PPL Air Law & Operational Procedures cheat sheet

The Convention on International Civil Aviation, signed at Chicago in 1944, established ICAO and recognizes that each state has complete and exclusive sovereignty over the airspace above its territory.

ICAO Article 5 allows non-scheduled flights of other contracting states to enter or overfly a state without prior permission, but the state may require landing or special clearance.

Article 6 requires special permission or agreement for scheduled international air services; scheduled services therefore operate under bilateral air services agreements.

Article 12 obliges each contracting state to keep its rules of the air uniform with ICAO Annex 2 and to prosecute violations; over the high seas, Annex 2 applies without exception.

Article 29 lists documents an aircraft engaged in international navigation must carry: certificate of registration, certificate of airworthiness, crew licences, journey log, radio licence, passenger list and cargo manifest.

ICAO Annex 1 covers personnel licensing; Annex 2 rules of the air; Annex 6 operation of aircraft; Annex 7 nationality and registration marks; Annex 8 airworthiness; Annex 14 aerodromes; Annex 17 security.

The first two freedoms of the air are technical: overfly a state without landing, and land for non-traffic purposes such as maintenance or refuelling.

Article 37 commits contracting states to collaborate to achieve the highest practicable degree of uniformity in regulations, standards, procedures and organization in all matters where uniformity facilitates air navigation.

ICAO Annex 1 requires a PPL applicant to be at least 17 years old and to hold a valid Class 2 medical certificate.

A PPL permits the holder to act as pilot-in-command of aircraft engaged in non-commercial operations and to carry passengers, but not for remuneration or hire.

A Class 1 medical certificate is required for CPL and ATPL holders; a Class 2 for PPL; some states issue a Class 3 for air traffic controllers.

Under EASA Part-MED, a Class 2 medical certificate is valid 5 years until age 40, 2 years from age 40 to 50, and 1 year above age 50.

A medical certificate can carry operational limitations such as corrective lenses (VDL), a safety pilot, or day-only flying; these limitations must be respected.

EASA recency for carrying passengers: three take-offs and landings in the preceding 90 days on the same type or class; a pilot without recent experience must fly with an instructor or solo before carrying passengers.

ICAO language proficiency: pilots must demonstrate at least operational level 4 in the language used for radiotelephony; the endorsement is entered on the licence and is valid for a defined period.

Licence privileges are limited to the ratings and endorsements held; a PPL holder cannot act as PIC of an aircraft requiring a type rating unless that rating is included.

An aircraft cannot be validly registered in more than one state; the certificate of registration records the state of registry, nationality mark, registration mark, owner and operator.

The certificate of airworthiness certifies that the aircraft conforms to its type design and is safe to operate; in EASA, an airworthiness review certificate (ARC) is valid for one year.

ICAO Article 29 documents for international flight: certificate of registration, certificate of airworthiness, crew licences, journey log book, radio station licence, passenger list and cargo manifest.

Nationality marks identify the state of registry (G- for United Kingdom, N for United States, D- for Germany); the registration mark is unique within that state.

The aircraft identification plate must be fireproof and show the nationality and registration marks and the name and address of the owner or operator.

Airworthiness directives are mandatory instructions issued by the state of design or registry; compliance must be recorded in the maintenance log.

A radio station licence is required for the aircraft radio equipment; the flight manual and mass-and-balance schedule must be available on board.

An aircraft on a temporary visit to another contracting state is admitted free of duty, subject to customs regulations, under Article 24 of the Chicago Convention.

VFR in controlled airspace requires flight visibility of 5 km, 1500 m horizontal distance from cloud and 300 m (1000 ft) vertical distance; at or above 10,000 ft the visibility requirement is 8 km.

VFR flight is not permitted in ICAO Class A airspace; Class B permits VFR with ATC clearance and separation from all traffic.

For magnetic tracks 000–179°, VFR cruising levels are odd thousands plus 500 ft (3500, 5500, 7500 ft); for 180–359°, even thousands plus 500 ft (4500, 6500, 8500 ft).

When aircraft converge at the same level, the aircraft on the right has right-of-way; power-driven heavier-than-air aircraft give way to gliders, airships and balloons.

Head-on approach: both aircraft alter heading to the right; overtaking aircraft keeps clear to the right and must not pass until safely clear.

Minimum safe height: over congested areas, 1000 ft above the highest obstacle within 600 m; elsewhere 500 ft above ground or water, except for take-off and landing.

A VFR flight plan must be filed before departure; if filed in flight, at least 10 minutes before entering controlled airspace or crossing an advisory route.

Aircraft must be operated in accordance with the rules of the air of the state overflown; over the high seas, ICAO Annex 2 applies.

ICAO Class A: IFR only; Class B: IFR and VFR, all aircraft separated; Class C: IFR and VFR, VFR separated from IFR; Class D: IFR and VFR, VFR receives traffic information; Class E: IFR and VFR, VFR not separated; Class F: advisory; Class G: uncontrolled.

An ATC clearance authorizes an aircraft to proceed under specified traffic conditions; the pilot must read back runway, hold-short and altitude instructions.

SSR codes: 7700 general emergency, 7600 radio communication failure, 7500 unlawful interference; 2000 is used when entering or leaving a SSR area without an assigned code.

A flight plan must include aircraft identification, type and wake turbulence category, equipment, departure and destination aerodromes, route, cruising level, endurance and persons on board.

Compulsory reporting points require position reports; if no report is required, the pilot may be asked to report 'operations normal' at prescribed intervals.

ATS units include the area control centre, approach control unit and aerodrome control tower; flight information service provides information but not separation.

A transponder is mandatory in designated transponder mandatory zones (TMZ); radio mandatory zones (RMZ) require continuous radio watch.

If radio communication fails in VMC, a VFR pilot should continue in VMC, land at the nearest suitable aerodrome, and inform ATC as soon as possible.

Runway designator is the magnetic heading rounded to the nearest 10° and divided by 10; runway 27 has a magnetic heading of approximately 270°.

Declared distances: TORA is take-off run available; TODA is TORA plus clearway; ASDA is TORA plus stopway; LDA is landing distance available.

Runway threshold markings are longitudinal white bars; the aiming point is a pair of broad white rectangles; touchdown zone markings indicate distance from threshold.

A displaced threshold reduces the landing distance available; the paved area before it may be used for take-off but not for landing.

Taxiway centreline markings are yellow; runway holding position markings consist of two solid and two dashed yellow lines.

ICAO marshalling signal: arms crossed above the head means stop; arms extended horizontally and moved up and down means slow down.

The windsock indicates wind direction and relative strength; it must be visible from the runway and landing area.

Local procedures at controlled aerodromes use ATIS for weather and runway information; ATC clearance must be obtained before entering the runway or taxiing on a runway.

Transponder emergency codes: 7700 for distress, 7600 for radio failure, 7500 for unlawful interference; emergency frequency is 121.5 MHz.

Engine failure after take-off: maintain directional control, pitch for best glide speed, select a landing area within gliding range, and avoid turning back below a safe height.

Go-around: apply full power, establish a positive climb, retract flaps and landing gear as appropriate, and follow the published missed approach or ATC instructions.

Carburettor heat is applied before reducing power and in visible moisture or icing conditions; it reduces engine power and enriches the mixture.

VFR fuel planning requires a final reserve of 30 minutes by day and 45 minutes at night; trip fuel and contingency fuel are additional.

Wake turbulence separation is applied by ATC; a light aircraft should avoid the flight path of a heavy aircraft and stay above and upwind of its wake.

Mass and balance: the centre of gravity must remain within the flight manual limits for all phases; exceeding maximum take-off mass reduces performance and may invalidate the certificate of airworthiness.

Before flight, calculate take-off and landing distances using the flight manual performance data for pressure altitude, temperature, wind, runway slope and mass.

ICAO Annex 13 defines an accident as an occurrence in which a person is fatally or seriously injured, the aircraft sustains damage or structural failure, or the aircraft is missing or inaccessible.

An incident is an occurrence, other than an accident, associated with the operation of an aircraft that affects or could affect the safety of operation.

A serious incident is an incident involving circumstances indicating a high probability of an accident, such as a near collision or runway incursion.

The pilot-in-command must report an accident or serious incident to the appropriate authority immediately by the quickest available means; wreckage must be protected and not moved unless necessary.

ICAO Annex 12 covers search and rescue; rescue coordination centres coordinate SAR operations, and ELTs transmit on 406 MHz to COSPAS-SARSAT and on 121.5 MHz for homing.

SAR phases are uncertainty, alert and distress; the distress phase begins when there is reasonable certainty that an aircraft is in serious or imminent danger.

ICAO Annex 17 covers security; unlawful interference includes hijacking, sabotage, and attacks on aircraft; transponder code 7500 signals hijacking.

Security restricted areas at airports require screening of passengers and baggage; access is controlled and unauthorized persons are excluded.