Air Law
Air Law
Air law in the IAA ATCO licence examination tests the regulatory chain that gives a controller authority: the Chicago Convention and ICAO Annexes, EU ATM/ANS rules, Irish statute and the unit operations manual. You are expected to know which instrument creates a requirement, not merely quote a rule. EU Regulation 2015/340 sets ATCO licensing and competence requirements; Regulation 2017/373 contains common requirements for ATM/ANS providers. ICAO Annex 11 covers air traffic services; Annex 2 and SERA govern rules of the air. The Irish Aviation Authority administers licensing in Ireland.
Core rules
- A licence privilege exists only when the rating, endorsement, unit endorsement and medical certificate are valid together.
- Clearances are issued to ensure separation and expedite traffic; a controller must not assume a pilot will deviate from a clearance.
- Airspace classification determines whether a clearance is required and what separation is provided. Class D requires an ATC clearance for both IFR and VFR; IFR is separated from IFR and receives traffic information about VFR.
- Controllers must retain a record of clearances and coordinate transfer of control before an aircraft crosses a boundary.
Worked example
A controller holds an APP rating, a valid Class 3 medical and a unit endorsement for a particular approach unit, but the unit endorsement expired yesterday. May they provide approach control? No. The rating and medical are necessary but not sufficient. Without a valid unit endorsement, the controller cannot exercise the privileges of the rating at that unit. The correct action is to inform the supervisor and not take up the position until competence is re-established.
Traps
Do not confuse ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices with EU law: ICAO Annexes do not automatically create enforceable Irish obligations. Do not treat a clearance as permission to enter any airspace; class and service type matter. Do not overlook that readback requirements apply to clearances and runway instructions.