Air Law and ATC Procedures
Air Law and ATC Procedures tests the regulatory framework and communication rules that make a flight legal and predictable: ICAO Annexes, Philippine Civil Aviation Regulations (PCAR), AIP Philippines, clearances, separation and emergency procedures.
Core rules
- ICAO Annex 2 contains the Rules of the Air; Annex 11 covers air traffic services; Annex 14 covers aerodromes.
- A clearance is an authorization, not an instruction to fly unsafe; it includes identification, limit, route, altitude and any special instructions.
- Standard readback includes route clearances, altitude, heading, speed, runway, altimeter setting and frequency.
- In RVSM airspace, standard vertical separation is 1,000 ft between FL290 and FL410; above FL410 it is normally 2,000 ft.
- SSR codes: 7500 unlawful interference, 7600 radio failure, 7700 general emergency.
Worked example
An aircraft cruises at FL350 and hears: “Descend to FL240, report leaving FL350.” The correct readback repeats both the assigned altitude and the report instruction. The crew must not leave FL350 until the readback is complete and the aircraft is cleared; “descend” authorizes descent but does not cancel the report requirement.
Traps
- “Cleared for approach” is not a landing clearance.
- “Line up and wait” does not authorize takeoff.
- Conditional clearances must be read back in full and only acted on when the condition is met.
- Do not confuse QNH with standard pressure; transition altitude and transition level procedures matter.