Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469Show full title

ANNEX I Amendments to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012

The Annex is amended as follows:

(1)

in point SERA.3210(d)(4)(ii), points (A) and (B) are replaced by the following:

‘(A)

persons and vehicles operating on the manoeuvring area of an aerodrome shall be restricted to the essential minimum and particular regard shall be given to the requirements to protect the critical and sensitive area(s) of radio navigation aids;

(B)

subject to the provisions of point (iii), the method or methods to separate vehicles and taxiing aircraft shall be as specified by the air navigation service provider (‘ANSP’) and approved by the competent authority taking into account the aids available;’;

(2)

in point SERA.3210(d)(4) (iv), point (A) is replaced by the following:

‘(A)

vehicles and vehicles towing aircraft shall give way to aircraft which are landing, taking-off or taxiing’

(3)

point SERA.8005 is amended as follows:

(a)

in point (a), point (3) is replaced by the following:

‘(3)

issue one or more of the following: clearances, instructions or information for the purpose of preventing collision between aircraft under its control and of expediting and maintaining an orderly flow of traffic;’;

(b)

point (c) is amended as follows:

(a)

the introductory phrase is replaced by the following:

‘Except for cases of operations on parallel or near-parallel runways as in point ATS.TR.255 of Annex IV to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373(1), or when a reduction in separation minima in the vicinity of aerodromes can be applied, separation by an ATC unit shall be obtained by at least one of the following:’;

(b)

point (1) is replaced by the following:

‘(1)

vertical separation, obtained by assigning different levels selected from the table of cruising levels in Appendix 3, except that the correlation of levels to track as prescribed therein shall not apply whenever otherwise indicated in appropriate aeronautical information publications or ATC clearances. The vertical separation minimum shall be a nominal 300 m (1 000 ft) up to and including FL 410 and a nominal 600 m (2 000 ft) above that level. Geometric height information shall not be used to establish vertical separation;’;

(4)

point SERA.8012 is replaced by the following:

‘(a)

Air traffic control units shall apply wake turbulence separation minima to aircraft in the approach and departure phases of flight in any of the following circumstances:

(1)

an aircraft is operating directly behind another aircraft at the same altitude or less than 300 m (1 000 ft) below it;

(2)

both aircraft are using the same runway or parallel runways separated by less than 760 m (2 500 ft);

(3)

an aircraft is crossing behind another aircraft at the same altitude or less than 300 m (1 000 ft) below it.

(b)

Paragraph (a) shall not apply to arriving VFR flights and to arriving IFR flights executing visual approach when the aircraft has reported the preceding aircraft in sight and has been instructed to follow and maintain own separation from that aircraft. In those cases, the air traffic control unit shall issue caution for wake turbulence.’;

(5)

point SERA.8015 is amended as follows:

(a)

in point (b), the following point (6) is added:

‘(6)

When vectoring or assigning a direct routing not included in the flight plan, which takes an IFR flight off published ATS route or instrument procedure, an air traffic controller providing ATS surveillance service shall issue clearances such that the prescribed obstacle clearance exists at all times until the aircraft reaches the point where the pilot re-joins the flight plan route or joins a published ATS route or instrument procedure.’;

(b)

in point (d), point (5) is replaced by the following:

‘(5)

any necessary instructions or information on other matters, such as ATFM departure slot if applicable, approach or departure manoeuvres, communications and the time of expiry of the clearance.’;

(c)

in point (e), the heading is replaced by the following:

‘Read back of clearances, instructions and safety-related information’;

(d)

point (eb) is amended as follows:

(i)

point (3) is replaced by the following:

‘(3)

Except when it is known that the aircraft has already received the information in a directed transmission, an QNH altimeter setting shall be included in:

(i)

the descent clearance, when first cleared to an altitude below the transition level;

(ii)

the approach clearance or the clearance to enter the traffic circuit;

(iii)

the taxi clearance for departing aircraft.’;

(ii)

in point (5), the introductory phrase is replaced by the following:

‘When an aircraft has been given clearance to land or where an aircraft has been informed that the runway is available for landing at AFIS aerodromes and that aircraft is completing its approach using atmospheric pressure at aerodrome elevation (QFE), the vertical position of that aircraft shall be expressed in terms of height above aerodrome elevation during that portion of its flight for which QFE may be used, except that it shall be expressed in terms of height above runway threshold elevation:’;

(6)

point SERA.9005 is amended as follows:

(a)

point (a) is amended as follows:

(i)

the following points (7) and (8) are added:

‘(7)

information on abnormal aircraft configuration and condition;

(8)

any other information likely to affect safety.’;

(ii)

the second paragraph is deleted;

(b)

point (b) is amended as follows:

(i)

point (3) is replaced by the following:

‘(3)

for flight over water areas, in so far as practicable and when requested by a pilot, any available information such as radio call sign, position, true track, speed, etc. of surface vessels in the area; and’;

(ii)

the following point (4) is added:

‘(4)

messages, including clearances, received from other air traffic services units to relay to aircraft.’;

(c)

the following point (d) is added:

‘(d)

AFIS provided to flights shall include, in addition to relevant items outlined in points (a) and (b), the provision of the information concerning:

(1)

collision hazards with aircraft, vehicles and persons operating on the manoeuvring area;

(2)

the runway-in-use.’;

(7)

in point SERA.9010(a), point (4) is replaced by the following:

‘(4)

If an aircraft acknowledges receipt of an ATIS that is no longer current, the ATS unit shall without delay take one of the following actions:

(i)

communicate to the aircraft any element of information which has to be updated;

(ii)

instruct the aircraft to obtain the current ATIS information.’;

(8)

in point SERA.13010, point (b) is replaced by the following:

‘(b)

Unless otherwise prescribed by the competent authority, verification of the pressure-altitude-derived level information displayed shall be effected at least once by each suitably equipped ATS unit on initial contact with the aircraft concerned or, if this is not feasible, as soon as possible thereafter.’;

(9)

in point SERA.14095, the following point (d) is added:

‘(d)

As laid down in Article 4a the VHF emergency frequency (121,500 MHz) shall be used for genuine emergency purposes including any of the following:

(1)

to provide a clear channel between aircraft in distress or emergency and a ground station when the normal channels are being utilised for other aircraft;

(2)

to provide a VHF communication channel between aircraft and aerodromes, not normally used by international air services, in case of an emergency condition arising;

(3)

to provide a common VHF communication channel between aircraft, either civil or military, and between such aircraft and surface services, involved in common search and rescue operations, prior to changing when necessary to the appropriate frequency;

(4)

to provide air–ground communication with aircraft when airborne equipment failure prevents the use of the regular channels;

(5)

to provide a channel for the operation of emergency locator transmitters, and for communication between survival craft and aircraft engaged in search and rescue operations;

(6)

to provide a common VHF channel for communication between civil aircraft and intercepting aircraft or intercept control units and between civil or intercepting aircraft and air traffic services units in the event of interception of the civil aircraft.’.

(10)

point SERA.12005(a) is amended as follows:

(a)

point (8) is replaced by the following:

‘(8)

pre-eruption volcanic activity or a volcanic eruption; or’;

(b)

the following point (9) is added:

‘(9)

the runway braking action encountered is not as good as reported.’.

(1)

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/373 of 1 March 2017 laying down common requirements for providers of air traffic management/air navigation services and other air traffic management network functions and their oversight, repealing Regulation (EC) No 482/2008, Implementing Regulations (EU) No 1034/2011, (EU) No 1035/2011 and (EU) 2016/1377 and amending Regulation (EU) No 677/2011 (OJ L 62, 8.3.2017, p. 1).’;