SERA.8005 Operation of air traffic control service

CLEARANCE FOR IMMEDIATE TAKE-OFF In the interest of expediting traffic, a clearance for immediate take-off may be issued to an aircraft before it enters the runway. On acceptance of such clearance, the aircraft should taxi out to the runway and take off in one continuous movement.

CLEARANCES TO MAINTAIN OWN SEPARATION Clearances for a pilot to maintain own separation in respect of a specific portion of the flight in airspace Classes D and E below 3 050 m (10 000 ft) during climb or descent, during day in visual meteorological conditions are based on the fact that in those airspace classes a speed restriction of 250 kt is applied to all flights, allowing pilots of both aircraft to observe other flights in time to avoid collision.

CLEARANCES TO FLY MAINTAINING OWN SEPARATION WHILE IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

(a)If there is a possibility that flight under visual meteorological conditions may become impracticable, an IFR flight should be provided with alternative instructions to be complied with in the event that flight in visual meteorological conditions cannot be maintained for the term of the clearance.

(b)The pilot of an IFR flight, on observing that conditions are deteriorating and considering that operation in visual meteorological conditions will become impossible, should inform air traffic control units before entering instrument meteorological conditions and should proceed in accordance with the alternative instructions given.

CLEARANCES TO FLY MAINTAINING OWN SEPARATION WHILE IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

(a)The provision of vertical or horizontal separation by an air traffic control unit is not applicable in respect of any specified portion of a flight cleared subject to maintaining own separation and remaining in visual meteorological conditions. It is for the aircraft so cleared to ensure, for the duration of the clearance, that it is not operated in such proximity to other flights as to create a collision hazard.

(b)It is axiomatic that a VFR flight must remain in visual meteorological conditions at all times. Accordingly, the issuance of a clearance to a VFR flight to fly subject to maintaining own separation and remaining in visual meteorological conditions has no other object than to signify that, for the duration of the clearance, separation from other aircraft by air traffic control units is not provided.

(c)The objectives of the air traffic control service as prescribed in ATS.TR.100 of Regulation (EU) 2017/373 do not include prevention of collision with terrain. Pilots are responsible for ensuring that any clearances issued by air traffic control units are safe in this respect. When vectoring or assigning a direct routing not included in the flight plan, which takes an IFR flight off published ATS route or instrument procedure, the procedures in ATS.TR.235(a)(5) of Regulation (EU) 2017/373 apply.

VISUAL APPROACH

(a)Subject to the conditions described in point (b), clearance for an IFR flight to execute a visual approach may be requested by a flight crew or initiated by the air traffic controller. In the latter case, the concurrence of the flight crew should be required.

(b)An IFR flight should only be cleared to execute a visual approach, provided the pilot can maintain visual reference to the terrain and:

(1)the reported ceiling is at or above the level of the beginning of the initial approach segment for the aircraft so cleared; or

(2)the pilot reports at the level of the beginning of the initial approach segment or at any time during the instrument approach procedure that the meteorological conditions are such that with reasonable assurance a visual approach and landing can be completed.

(c)Except between aircraft performing successive visual approaches as described in point (d), separation should be provided between an aircraft cleared to execute a visual approach and other arriving and departing aircraft.

(d)For successive visual approaches, separation should be maintained by the air traffic controller until the pilot of a succeeding aircraft reports having the preceding aircraft in sight. The aircraft should then be instructed to follow and maintain own separation from the preceding aircraft.

(e)In case of aircraft performing successive visual approaches and instructed to maintain own separation as in point (d), and the distance between such aircraft is less than the appropriate wake turbulence minimum, the air traffic controller should issue a caution of possible wake turbulence.

GEOMETRIC HEIGHT INFORMATION Geometric height information is generated by airborne systems such as GPS or radio altimeters.