Air Law Quiz (all Questions)

VFR flight when the surface visibility is being reported as less than 5 km is not recommended. You are unlikely to have a clear horizon to control the aircraft, and navigating visually will be difficult.

See Page 41 of the Skyway Code [LINK]

QFE (the atmospheric pressure at aerodrome elevation)

When QFE is set, your altimeter will indicate your height above the elevation of the aerodrome.

See Page 109 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

CAA Link HERE

ICAO stands for the International Civil Aviation Organization.

It is a specialized agency of the United Nations, based in Montreal, Canada.

What does it do?

Essentially, ICAO is the global body that creates the “rulebook” for aviation. It sets the international standards and regulations necessary for:

• Safety: Ensuring planes don’t crash and that pilot training is consistent worldwide.

• Security: Protecting aviation from unlawful interference (like terrorism).

• Efficiency: Harmonising rules so a plane can fly from the UK to any other country without changing its basic procedures.

• Environment: Managing the global impact of aviation on the climate.

See this link  LINK

Restricted airspace (temporary) may be established around large air displays or other significant public gatherings.
Under the Restriction of Flying Regulations, entry
to such airspace may be prohibited or restricted.
This will normally be detailed in a ‘Mauve’ AIC.

See Page 32 of the Skyway Code LINK

According to the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) and the Air Navigation Order, checking NOTAMs is a legal requirement before every flight.

The pilot in command is responsible for taking all “reasonable steps” to ensure the flight can be made safely.

Please see Page 30 of the Skyway Code LINK

NOTAMs LINK

An aircraft “flight” is legally defined by the Air Navigation Order (ANO) as the period from when power is applied for takeoff until the landing run ends

Page 12 of ANO 2016 LINK

Ref Page 78 of Cosgrove

Part-NCO contains pilot responsibilities, operational rules and aircraft equipment requirements. It is applicable to non-commercial and flight training operations with ‘other-than complex motor-powered’ Part 21 aeroplanes and helicopters

Please see page 17 of the Skyway Code LINK

The Operational Limitations at initial issue are:

1. The pilot may not carry any passenger
2. The pilot may not fly with a cloud base less than 1000 feet above ground level or with less than 10 kilometres visibility
3. The pilot may not fly further than 8 nautical miles from take-off.

See page 72 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

BMAA LINK

A Terminal Manouvering Area (TMA) is similar to a complex, layered control area (CTA) surrounding major airports, acting as the crucial transition zone connecting en-route airways with the airport’s control zone (CTR) for managing high volumes of arriving and departing aircraft

CAA LINK

See page 75 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

See age 73 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

A HASELL check is a vital pre-manoeuvre safety checklist used by pilots before performing “unusual” or “stalling” manoeuvres (like stalls, steep turns, or advanced handling).

It ensures that the aircraft is in the right place, you have enough height to recover, and that everything inside is safe.

The HASELL Acronym

• H — Height: Do you have enough height to recover? For an NPPL microlight pilot, the standard practice is to be at a height where you will have completed the recovery by at least 3,000 feet AGL.

• A — Airframe: Is the plane configured correctly?Check your flaps (usually UP for stalls), fuel pump (if fitted), and that the brakes are OFF.

• S — Security: Are you and any passengers (like Karin or the boys) strapped in tight? Are there any loose objects (like a camera or a tablet) that could fly around the cockpit?

• E — Engine: Check your “T’s and P’s” (Temperatures and Pressures) are in the green.

• L — Location: Are you clear of:

  • A — Active airfields

  • B — Built-up areas

  • C — Cloud and Controlled airspace

  • D — Danger areas¹⁰

• L — Lookout: Perform a “clearing turn” (at least one 180 degree turns or two 90 degree turns) to make sure there is no other traffic above, below, or behind you.

Page 28 of the SKYWAY CODE LINK

In aviation, ANO stands for Air Navigation Order, which is the primary legal document, setting out the rules and regulations for all UK civil aviation activities, covering everything from aircraft operations and pilot licensing to airspace management.
Page 69 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

• Pilot Licence & Medical: Valid UK Pilot Licence (with appropriate ratings) and a medical certificate accepted by the destination country (UK Medical Declaration usually not enough for Europe).
• Aircraft Documents: Valid UK Registration Document, National Permit to Fly (for non-SSDRs), and Insurance Certificate (valid for Europe).
• Radio Licence: Valid Radio Station Licence and Pilot’s Radio Licence (LPE).
• Passport/ID: Valid passport for the pilot and any passengers. 

BMAA LINK

See Page 89 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

For BMAA microlight flying, you typically use the CAA Pilot Medical Declaration (Self-Declaration) for ages 14-70, confirming fitness to fly, similar to driving standards.

BMAA LINK

In this scenario, the other aircraft is travelling from your left to your right.

Here is the breakdown of why:

The Rule: By international standard, all aircraft have a green light on the right wing (starboard) and a red light on the left wing (port).

The Sight: Because you can only see the green light, you are looking at the right-hand side of that aircraft.

The Direction: For you to see its right wing as it passes in front of you (and through the cloud), its nose must be pointed toward the right.

Quick Reference for Navigation Lights:

Only a Green light:   Crossing from your left to your right.

Only a Red light:       Crossing from your right to your left.

Both Red and Green:  Flying directly toward you.

Only a White light:     Flying directly away from you.

Page 85 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

To see your height (your distance directly above the ground at a specific airfield), you use the QFE setting.

1. QFE (Query Field Elevation)

• Definition: This is the atmospheric pressure at the airfield you are using.

• Result: When you set the QFE, your altimeter will read zero while you are on the runway.

• Use: It is mostly used by pilots flying in the “circuit” (the local traffic pattern) at an airport so they know exactly how high they are above that specific runway.

• Mnemonic: Think of the “F” in QFE as standing for Field (as in “Field Elevation”)

See page 109 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

To keep your licence valid and prove your experience, the following details are compulsory for every flight:

1. Basic Flight Information
Date: The date the flight took place.

Aircraft Details: The registration (tail number) and the type/model of the aircraft (e.g., G-ABCD, Cessna 172).

Place of Departure & Arrival: The ICAO code or name of the airfields you flew from and to.

2. Time (Block Time)
Departure/Arrival Times: The time the aircraft first moves for the purpose of taking off until it finally comes to rest after landing.

Total Flight Time: This is “block-to-block” time, not just the time spent in the air.

3. Pilot Roles & Experience
Pilot-in-Command (PIC): The name of the person acting as the commander. If you are flying solo, you enter your own name.

Function: You must specify your role for that flight:

PIC: Operating as the commander.

Dual: Receiving instruction with an instructor.

PICUS: Pilot-in-Command Under Supervision

See page 74 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition or

ANO Page 103 [LINK]

BMAA Link

Page 1 of TIL027

All aeroplanes, whether microlights or otherwise have some kind of instrumentation fitted. BCAR Section S as a minimum requires that a microlight should be fitted with an altimeter and ASI, along with the minimum engine instruments required by the engine manufacturer.

In simple terms, an Airway is a “motorway in the sky.” It is a designated corridor of controlled airspace that connects major airports and navigation points.

Just like a motorway has a specific width and speed, a UK Airway has defined dimensions and strict rules.

1. The Dimensions

• Width: Most UK airways are 10 nautical miles wide (5 miles on either side of the centre line).

• The Floor (Base): They don’t start at the ground. Most have a “floor” that starts at Flight Level 70 (7,000 ft) or Flight Level 100 (10,000 feet).

See page 75 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition

A white double cross signifies that glider flying is in progress.

Page 47 of CAP637 (Visual Aids) LINK

See page 82 of Brian Cosgrove 8th Edition