ATPL Air Law & Operational Procedures cheat sheet

Chicago Convention signed 7 December 1944, in force 4 April 1947; Article 1 recognises the complete and exclusive sovereignty of every State over the airspace above its territory.

ICAO organs: Assembly (all Contracting States, meets at least once every three years), Council (36 States elected for three years), Secretariat and the Air Navigation Commission.

SARPs are adopted by the Council under Article 37 as Annexes; a State unable to comply must file a difference under Article 38, which is published in its AIP.

Article 5 permits non-scheduled flights over the territory of another State subject to prior notification; Article 6 requires special permission for scheduled international air services.

Annex mapping: 1 Personnel Licensing, 2 Rules of the Air, 6 Operation of Aircraft, 8 Airworthiness, 13 Accident Investigation, 14 Aerodromes, 17 Security, 19 Safety Management.

Article 29 documents: certificate of registration, certificate of airworthiness, crew licences, journey log book, radio station licence, passenger and cargo manifests, dangerous goods manifest.

Article 33 obliges States to recognise certificates of airworthiness and licences issued by the State of registry provided the issuing requirements equal or exceed the ICAO minimum standards.

Article 25 requires States to give assistance to aircraft in distress in their territory; Article 26 requires an investigation of accidents in accordance with Annex 13 procedures.

Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 (Basic Regulation) creates EASA and is directly applicable in all EU Member States; implementing rules are issued as regulations and delegated/implementing acts.

Rule structure: Part-21 (design and production), Part-M / Part-145 / Part-CAMO (continuing airworthiness), Part-FCL (licensing), Part-MED (medical), Part-ORO, Part-CAT, Part-SPA, Part-ARO/ARA (authorities).

EASA Member States: the 27 EU States plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland; their national authorities issue licences and approvals under common rules.

Non-EU operators conducting commercial air transport into, within or out of the EU need a Part-TCO authorisation issued by EASA.

In the UK, retained Regulation (EU) 2018/1139 as assimilated law applies, and the UK CAA issues UK Part-FCL licences that are no longer automatically accepted by EASA States.

ICAO Annexes set minimum standards; EU rules are usually more demanding and are enforceable directly against operators and licence holders.

Deviations from EU rules are only possible through the mechanisms of the Basic Regulation (exemptions, derogations, operational directives), not by national discretion.

Annex 7 marks: a nationality mark plus a hyphen plus a registration mark (for example G-ABCD, D-ABCD, F-ABCD); the United States uses N followed by the registration without a hyphen.

An aircraft cannot be validly registered in more than one State at the same time; registration may be transferred from one State register to another.

The certificate of airworthiness is issued by the State of registry under Annex 8 and remains valid only while continuing airworthiness is maintained.

In the EU, an Airworthiness Review Certificate is valid for one year and may be extended once by a CAMO that has the privilege; renewal follows a full airworthiness review.

Article 83 bis allows the State of registry to transfer supervisory functions for licensing, operations and airworthiness to the State of the operator for leased, chartered or interchanged aircraft.

Noise certification is issued under Annex 16 Volume I; the noise certificate must be carried on board together with the registration, airworthiness and radio documents.

A permit to fly may be issued instead of a certificate of airworthiness for aircraft that do not meet, or have not yet been shown to meet, the full certification basis.

Insurance against third-party liability and, for commercial operations, passenger liability is a condition of lawful operation in essentially all States.

ICAO Annex 1 minimum ages: PPL 17 years, CPL 18 years, ATPL 21 years; an ATPL also requires 1 500 hours total flight time as a pilot (reduced in approved integrated courses).

Medical classes: Class 1 for CPL/ATPL/MPL, Class 2 for PPL/LAPL, Class 3 for air traffic control officers.

EU Part-MED Class 1 validity is 12 months, reduced to 6 months for single-pilot commercial air transport carrying passengers once the holder reaches 40, and for all holders from age 60.

EU Class 2 and LAPL medical certificates are valid 24 months, reduced to 12 months for holders aged 40 and over.

ICAO language proficiency: Level 4 (operational) is the minimum; Level 4 is re-tested every 4 years, Level 5 every 6 years, Level 6 is permanent.

Class and type ratings: single-engine piston class rating is valid 2 years if 12 hours were flown in the class in the last 12 months of validity, otherwise 1 year; multi-engine piston and type ratings are valid 1 year.

An instrument rating is valid 12 months and is revalidated by a proficiency check; after expiry it is renewed by refresher training and a check.

Commercial air transport requires an air operator certificate; non-commercial operations of complex motor-powered aircraft require a prior declaration to the competent authority.

EU flight time limits: 100 hours in any 28 consecutive days, 900 hours in a calendar year, 1 000 hours in any 12 consecutive calendar months.

ORO.FTL.205 gives a basic maximum daily flight duty period of 13 hours, reduced for duty periods starting later in the day and for night starts, with augmentation for in-flight rest.

Minimum rest before a flight duty period is 12 hours, reducible to no less than 10 hours, and must provide an 8-hour sleep opportunity; at least 2 days free of duty in 14 days and 1 in 7.

Fuel plan: taxi fuel, trip fuel, contingency fuel (normally 5% of trip fuel), alternate fuel, final reserve (30 minutes holding at 1 500 ft above the alternate), plus additional fuel.

Dispatch with inoperative equipment is permitted only in accordance with the approved Minimum Equipment List; missing items covered by the Configuration Deviation List are handled separately.

The commander has final authority over the aircraft and may deviate from rules and procedures in an emergency to the extent necessary for safety.

The operator must supply an operations manual, mass and balance data, performance data, flight planning and a safety management system, and must record crew flight and duty times.

VMC at or above 3 050 m (10 000 ft) AMSL: 8 km flight visibility and 1 500 m horizontally and 300 m vertically from cloud.

VMC below 3 050 m: 5 km flight visibility, 1 500 m horizontally and 300 m vertically from cloud; at or below 900 m AMSL and 140 kt IAS, 5 km and clear of cloud with the surface in sight.

Semicircular rule by magnetic track: 000-179 degrees uses odd flight levels, 180-359 degrees uses even flight levels; above FL410 the pattern shifts (000-179: FL450, FL490; 180-359: FL430, FL470).

Speed limit: 250 kt IAS below FL100 in controlled airspace unless a higher speed is specifically authorised by ATC.

Right of way: converging aircraft at the same level - the one with the other on its right gives way; head-on - both turn right; overtaking - keep to the right.

Landing: the lower aircraft has the right of way, but no aircraft may cut in front of another on final approach or while it is landing.

SSR codes: 7700 emergency, 7600 radio communication failure, 7500 unlawful interference; 2000 is the code for entering controlled airspace without a discrete allocation.

Altimetry: change to standard pressure 1013.25 hPa when climbing above the transition altitude and back to QNH when descending below the transition level.

Aerodrome reference code: code number 1 to 4 from the runway reference field length (4 = 1 800 m or more) plus a letter A to F from wingspan and outer main gear wheel span (E = 52 m up to but not including 65 m).

Runway end safety area: ICAO Annex 14 requires at least 90 m by twice the runway width; EU Regulation 139/2014 requires 240 m at code 3 and 4 aerodromes where practicable.

Marking sequence along a runway: designator, threshold bars, aiming point, touchdown zone markings, centreline, runway end; a displaced threshold is available for landing but not for touchdown.

Lighting colours: runway edge white, threshold green, runway end red, taxiway edge blue, taxiway centreline green, stop bars red, runway centreline white with red and white on the last 300 m.

PAPI: normally four units set at about 3 degrees, showing four white when too high, two white/two red on slope and four red when too low; fly towards the white lights to correct a low path.

Obstacle limitation surfaces include the approach, take-off climb, transitional, inner horizontal, conical and inner approach surfaces; they protect the aerodrome from obstacles.

Ground operations: ATC or apron control clearance before taxi, marshaller or visual docking guidance on stand, correct engine start and shutdown procedures, jet blast and FOD protection.

Rescue and firefighting category is set by the longest aeroplane and its fuselage width and by the number of movements per 12 months; it determines the equipment and staffing level.

Pre-flight sequence: documents and licences, NOTAM and meteorological briefing, MEL/CDL check, mass and balance, performance and fuel calculation, ATC flight plan and clearance.

V1 is the take-off decision speed, VR the rotation speed and V2 the take-off safety speed reached at 35 ft with one engine inoperative.

A take-off alternate is required when the destination weather at the expected time is below the applicable minima or no alternate is available; normally within one hour's flight at one-engine-inoperative speed.

A stabilised approach requires the operator's criteria for configuration, speed, path and thrust to be met by 1 000 ft in IMC or 500 ft in VMC, otherwise a go-around is flown.

Descent planning uses the 3:1 rule - 3 nautical miles per 1 000 ft of height to lose, plus distance for deceleration and any level segment.

Landing performance must use the runway condition actually reported (dry, wet or contaminated), with the applicable safety factor and, for contaminated runways, manufacturer's contaminated data.

Cruise monitoring: fuel checks against the flight plan, position reporting to ATC, weather and turbulence avoidance, system checks and ETOPS fuel and diversion considerations where applicable.

The sterile flight deck rule applies during taxi, take-off, approach and landing: no non-essential conversation or activity by flight crew.

Emergency descent after depressurisation: turn off the assigned track, descend at VMO/MMO or the published speed to 10 000 ft or the minimum safe altitude, and ensure oxygen is set for the crew and passengers.

Radio failure: squawk 7600, maintain the last acknowledged clearance or the published procedure, keep VMC where possible and land as soon as practicable, reporting the failure on arrival.

TCAS resolution advisory: respond immediately in the direction of the RA, call 'TCAS RA', disregard conflicting ATC instructions, and call 'Clear of conflict' when the manoeuvre ends.

Fuel declarations: 'MINIMUM FUEL' informs ATC that no further delay is possible; 'MAYDAY FUEL' is an emergency declared when the aircraft is expected to land with less than final reserve fuel.

Rejected take-off: before V1, reject for engine failure, fire, loss of directional control or any condition making the aircraft unsafe to fly; at or above V1, continue unless the aircraft is not airworthy.

Emergency evacuation is ordered by the commander; transport aeroplanes are certificated to be evacuated in 90 seconds using half the available exits.

Dangerous goods incidents must be reported to ATC and, after landing, to the operator and the appropriate authority.

Emergency priority order: aviate, navigate, communicate; use the checklist after the aircraft is under control and avoid non-essential tasks until the situation is stabilised.

Annex 17 covers security, Annex 9 covers facilitation and Annex 13 covers aircraft accident and incident investigation.

Annex 13 accident: a person fatally or seriously injured, the aircraft substantially damaged, or the aircraft missing; an incident is any other occurrence affecting safety.

The State of Occurrence institutes and conducts the investigation and controls the site; the States of Registry, Operator, Design and Manufacture are entitled to appoint accredited representatives.

Notification of an accident is made without delay; a preliminary report is due within 30 days and the final report as soon as possible, aimed at 12 months, with safety recommendations.

In the EU, Regulation (EU) 996/2010 establishes independent safety investigation authorities; EASA receives safety recommendations and accident data.

Security measures: 100% screening of hold baggage and of passengers and cabin baggage, 100 ml liquid container limits in a 1 litre bag, screening of crew, and controlled access to security restricted areas.

Facilitation: passenger and crew manifests, advance passenger information, free pratique, customs and immigration controls, and assistance to persons with reduced mobility.