The Rules of the Air Regulations 2015

SECTION 3 GENERAL RULES, COLLISION AVOIDANCE AND PROTECTION OF PERSONS AND PROPERTY

Aerobatic flights

4.  Aerobatic flight is not permitted—

(a) over the congested area of any city, town or settlement; or

(b) within notified controlled airspace(1) other than with the consent of the air traffic control unit notified as serving that airspace.

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.

Test flying over congested areas

6.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), an aircraft to which this rule applies must not fly over a congested area of any city, town or settlement other than to the extent necessary in order to take off or land in accordance with normal aviation practice.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply if the CAA has given its written permission for the flight over the congested area.

(3) This rule applies to an aircraft that—

(a) does not have a valid certificate of airworthiness in force; and

(b) is flying for the purpose of—

(i) experimenting with or testing–

(aa) the aircraft; or

(bb) any engines or equipment installed or carried in the aircraft; or

(ii) enabling the aircraft to qualify for–

(aa) the issue or validation of a certificate of airworthiness;

(bb) the approval of a modification of the aircraft; or

(cc) the issue of a permit to fly.

Launching, picking up and dropping of tow ropes, etc.

7.—(1) An aircraft must not take off from an aerodrome with tow ropes, banners or similar articles towed by it except in accordance with arrangements made with the air traffic control unit at the aerodrome or, if there is no such unit, the person in charge of the aerodrome.

(2) Tow ropes, banners or similar articles towed by aircraft must not be picked up by, or dropped from, an aircraft at an aerodrome except—

(a) in accordance with arrangements made with the air traffic control unit at the aerodrome or, if there is no such unit, with the person in charge of the aerodrome; or

(b) in the area designated by the marking described in rule 20(7), but only when the aircraft is flying in the direction appropriate for landing.

Avoiding aerial collisions

8.  For the purposes of SERA.3201, SERA.3205 and SERA.3210 a glider and a flying machine which is towing it are to be considered to be a single aircraft under the command of the commander of the flying machine.

Order of landing

9.—(1) If an air traffic control unit has communicated to any aircraft an order of priority for landing, the aircraft must approach to land in that order.

(2) If the commander of an aircraft which has previously been given permission to land gives way to another aircraft that is making an emergency landing at night, that commander must not attempt to land until the commander has received further permission to do so.

Landing and take-off

10.—(1) Subject to paragraph (4), a flying machine or glider must not land on a runway at an aerodrome if there are other aircraft on the runway.

(2) If take-offs and landings are not confined to a runway—

(a) when landing, a flying machine or glider must leave clear on its left any aircraft which has landed, is already landing or is about to take off;

(b) a flying machine or glider which is about to turn must turn to the left if the commander of the aircraft is satisfied that such action will not interfere with other traffic movements; and

(c) a flying machine which is about to take off must take up position and manoeuvre in such a way as to leave clear on its left any aircraft which has already taken off or is about to take off.

(3) Subject to paragraph (4), a flying machine must move clear of the landing area as soon as it is possible to do so after landing.

(4) Paragraphs (1) and (3) do not apply if the air traffic control unit at the aerodrome otherwise authorises the flying machine or glider.

Flight within aerodrome traffic zones

11.—(1) This rule applies in relation to such aerodromes described in Column 1 of Table 1 as are notified for the purposes of this rule and at such times as are specified in Column 2 of the Table.

Table 1

Table Column 1	Column 2
(a) A Government aerodrome.	At such times as are notified.
(b) An aerodrome having an air traffic control unit or flight information service centre.	During the notified hours of watch of the air traffic control unit or the flight information service centre.
(c) A national licensed aerodrome or an EASA certificated aerodrome having an air/ground communications service unit with aircraft.	During the notified hours of watch of the air/ground communications service unit.

(2) An aircraft must not fly, take off or land within the aerodrome traffic zone of an aerodrome unless the commander of the aircraft has complied with paragraphs (3), (4) or (5), as appropriate.

(3) If the aerodrome has an air traffic control unit the commander must obtain the permission of that unit to enable the flight to be conducted safely within the aerodrome traffic zone.

(4) If the aerodrome provides a flight information service the commander must obtain information from the flight information centre to enable the flight to be conducted safely within the aerodrome traffic zone.

(5) If there is no flight information centre at the aerodrome the commander must obtain information from the air/ground communication service to enable the flight to be conducted safely within the aerodrome traffic zone.

(6) The commander of an aircraft flying within the aerodrome traffic zone of an aerodrome must—

(a) cause a continuous watch to be maintained on the appropriate radio frequency notified for communications at the aerodrome; or

(b) if this is not possible, cause a watch to be kept for such instructions as may be issued by visual means; and

(c) if the aircraft is fitted with means of communication by radio with the ground, communicate the aircraft’s position and height to the air traffic control unit, the flight information centre or the air/ground communications service unit at the aerodrome (as the case may be) on entering the aerodrome traffic zone and immediately prior to leaving it.

Movement of aircraft on uncontrolled aerodromes

12.—(1) An aircraft must not taxi on the apron or the manoeuvring area of an uncontrolled aerodrome without the permission of either—

(a) the person in charge of the aerodrome; or

(b) the flight information centre notified as being on watch at the aerodrome.

(2) In this rule “uncontrolled aerodrome” means an aerodrome at which no air traffic control service is provided to aerodrome traffic regardless of whether or not an air traffic zone exists.

Access to and movement of persons and vehicles on the aerodrome

13.—(1) Unless there is a public right of way over it, a person or vehicle must—

(a) not go onto any part of an aerodrome without the permission of the person in charge of that part of the aerodrome; and

(b) comply with any conditions subject to which that permission may be granted.

(2) A person or vehicle must—

(a) not go onto or move on the manoeuvring area of an aerodrome which provides an air traffic control service or a flight information service without the permission of the person providing that service; and

(b) comply with any conditions subject to which that permission may be granted.

(1)

“Notified” and “controlled airspace” are defined in article 255(1) of the Air Navigation Order 2009. The classification of airspace in the United Kingdom is notified in the Aeronautical Information Publication which is published by the CAA.