Chapter 1

The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for establishing general regulations for all aviation activities in the United States

Federal Aviation Regulations – standardizes its policies for the FAA. FAR Part 91 – The regulatory publication issued by the FAA which most concerns the Navy Aircrew Members

Flight Information Publications (FLIPS) – DOD manuals for use by all branches of the military. Includes en route charts, en route supplements, instrument approach plates, general planning guides, and area planning guides

OPNAVINST 3710.7 – The regulations set forth by the by the Navy that governs the operation of all naval aircraft throughout the world. It supplements the regulations set forth by the FAA

Aircraft NATOPs Flight Manuals are individual manuals available for every aircraft in the Naval Inventory. Shows specific limitations of each craft and are more restrictive than the FAR or the OPNAVINST 3710.7

Priority of Regulations : NATOPS Flight Manual, OPNAVINST 3710.7, Flight Information Publications, and than FAR Part 91

Wording:

• Shall – Mandatory
• Should – Recommended
• May – Optional
• Will - Futurity

The Air Traffic Control agency is the only agency of the FAA that can grant an IFR clearance

The four sub agencies of the Air Traffic Control and their functions:

1. Flight Service Station / Base Operations – facility that provides pilot briefings, en route communication, assist in search and rescue of lost aircraft, relay ATC clearances, originate NOTAMs, broadcast aviation weather, receive and process flight plans, provide some flight following, monitors navigational aids. Some FSSs provide en route flight advisory services, take weather observations, issue airport advisories, and advise Customs and Immigration for trans-border flights
2. Control Tower – the agency responsible for the safe, orderly, and expeditious flow of traffic operating on and in the vicinity of an airport.

• Clearance Delivery – relays ATC clearances to departing aircraft and has no control or surveillance capabilities.
• Ground – responsible for aircraft movement on the ground up to the hold short line. Provides clearances to taxi when traffic permits. It does not allow the pilot clearance to enter final runway.
• Tower – maintains efficient flow of airport traffic in its assigned airspace. Tower is the sole source of clearance to take off and to land.

1. Approach Control – controls IFR traffic in the terminal area (area of airspace in which approach control service or airport traffic control service is provided and includes all instrument procedures into and out of the control tower’s airspace.
2. Air Route Traffic Control Center – established primarily to control en route IFR traffic between terminal areas.

The control tower is responsible for the movement of air and ground traffic at and around the airport

As the Pilot in Command, you are responsible for the:

1. Operations and safety of the aircraft
2. Safe and orderly conduct of the flight
3. Well-being of the crew

You can deviate from the FAR Part 91 only during emergency situations.

PreFlight Planning is required (as stated by OPNAVINST 3710.7) for Urgent Combat Missions, Local Training Flights, and Flight departing uncontrolled airports with no control tower (ALWAYS). Flights should be planned to circumvent areas forecasting atmospheric icing and thunderstorms. Before any flight is commenced, the pilot shall be familiar with all available information appropriate to the intended operation

Flight Planning consist of:

1. Available weather reports
2. NOTAMs
3. Fuel Requirements
4. Alternates available
5. Any Anticipated Traffic Delays

The Flight Plan’s primary purpose is to establish a baseline for lost communication and missing aircraft procedures. It is a way or relaying important information about the flight from departure to destination and all intermediate agencies

NOTAMs (notice to airmen) are time critical aeronautical information which is of temporary nature or not known sufficiently in advance to publication

The pilot is responsible for reviewing and being familiar with weather conditions for the area in which fight is contemplated (obtaining weather briefs)

Safety Belts and Shoulder Harnesses shall be worn and tightened prior to takeoff and shall be worn until completion of the flight except when necessary activities require temporary removal. Inertial reels shall be manually locked for all takeoffs and landings

All crewmen are required to wear two identification tags on or around their necks

All occupant shall use supplemental oxygen on any flight above FL100. If no oxygen, then from FL100-130 shall be no longer than 3 hours in length. If unpressurized, max altitude is FL 250.

Tactical Jets shall use oxygen from takeoff to landing

Parachutes shall be provided to all occupants except for multiengine transport and utility aircraft, fleet air reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters

Airports use the following lights:

• Green for Landing Thresholds
• White for Runway edges
• Blue for Taxiways
• Red or Flashing White for Obstructions
• Airport Rotating Beacon – indicates the position or location of a lighted airport at night. Civilian is solid white alternating green. Military is a dual peaked white with solid green
• Runway Centerline Lights… White every 50’… than 3000’ to 1000 alternating red and white… than last 1000’ is red

Runway Orientation – numbers that determine direction of an aircraft’s approach. They are in Magnetic Direction

ALDIS Lamp Signals - for use if no communication

Light Ground Air

Steady Green Cleared to TO Cleared to LND

Flashing Green Cleared to Taxi Return for landing

Steady Red STOP Give way to other aircrafts

Flashing Red Runway in Use Airport UNSAFE

Flashing White Return to Starting Point

Alternating Rd/GN Exercise Extreme Caution

The Tetrahedron Star points to direction of landing and takeoffs at an airport and not necessarily the direction into the wind. It is colored with red on the left and green on the right.

The Wind Sock is a free swing indicator installed near the operational area of an airport to indicate wind direction and approximate velocity

The Waveoff Signal tells the pilot DO NOT LAND. These include the use of pyrotechnic flares, hand paddles/flags, or ALDIS lights used by the Runway Duty Officer, Landing Signal Officer, or the Wheels Watch. Another type is a high intensity red runway wave off lights within the approach lighting system and operated by control tower.

Chapter 2

Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) – conditions expressed in terms of visibility, distance from clouds, ceiling, equal to or better than specified minimum. VMC are flight weather conditions.

Instrumental Meteorological Conditions (IMC) - conditions expressed in terms of visibility, distance from clouds, ceiling, less than the specified minimum. Exist anytime a visible horizon is not distinguished

Visual Flight Rules (VFR) – defined as rules governing the procedures for conducting flight under visual conditions. It indicates weather conditions equal to or greater than minimum VFR requirements which are 1000’ ceilings and 3sm visibility.

Instrumental Flight Rules (IFR) – defined as rules governing the procedures for conducting flight under instrumental conditions. Operating under less than the minimums or 1000/3.

Air Traffic Control may grant a special VFR clearance.

Special Visual Flight Rules – permit some VFR aircraft to operate within controlled airspace designated for an airport below the VFR minimum

See and Avoid – if weather permits, regardless of flight plan type, pilots are required to observe the presence of, and maneuver to avoid other aircrafts. The Navy include: 1) Multi Seat aircraft, electronic equipment such as airborne radar should be used when feasible, 2) all aircraft shall request radar advisory services when available

VFR Minimums:

• Takeoff – the ceiling at the point of departure must be at least 1,000’ AGL and the ground visibility must be at least 3sm. There are provisions for flights that will remain in the traffic pattern for an airport under conditions less than stated above, provided they stay clear of clouds
• En Route – Maintain NMC throughout flight
• Destination – must have minimums of 1000/3 one hour prior to one after scheduled landing (in forecast)

Weather Conditions Precluding VFR flight if weather is encountered:

• Alter Route of flight to continue VFR
• Remain in VMC until a change in flight plan is filed and IFR clearance is obtained
• Remain in VMC and land in suitable alternative

Instrumental Flight Rules – enable a pilot to fly below minimum weather conditions. Pilots will not be able to provide their own visual separation and it must be achieved by external sources. ATC is responsible.

• To decrease the probability of midair collisions, all flights in naval aircrafts shall be conducted in accordance with IFR to the maximum extent practicable
• Flights shall not be made in IFR conditions within controlled airspace until ATC clearance has been obtained

Special VFR Operations – granted by ATC for the following:

• Operation must be approved by ATC in B,C,D, or E airspace for airport
• Aircraft must remain clear of clouds
• Fix Wing must have visibility of at least 1 sm
• OPNAVINST 3710.7 adds that a pilot must be certified for instrumental flight and there must be a minimum ceiling of 500’

VFR/IFR Cruising Altitudes / Semicircular Rules

V VFR +500

I IFR +000

E East 0-179 Magnetic Course

W West 180-359

If above FL 180 in Class A airspace, you must be in IFR flight at the assigned altitude

IFR semicircular rules are used only for preflight planning and when the aircraft is flying in uncontrolled airspace

Formation Flying – the FAR places two restrictions on formation flights:

• The formation must have been prearranged by the pilots in command of the aircraft
• There must be no passengers for hire in the aircraft

OPNAVINST 3710.7 states that formation flying is authorized only for those units and types of aircraft for which a valid requirement exist.

Aerobatic Flight is defined as an intentional maneuver involving abrupt bank angles greater than 60° , pitch angles greater than +/- 45° , or accelerations greater than 2.0g. A break maneuver, which conforms, to the model NATOPs flight manual is not considered to be aerobatic flight

Aerobatic Flight (FAR Part 91) – no person may operate an aircraft in aerobatic flight:

• Over any congested area of city, town or settlement
• Over an open air assembly of persons
• Within Class B, C D, or E airspace or Federal Airways
• Below an altitude of 1,500’ AGL
• Visibility less than 3 sm

Aerobatic Flight (OPNAVINST 3710.7) shall not be performed:

• If prohibited by a particular aircraft’s NATOPs
• Unless aircraft remains in VFR conditions and at an altitude of at least 1,500’ above the highest obstruction to flight or cloud tops within a horizontal distance of 5 sm
• Pilots are not to request clearance to perform unusual maneuvers such as low passes, unscheduled flybys, steep climbs, altitudes below minimums, or flat hatting

Chapter 3

AirSpace:

• Controlled – A generic term that covers the different classifications of airspace (A, B, C, D and E) and defined dimensions within which air traffic control service is provided in accordance with the airspace classification
• Uncontrolled – A generic term for all airspace under FAA jurisdiction that is not controlled and in which no air traffic control service is provided

Airspace Classifications:

• Class A is all airspace from 18,000 MSL to FL 600 overlying the continental US including 12 nm of the coast. Unless otherwise authorized, ALL AIRCRAFT MUST BE IN IFR flight!
• The pilot and the aircraft must be instrument rated
• 4096 Class C Transponder (automatic altitude reporting)
• Prior permission in the for of an IFR clearance by must be received from ATC before entering
• Must have 2 Way Communication prior/during
• Class B generally consist of airspace surrounding the busiest airports in terms of IFR operations and resembles an upside down wedding cake
• The pilot must have a Private Pilots Certificate or designated aviator in the military
• For IFR operations, must have VOR or TACAN
• 4096 Class C Transponder (automatic altitude reporting)
• Prior permission in the for of an IFR clearance by must be received from ATC before entering
• Must have 2 Way Communication prior/during
• Class C is from the surface to 4000’ AGL surrounding airports that have an operational control tower, are serviced by a radar approach and have a certain number of IFR operations or passenger boarding. 5nm radius from ground to 1200’ AGL and 10nm radius from 1200-4000’ AGL
• 4096 Class C Transponder (automatic altitude reporting)
• Must have 2 Way Communication prior/during
• Class D is from the surface to 2500’ AGL and surrounds airports with operational control towers. The radius is 4.4nm.
• Must have 2 Way Communication prior/during
• Class E has no defined vertical limits. It extends upward to the overlying or adjacent controlled airspace. It is controlled airspace, but you must volunteer for control.
• Extensions of Class B, C, and D surface areas providing controlled airspace to contain standard instrument approach procedures, without imposing a communications requirement on pilots operating VFR
• Transition airspace used for transition to/from the terminal or en route environments
• Federal Airways: include the colored airways based on NAVAIDs and the ‘Victor’ based VOR NavAids
• Class G is uncontrolled airspace and is found where there is no radar converage
• Mode C Veil is for aircraft operating within the following areas and must have a 4096 Class C Transponder (automatic altitude reporting)
• All airspace at and above 10,000’ MSL
• All airspace within 30nm of Class B airports from the surface to 10,000’ MSL
• All airspace above the ceiling and within the lateral boundaries of Class B or C airspace and upwards to 10,000’ MSL

VFR Weather Minimums must be maintained!

• Class A – VFR is not allowed
• Class B, C, D, E<10,000’ – 3 sm visibility and cloud clearances of 500 below, 1000 above, and 2000 horizontal
• Class E>10,000’ – 5 sm visibility and cloud clearances of 1000 below, 1000 above and 1sm horizontal

Special Use Airspace – Six divisions of airspace designated as special use which are important to military and government operations.

• Prohibited – flight is a no go due to security or national welfare
• Restricted – denote the existence of unusual, often invisible hazards to aircraft such as artillery, aerial gunnery or guided missiles. Must have previous approval to use from controlling authority
• Warning Area – are airspace’s that may contain hazards to non participating aircraft in international airspace.
• Military Operations Area – airspace that must separate certain military training activities from IFR flight
• Alert Area – inform nonparticipating pilots of areas that may contain high volumes of pilot training or unusual type of aerial activity

Positional Lights are used 30 minutes prior to sunset to 30 minutes after sunrise or when prevailing visibility is less than 3 sm. They consist of a red light on left wing, green on right wing and a white light on the tail. No more than two lights can be seen at the same time

Anti Collision Lights are bright strobes or rotating beacons colored in red or white which will be turned on from engine start up till shutdown.

Right of Ways –

• In distress – has the right of way over all traffic
• Landing – which ever aircraft is lower in altitude has right of way
• Overtaking – aircraft in front has right of way and the faster craft must take a course well to the right of the front plane
• Approaching Head On – if at same altitude, each pilot will steer their plane to the right
• Converging – if in same category, the plane on the right has the right of way

Priority of Airplane Categories –

• Balloons
• Gliders
• Blimps
• Planes
• Helicopters

Altitude Restrictions –

• Over Congested Areas – when over any city, town or settlement, a pilot shall maintain 1000’ above the highest obstacle within a horizontal distance of 2000’
• Over other than congested areas – 500 AGL is the minimum altitude and must not get within 500 feet to any person, vessel or vehicle
• Anywhere a plane is flying, he must have time to land if he has engine failure

OPNAVINST 3710.7 states that during VFR operations, the flights of the fixed wing aircraft shall not be conducted below an altitude of 500’ above the terrain or water surface and during IFR operation, the flight should not be flown less than 1000’ above the highest terrain or obstacle withing 22 miles of the intended flight path. Over mountains, maintain 2000’ with IFR

Airspeed Restrictions-

• <10,000’ MSL is 250 kts
• Under Class B and within lateral limits 200 kts
• Class C and D – within 4 nm of primary airport of a Class C or D airspace, surface up to 2,500’ AGL is 200 kts
• If a aircraft’s minimum safe airspeed is above any of these values, FAR Part 91 states that you can fly at minimum

Careless flying is prohibited. The FAR prohibits pilots from operating an aircraft in a careless or reckless manner so as to endanger the life or property of another. OPNAVINST states that a the ground must not believe that they are endangered in any way

Noise Sensitive Areas – Wilderness, Wildlife Preserves, beaches, resorts, and parks must have a minimum AGL of 3000’

Temporary Flight Restrictions are like games, parades, large gatherings where flights will be prohibited for a certain time period from a NOTAM

Flat Hatting is prohibited for any maneuver or high-speed

rate for thrill purposes.

There will be no zooming of vessels except for surveillance rigging, photography procedures etc.