Air Law and ATC Procedures
What the exam tests
This domain checks whether you can apply ICAO Annex 2 rules and Iranian AIP procedures to VFR flight: documents, airspace, weather minima, right of way, cruising levels and clearances.
Core rules
- ICAO Annex 2 is the baseline; Iran's AIP publishes national differences and airspace classification. Controlled airspace VFR requires ATC clearance.
- VFR minima in controlled airspace under ICAO: below 3,050 m AMSL, 5 km flight visibility with 1,500 m horizontally and 300 m vertically from cloud; at or above 3,050 m, 8 km, 1,500 m and 300 m. For take-off or landing at a controlled aerodrome, ground visibility at least 5 km and ceiling at least 450 m, unless ATC permits otherwise.
- Semicircular cruising levels: magnetic track 000-179 uses odd thousands plus 500 ft; 180-359 uses even thousands plus 500 ft.
- Right of way: converging aircraft of the same category, the aircraft on the left gives way; head-on, both turn right; the overtaking aircraft keeps clear; a landing aircraft has priority over aircraft on the ground, but it may not cut in front of another aircraft on final.
- Clearances must be read back when they concern runway, altitude, heading or frequency.
Worked example
You plan VFR on magnetic track 275. Track 275 lies in 180-359, so the correct levels are even thousands plus 500 ft: 4,500, 6,500, 8,500 ft. A cruising level of 5,500 ft is wrong because it belongs to the opposite semicircle.
Traps
Mixing statute miles with kilometres; applying 5 km in all airspace; confusing clear of cloud with the 1,500 m and 300 m cloud distances; forgetting that VFR at night may be restricted; treating an ATC roger as a clearance.