Rules of the air [Annex 2]

The ICAO rules of the air apply to aircraft carrying the nationality and registration marks of an ICAO contracting state, wherever they may be, providing they do not conflict with the rules published by the state having jurisdiction of the overflown territory.

Visual Meteorological Criteria

A / B / C / D / E   Airspaces

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F / G   Airspaces

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Proximity and Right of Way

1. Head on

Both will alter course to the right



2. Converging

The aircraft on the right has the right of way (if same type)



3. Different types converging

- Aeroplanes give way to airships, gliders and balloons
- Airships give way to gliders and balloons
- Gliders give way to balloons

- Power-driven aircraft give way to aircraft towing another aircraft or objects

4. Overtaking

The aircraft that is being overtaken always has the right of way.

An aircraft is considered to overtake another if it approaches the other aircraft from the rear on a line forming an angle of less than 70 degrees with the plane of symmetry of the latter.

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Aircraft Lights

The following lights are required to be shown by aircraft from sunset to sunrise or during any other period specified by the appropriate authority:

- Anti-collision lights
- Navigation lights

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Submitting a flight plan

A flight plan is required for;

- Flights that will require ATC service
- IFR flights
- Flights across international borders

A flight plan shall be submitted at least 60 minutes before departure for a controlled flight. A flight plan can also be submitted in flight (at least 10 minutes before entering a control area, advisory area or point of crossing an airway or advisory route)

ATC shall be notified when;

- The TAS differs by 5% from that in the flight plan
- The time differs by more than 3 minutes from that in the flight plan

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VFR , IFR and SVFR

1. If weather conditions are below VMC

- A clearance can be requested to continue in VMC on another route
- A special VFR (SVFR) can be requested in a CTR
- A IFR clearance can be requested to continue on this route

Special VFR (SVFR): Only possible within, into or out of a CTR. ICAO requires that the ground visibility in the CTR is not under 1500m

2. Unless authorised by ATC, VFR flights shall not take off or land at an aerodrome in a CTR, or enter the ATZ (aerodrome traffic zone) or pattern when...

- Cloud ceiling < 1500ft (450m), or
- Ground visibility < 5km

3. VFR flights require an ATC clearance to operate...

- Above FL200
- At transonic or supersonic speeds

- No VFR permitted above FL285 (Where RVSM is applied)

- Except for take off and landing, no VFR traffic is allowed over congested areas or over an open air assembly of persons, at a height less than 1000ft (300m) above the highest obstacle within a radius of 600m from the aircraft.

4. IFR flight

Unless otherwise prescribed, an aircraft flying IFR outside controlled airspace shall be 1000ft above the highest obstacle (or 2000ft in mountainous areas) within 8km of the estimated position of the aircraft.

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Semi-circular flight level rules and RVSM

1. Below FL290 (1000ft vertical separation)

000° - 179° (East) = ODD NUMBERS
180° - 359° (West) = EVEN NUMBERS

VFR traffic shall add an additional +500ft

2. Above FL290 (2000ft vertical separation)

Because we now switch to 2000ft separation between aircraft (due to the altimeters getting more inaccurate at these altitudes) we no longer have EVEN numbers as flight levels (FL290 , FL310 , FL330 , FL350 , etc).

Therefore we now choose EVEN and ODD numbers alternately. FL290 is ODD which makes FL310 EVEN , FL330 ODD , FL350 EVEN , and so on.

3. RVSM

With RVSM airspace (reduced vertical separation minima), the vertical separation of 1000ft is kept above FL290, up to FL410 and 2000ft separation above that. RVSM airspace has certain minimum requirements;

- 2 altimeters, independent from one another (with "altitude alert")
- Autopilot with altitude hold capability
- Transponder with altitude reporting capability

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Distress and Urgency signals

Distress = An aircraft in grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance
Signal = "MAY DAY" 3 times

Visual Signals may also include: red parachute flares, red pyrotechnics, ...

Urgency = An aircraft has an urgent message concerning the safety of a ship, aircraft, vehicle or other property of a person on board or within sight
Signal = "PAN PAN" 3 times

Emergency Frequencies = 121.5 MHz , 243.0 MHz or 2182 kHz

SSR (transponder codes)

7700 - Emergency (Or when being intercepted)
7600 - Radio Failure
7500 - Hijack
7000 - VFR code
2000 - Aircraft enters where radar service is required and requests that service
0000 - Transponder unserviceable or inaccurate

- Unlawful interference

An aircraft being subjected to hijack shall try to continue at an altitude that differs from the semicircular rule by 1000ft when above FL290 and by 500ft when lower than FL290.

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Restricted, Prohibited or danger areas

Designated by a code identifying the area and showing the altitude to which it extends. Areas may be either permanently active (PERM) or activated by a NOTAM.

The area designator (for example D001) cannot be re-used for a period of at least 1 year after the previous area with that designator was closed.

If you see a red and green pyrotechnic, it means you are about to enter a restricted area or an active danger area.

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Visual Signals

When there is failure of communication the following signals might be provided to a pilot at an aerodrome by means of an Aldis lamp or pyrotechnics;



How to acknowledge;

(In flight) - Rocking the wings , flashing on and off the landing lights twice
(On ground) - Moving rudder or ailerons , flashing the landing lights twice