Lesson Twelve: Air Law III
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Don’t read:
o Don’t read anything U.S. related.
o Skim over Transborder Flights, VFR Flight in Class B Airspace, Holding Pattern,
Identification Zones, Radar Assistance
o Will be tested for AO, may ask one or two questions from this section for GPS
and PPS candidates
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Read Air Traffic Services
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Clearances and Instructions
o A clearance is an authorization from an ATC unit for an aircraft within controlled
airspace to do something (land, enter/exit airspace, etc.)
 Once you accept it, you must comply with an ATC clearance (unless suddenly
something changes making it unsafe to comply)
 If VFR, you must read back the text of the clearance only if requested by ATC to
do so.
 Identified by some form of the word “clear” in its text
o An instruction is a directive issued by an ATC for air traffic control purposes
 Required to accept and comply, unless unsafe
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Read Position Reports
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Flight Reports
o Visual Flight Rules (VFR): flying with reference to the ground
o Instrument Flight Rules (IFR): flying by means of reference to the instruments on the
ground
Flight Plans and Itineraries
o For any VFR flight that will be conducted beyond a radius of 25 n.m. from the airport of
departure
o Can be filed with an ATC, FSS, FIC or community aerodrome radio station
o PIC has the option of leaving a flight itinerary with a responsible person
o Flight plan MUST be field for any flight to/from a military aerodrome, cross-border
flights, and flights into ADIZ
o Flight plans have a default SAR time of 1 hour after ETA, flight itineraries have 24 hours
(don’t forget to close them)
o Once you have filed a flight plan or flight itinerary, follow it; report any deviations as
soon as possible
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Cruising Altitudes
o Cruising altitudes appropriate to the direction of flight must be maintained at all times
regardless of whether or not a flight plan has been field
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In the SDA, cruising altitudes are based on magnetic tracks. In the NDA, cruising
altitudes are based on true tracks.
Altitudes below 18000’ are stated in thousands of feet, altitudes at or above this height
are referred to as flight levels (i.e. FL 180)
(VFR) At altitudes below 12000’ ASL; on or off airways
 0o to 179o: odd thousands plus 500’ (3500’, 5500’, 7500’ ASL, etc.)
 180o to 359o: even thousands plus 500’ (4500’, 6500’, 8500’ ASL, etc.)
 In level cruising flight, at or below 3000’ AGL, the specified cruising altitudes
aren’t compulsory but are highly recommended.
(VFR, uncontrolled) At altitudes above 12000’ but below 18000’ ASL
 0o to 179o: odd thousands plus 500’ (3500’, 5500’, 7500’ ASL, etc.)
 180o to 359o: even thousands plus 500’ (4500’, 6500’, 8500’ ASL, etc.)
(VFR, uncontrolled): above 18000’ ASL but below FL 290
 0o to 179o: odd flight levels (FL 190, FL 210, etc.)
 180o to 359o: even flight levels (FL 180, FL 200, etc.)
(VFR, Class B): 12500’ – 18000’ ASL on airways
 0o to 179o: odd thousands
 180o to 359o: even thousands
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Cruising Speeds
o All Canadian airspace below 10000’ ASL is considered a speed limit area
o Within 10 n.m. of a controlled airport and less than 3000’ AGL, can’t fly faster than 200
knots
o In controlled airspace outside of 10 n.m. but below 10000’ ASL, can’t go over 250 knots
unless authorized by ATC
o If the minimum safe speed for an aircraft is greater than the speed limit, then it shall fly
at the lowest possible speed while retaining safety.
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Weather Minima for VFR
o Controlled Airspace
 Flight vis: Not less than 3 s.m.
 Distance of aircraft from clouds: 500’ vertically, 1 mile horizontally
o Uncontrolled Airspace
 At or above 1000’ above surface
 Flight vis by day: Not less than 1 miles
 Flight vis by night: Not less than 3 miles
 Distance from clouds: 500’ vertically, 2000’ horizontally
 Below 1000’ above surface
 Flight vis by day: Not less than 2 miles
 Flight vis by night: Not less than 3 miles
 Distance from clouds: clear of cloud
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Special VFR (SVFR)
o Within control zones, ATC may authorize a pilot to fly SVFR under weather conditions
below VFR minima.
o Pilot must request SVFR.
o Must be approved by the ACC or TCU who will authorize only if IFR traffic flow permits.
o May be authorized only if the flight vis and the ground vis (when reported) are each not
less than 1 mile.
 In the case of a helicopter, the flight and ground visibility must not be less than
½ miles.
o Must be operated clear of cloud and within sight of surface of the earth at all times
o Must not be operated at less than 500’ from anything.
o SVFR at night authorized only for the purpose of landing.
VFR Over the Top (VFR OTT)
o Requires a VFR OTT rating
o Allows a pilot to conduct a flight in VFR conditions above the en route cloud layer
providing the following conditions exist:
 Flight conducted during the day
 Departure and climb above enroute cloud layer can be done under VFR
 Descent and arrival can be done under VFR
 During cruise portion of flight, aircraft is operated at a vertical distance from
cloud of at least 1000’
 Where the aircraft is operated between two cloud layers, the vertical distance
between the layers is at least 5000’
 The weather at the destination aerodrome is forecasted to have a sky condition
that’s scattered or less; ground vis of 5 miles or more with no forecast of precip,
thunderstorms, fog etc
o Rating requires a min. of 15 hours dual instrument time of which a max of 5 hours may
be sim time
Minimum VFR Flight Altitudes
o Built up areas: 1000’ above the highest obstacle within a radius of 2000’ from the
aircraft
o Non-built up: 500’ above the highest obstacle within a radius of 500’ from the aircraft
o Non populous or over open water: May be flown lower provided it is at least 500’ from
any person, vessel, vehicle or structure