Air Law for pilots

Annex 13 definitions of accidents, serious incidents and injuries, the States and authorities involved in an investigation, final reports and safety recommendations, and the EU and NTSB notification and reporting rules.

Aerodrome and identification beacons, approach lighting systems, visual approach slope indicators, threshold, edge, center line and touchdown zone lights, stopway and taxiway lights, stop bars, runway guard lights and the FAA's runway status and pilot-controlled lighting.

Runway, taxiway and apron markings, runway-holding positions and the mandatory instruction and information signs on the aerodrome surface, with the ICAO standards and the main FAA differences.

The Annex 14 description of an aerodrome, from the reference code and the movement and maneuvering areas to runway types, strips and safety areas, declared distances, pavement strength, taxiways, stands and the rescue and fire fighting service.

Aerodrome traffic, aerodrome traffic zones, the standard circuit and FAA traffic pattern, and operating at controlled, part-time and non-towered aerodromes.

How a State's aeronautical information reaches pilots, from the Annex 15 products and the three parts of the AIP to amendments and supplements on the AIRAC cycle, AICs, NOTAM, SNOWTAM, ASHTAM, pre-flight bulletins and the FAA's system.

How commercial operators are certificated under FAA Part 119 and EASA Part-ORO, the kinds of operation they are authorized for, operations specifications and required management personnel.

The objectives and types of air traffic services, area, approach and aerodrome control, flight information service, AFIS, advisory service and the units that provide them.

Annex 7 aircraft categories, nationality, registration and common marks, the certificate of registration, the documents carried on board under the Chicago Convention and EU rules, the journey log, the radio station license and the FAA ARROW checklist.

The ICAO airspace classes A to G, the services and entry requirements in each, and the FAA and European additions such as surface areas, Mode C veils, TRSAs, RMZs and TMZs.

How airspace is divided into flight information regions, control areas, control zones, terminal areas, ATS routes and advisory airspace.

The alerting service and its uncertainty, alert and distress phases, the Annex 12 SAR organization, and the visual signals used between survivors, aircraft and surface craft.

The vertical, lateral, longitudinal, radar and visual separation minima ATC applies, including RVSM and height monitoring, composite separation and how wake turbulence categories and separation fit in.

Acts of unlawful interference, the Tokyo, Hague and Montreal conventions, Annex 17 security programs, screening, cargo security, disruptive passengers, armed personnel, hijack procedures and the US security framework.

The 1944 Chicago Convention, the structure and work of ICAO, and how SARPs, PANS, regional procedures and the Annexes turn into national air law.

Where the line falls between private flying and commercial air transport, including common carriage, holding out, compensation or hire, cost sharing and aerial work.

How cruising levels are chosen under the semi-circular and hemispheric rules, and the minimum heights and levels for VFR and IFR flight.

How European aviation rules evolved from the JAA and EU-OPS to EASA, the structure of the Air OPS Regulation and its Parts, implementing rules, AMC and GM, competent authorities, ramp inspections, and European bodies such as Eurocontrol, ECAC and the Single European Sky.

The FAA rules for scheduled airlines under 14 CFR Part 121: domestic, flag and supplemental operations, dispatch and flight release, crew qualification, fuel and alternates.

The FAA rules for commuter and on-demand charter operators: Part 119 certification, Part 135 operating rules, pilot qualifications and checks, and how they differ from Part 121 and Part 91.

The structure of 14 CFR and Part 91, FAA guidance material, waivers and authorizations, and how the FAA investigates and enforces pilot deviations.

How Annex 9 speeds the clearance of aircraft, crew, passengers and cargo across borders, including entry documents, crew member certificates, transit, and the handling of inadmissible passengers, deportees and persons in custody.

Flight and duty time limits and rest requirements for crew under EASA FTL and FAA Part 117, including acclimatization, FDP extensions, augmented crews and cumulative limits.

The commercial freedoms of the air, the transit and transport agreements that grant them, technical stops and cabotage, scheduled services and IATA, and the conventions, insurance rules and EU passenger rights that govern carrier liability.

How ATS handles strayed and unidentified aircraft, the interception procedure and signals, and the visual ground signals displayed in an aerodrome signal area.

What a NOTAM is, the ICAO NOTAM format with its Q-line and items A to G, NOTAM series and types, FAA NOTAM differences, and how to read them in a briefing.

Aerodrome and en-route obstacles, the obstacle limitation surfaces that protect an aerodrome, and how obstacles and vehicles are published, marked, lit and made frangible.

Visual approach slope indicators: how PAPI, APAPI and VASI work, what the light combinations mean, the eye-to-wheel height and where they mislead.

The four ICAO modes of operation on parallel or near-parallel instrument runways and the normal operating and no transgression zones that protect them.

The authority and responsibilities of the pilot in command, preflight action, the role of the second in command, and minimum flight and cabin crew requirements.

The instruments and equipment required for VFR and IFR flight under FAA 91.205 and the EASA IDE rules, flying with inoperative equipment, supplemental oxygen, flight into known icing and spare fuses.

The general flight rules of ICAO Annex 2, SERA and 14 CFR Part 91: see and avoid, right of way, navigation lights, formation and aerobatic flight, towing, parachuting and speed limits.

Prohibited, restricted and danger areas and the FAA special use airspace types, plus security airspace, temporary flight restrictions and parachute areas.

The 19 Annexes to the Chicago Convention: what each covers, how SARPs are adopted and amended, and where each Annex is explained in the Library.

The difference between VMC/IMC and VFR/IFR, VFR weather minima, night VFR, special VFR, VFR-on-top and what makes a flight a controlled flight.