CAA NZ Instrument Rating Air Law key terms

The body of regulations made under the Civil Aviation Act 1990 that sets out operating, licensing, airworthiness and airspace requirements in New Zealand. Parts are numbered, and each Part covers a distinct subject area.

The New Zealand Crown entity responsible for administering the Civil Aviation Act and Rules, issuing licences and certificates, and providing aviation safety oversight and regulatory enforcement.

The general operating rules applying to all New Zealand aircraft operations unless a more specific Part applies. It covers crew responsibilities, flight preparation, minimum heights, fuel, and equipment requirements.

The rule Part governing pilot licences and ratings, including eligibility, experience, currency and recency requirements for private, commercial and airline transport licences and for instrument ratings.

The rule Part covering air operations by large aeroplanes engaged in regular air transport. It imposes stricter requirements for crew, equipment, training and operational control than general operating rules.

The rule Part governing air operations by helicopters and smaller aeroplanes in air transport. It sets requirements for operator certification, crew competence, equipment and flight and duty limitations.

A certificate issued by the CAA authorising an organisation to conduct air transport operations under a specified rule Part, subject to published exposition, training and operational conditions.

A rating added to a pilot licence permitting flight under instrument flight rules in instrument meteorological conditions, subject to specified experience, training, testing and recency requirements.

The requirement that a pilot has completed specified recent instrument approaches, holds a current instrument proficiency check, and meets any recency conditions before exercising the privileges of an instrument rating.

A periodic practical test with an approved examiner confirming that a pilot can safely conduct instrument flight, including holds, approaches and missed approaches, to the standard required for the rating.

The requirement to have performed specified takeoffs, landings or instrument approaches within a defined preceding period before carrying passengers or operating in certain conditions.

A document issued by a CAA-designated medical examiner confirming that a licence holder meets the medical standards for the class of licence and privileges being exercised.

The higher medical standard required for commercial pilots and those exercising the privileges of a commercial or airline transport licence. It involves more frequent and detailed examinations than Class 2.

The medical standard required for private pilots and other licence holders not exercising commercial privileges. It involves periodic examination and declaration of medical fitness.

A doctor designated by the CAA to conduct aviation medical examinations and issue or recommend medical certificates according to the standards set in the Rules.

Rules permitting flight in visual meteorological conditions, where the pilot sees and avoids other traffic and maintains specified distances from cloud and minimum flight visibility.

Rules governing flight in which the pilot navigates and maintains separation primarily by reference to instruments, requiring an ATC clearance and compliance with instrument procedures.

The minimum visibility and cloud separation requirements that must be maintained for flight under visual flight rules, varying with airspace class and altitude.

Weather conditions in which visibility and distance from cloud meet or exceed the specified minima, allowing flight under visual flight rules.

Weather conditions below the specified visual minima, in which flight must be conducted under instrument flight rules by a suitably rated pilot.

An authorisation from air traffic control for an aircraft to proceed under specified conditions. It does not relieve the pilot in command of responsibility for safety or compliance.

The ATC authorisation allowing an aircraft to fly under instrument flight rules along a specified route, level and procedure, including any restrictions and departure or arrival instructions.

The mandatory repetition by a pilot of safety-related ATC instructions such as clearances, runway assignments and altitude instructions, confirming the instruction was correctly received.

Airspace of defined dimensions within which air traffic control service is provided to IFR flights and, in some classes, to VFR flights, requiring an ATC clearance to enter.

The system of classes A to G that defines the services provided, the separation applied, and the requirements for VFR and IFR flights within each volume of airspace.

Airspace such as danger, restricted or military operating areas where activities may be hazardous or where entry is conditional or prohibited, published in the aeronautical information publications.

A designated area, often around unattended aerodromes, where pilots must make specified position and intention broadcasts on the published frequency before entering and while operating within it.

A non-ATC radio frequency, often at unattended aerodromes, used for traffic information broadcasts between pilots rather than for control instructions.

The lowest altitude permitted over congested areas or terrain, generally 1,000 feet above the highest obstacle within a specified radius, except during takeoff and landing.

The lowest altitude providing a specified obstacle clearance within a sector of 25 nautical miles around a navigation aid or aerodrome, published on instrument approach charts.

A published series of manoeuvres allowing an aircraft to descend safely from the en route phase to a point where a landing can be made visually, or to a missed approach point.

The altitude at which a missed approach must be initiated if the required visual reference to continue the approach has not been established.

The lowest altitude, used on non-precision approaches, to which descent is authorised before the required visual reference is established, without descending below it.

The published procedure followed when an approach cannot be completed to landing, involving a climb on a specified track and altitude to re-enter the holding pattern or route.

The official national document containing regulatory, operational and airspace information required for flight in New Zealand, published in volumes covering general, en route and aerodrome information.

A notice distributed by the aeronautical information service giving timely information about temporary changes or hazards to facilities, services or procedures that are essential to flight safety.

A routine coded observation of surface weather at an aerodrome, reporting wind, visibility, cloud, temperature and pressure at a stated time.

A coded forecast of expected weather at an aerodrome over a stated period, including wind, visibility, cloud and significant changes such as temporary or becoming conditions.

The altimeter setting that, when set on the subscale, causes the altimeter to indicate altitude above mean sea level at the aerodrome or reference point.

The altimeter setting that causes the altimeter to read zero at a specified reference point, usually the aerodrome, so that it indicates height above that point.

The altitude at or below which the aircraft altimeter is set to the aerodrome QNH, and above which the standard pressure setting is used for flight levels.

An altitude expressed in hundreds of feet referenced to the standard pressure setting of 1013.2 hectopascals, used above the transition altitude to provide a common datum.