay 5,346 SDR.

Liability limits revised every five years by ICAO; carrier may be liable beyond limits unless it proves no negligence.

Insurance: Regulation (EC) 785/2004 sets minimum insurance for EU operators (passengers, baggage, cargo, third-party); certificate of insurance carried on board.

Tokyo Convention 1963: offences committed on board; aircraft commander may restrain a person and disembark them; State of registry has jurisdiction.

Hague Convention 1970: unlawful seizure of aircraft; States must extradite or prosecute.

Montreal Convention 1971: acts of violence at airports and against aircraft; Montreal Protocol 1988 extends to airports.

Carriage by air: contract of carriage, air waybill (cargo), ticket; carrier liability for delay and baggage; passenger rights under EU Regulation 261/2004 for compensation.