Rules of the Air 2015

[PatPux]

I was thinking of flying this weekend and having a look at Reading Festival. So I thought I would refresh myself on the proximity and overflight rules for large gatherings.

If I'm looking at the latest version

2015 No. 840

CIVIL AVIATION

The Rules of the Air Regulations 2015

Made - - - - 17th March 2015

Coming into force - - 30th April 2015

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015 ... 840_en.pdf

Under Rule 5 the overflight rule on gatherings, of minimum of either 1000ft or glide clear, seems to have disappeared. The landing or take off within 1000m remains.

The words, say:-

"Landing and taking off within congested areas and near open-air assemblies

5.—(1) An aircraft must not take off or land within a congested area of any city, town or

settlement except—

(a) at an aerodrome in accordance with procedures notified by the CAA; or

(b) at a landing site which is not an aerodrome in accordance with the permission of the

CAA.

(2) An aircraft must not land or take-off within 1,000 metres of an open-air assembly of more

than 1,000 persons except—

(a) at an aerodrome in accordance with procedures notified by the CAA; or

(b) at a landing site which is not an aerodrome in accordance with procedures notified by the

CAA and with the written permission of the organiser of the assembly."

Have I got that right? Not that I'm suggesting I will overfly it, but it would be nice to know.

[PatPux]

And where does the general 500ft Rule appear........is that in another document entirely?

The 500 feet rule

Except with the permission in writing of the CAA, an aircraft shall not be flown closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure

[Guest]

Entire document containing rule 5 as currently issued by the CAA

https://www.caa.co.uk/docs/1676/Rule%20 ... 02005a.pdf

SW

[PatPux]

Strictly that link is the text of the proposed amendment only, from 2004. I then tried to follow how that had made it into "legislation"

I got as far as finding that it said it had been incorporated into

Amendment 2/2007 amends Section 5 of CAP 393.

But then lost the will to live trying to see where it actually appears in that document.

Still, best to take it as read, it is a bit confusing, though trying to understand the hierarchy of documentation when there is a document just issued that incorporates some of those items but not others.

Anyway-1000ft clear in all directions and no landing or take off within 1km would seem to be a conservative approach to not getting a tug.

Thanks

[Guest]

Or glide clear, which ever is the highest

SW

[PatPux]

It would have to be effing huge for a 1000ft height not to be the governing factor!

[Guest]

So that's glide clear of the zone just to complicate it

SW

Sent from my iPhone using PMC Forum mobile app

[PatPux]

What's an average glide angle? 7:1? So it would have to be 14000ft (2.5 miles)diameter for you to need to be higher than 1000ft

[Guest]

As in your glide clear needs to keep you clear of that 1000ft.

SW

[PatPux]

I've looked at this again over lunch today.

I think the overflight of gatherings of 1000 people has disappeared!

-It was in Rules of the Air 2007. No 734

-It is not in Rules of the Air 2015 No 840

And

The explanatory letter to the issue of the latest CAP393 April 2015 clearly states that Rules of the Air 2007 is replaced in its entirety by Rules of the Air 2015. It has been brought about by a requirement to standardise due to EU Commission Implementing Regulation 923/2012 ( Standardised European Rules of the Air- SERA)

All the relevant documents are attached.........If you had half hour of your life to waste!

1

This is an extract from Rules of The Air 2007, The Rules of the Air Regulations 2007

· 2007 No. 734

· SCHEDULE 1

· SECTION 3

· Regulation 5

highlighted is the section on flying over assemblies.

Low flying prohibitions

5.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), an aircraft shall comply with the low flying prohibitions in paragraph (3) unless exempted by rule 6.

(2) If an aircraft is flying in circumstances such that more than one of the low flying prohibitions apply, it shall fly at the greatest height required by any of the applicable prohibitions.

(3) The low flying prohibitions are as follows—

(a)Failure of power unit

An aircraft shall not be flown below such height as would enable it to make an emergency landing without causing danger to persons or property on the surface in the event of a power unit failure.

(b)The 500 feet rule

Except with the written permission of the CAA, an aircraft shall not be flown closer than 500 feet to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure.

©The 1,000 feet rule

Except with the written permission of the CAA, an aircraft flying over a congested area of a city town or settlement shall not fly below a height of 1,000 feet above the highest fixed obstacle within a horizontal radius of 600 metres of the aircraft.

(d)The land clear rule

An aircraft flying over a congested area of a city, town or settlement shall not fly below such height as would permit the aircraft to land clear of the congested area in the event of a power unit failure.

(e)Flying over open air assemblies

Except with the written permission of the CAA, an aircraft shall not fly over an organised open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons below the higher of the following heights—

(i)1,000 feet; or

(ii)such height as would permit the aircraft to land clear of the assembly in the event of a power unit failure.

(f)Landing and taking off near open air assemblies

An aircraft shall not land or take-off within 1,000 metres of an organised, open-air assembly of more than 1,000 persons except—

(i)at an aerodrome, in accordance with procedures notified by the CAA; or

(ii)at a landing site which is not an aerodrome, in accordance with procedures notified by the CAA and with the written permission of the organiser of the assembly.

2.

the Rules of the Air 2015 (SI 2015/840).

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2015 ... 840_en.pdf

Contains these words on flying near open air assemblies

Landing and taking off within congested areas and near open-air assemblies

5.—(1) An aircraft must not take off or land within a congested area of any city, town or

settlement except—

(a) at an aerodrome in accordance with procedures notified by the CAA; or

(b) at a landing site which is not an aerodrome in accordance with the permission of the

CAA.

(2) An aircraft must not land or take-off within 1,000 metres of an open-air assembly of more

than 1,000 persons except—

(a) at an aerodrome in accordance with procedures notified by the CAA; or

(b) at a landing site which is not an aerodrome in accordance with procedures

Nothing about overflying at 1000ft or glide clear.

3

.Here is the explanatory note for CAP 393 AIR NAVIGATION: THE ORDER AND THE REGULATIONS AMENDMENT 1/2015

https://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP%20393 ... 150505.pdf

Office of the General Counsel

EXPLANATORY LETTER TO READERS

April 2015

Dear Reader

CAP 393 AIR NAVIGATION: THE ORDER AND THE REGULATIONS AMENDMENT 1/2015

This is the first amendment to the Fourth Edition of CAP 393.

Changes to Section 2

Section 2, which contained the Rules of the Air Regulations 2007, is replaced in its entirety by the Rules of the Air 2015 (SI 2015/840).

The Rules of the Air 2015 – the 2015 Rules - are made in consequence of the coming into force in the United Kingdom of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No. 923/2012 which contains common rules of the air (known as the Standardised European Rules of the Air - “SERA).

The 2015 Rules supplement SERA and should be read in conjunction with them. The 2015 Rules, which follow the arrangement of SERA, specify provisions from the 2007 Rules of the Air which are not included in SERA but which it is considered should be retained.

[ptwizz]

It may not be written into revised air law, but common sense and good airmanship say we should fly at sufficient altitude to be able to glide clear.

This is not a good time to be perceived as creating a risk to members of the public.

[PatPux]

Pete. Right at the beginning I said I had no intention of doing anything stupid. But it's interesting isn't it that we have had to relax our rules in compliance with Europe because they don't have a similar rule.

Rest assured I will be sticking to 1000ft clear

[Guest]

I found it for you mate

I sussed it by reading the last paragraph in your post above over and over again!!! Then it took about 2 hours to find the actual document!!! lol

3.2 Article 8 of SERA permits Member States to retain additional provisions supplementing ICAO

standards provided they do not constitute an ICAO difference. The CAA intends to make use

of this article to retain certain rules under ROTA 2007 which therefore will continue to apply in

the UK. These are the following rules:

a) rule 5(3)© (1,000 feet rule) and rule 5(3)(f) (landing and taking off over open air

assemblies);

b) rule 8(6) (avoiding aerial collisions);

c) rule 13 (order of landing);

d) rule 14 (landing and taking off);

e) rule 15 (aerobatic manoeuvres);

f) rule 19 (flight in class C airspace);

g) rule 22 (use of radio navigation aids);

h) rule 24A (test flying over congested areas);

i) rule 40 (movement of aircraft on aerodromes);

j) rule 41 (access for and movement of persons and vehicles on the aerodrome);

k) rule 42 (right of way on the ground);

l) rule 44(1) & (2) (launching and picking up of tow ropes etc.);

m) rule 45 (flight within aerodrome traffic zones);

n) rule 47(4) (display of lights by aircraft);

The document link is here http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/SafetyNotice201410.pdf

Let's be honest though...

It's getting a tad 'layered' lol

SW

[PatPux]

No exactly easy to find is it! I did start to look at the exceptions but admit I gave up

[PatPux]

Thinking about this a bit more........so how much money was spent to consult/draft/redraft and finally pass into law something that doesn't change the rules but couches them in a way that complies with EU Legislation but makes them almost impossible to interpret...............Complete madness

[alan_k]

When some of the regulatory bodies in the UK grow some balls and tell Brussels that they are doing it their way cannot come too soon, IMHO.

One thing I can admire is the way is the way the French will look after themselves, contentious? ... maybe.

The general attitude is you can do what you like but if you screw up you're in trouble.

It makes you think about what you are doing

[Lethal_Drizzle]

So, I'm confused now. If i take off, am i actually allowed to land?

!!!

[Dariuszk24]

absolutely not allowed to land until you really must

of course joke.

every one have fly save.

i dont wish anybody stall engine in mach less expected place and moment.

[Guest]

Check out section 3.5 paragraph 2 in the CAA ICAO Safety notice, from the EU SERA document 5 section 4.4 on the first Tuesday before 09:14 hrs of each month, except Nov, Feb, and the last half of July when you want to be look more at the FAA and EASA adjoining document Annex 6 section 3.3 for your answer

But don't quote me on that

Basically, nothing has changed that effects us.

SW