Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012Show full title

(f) Coordination of clearances

(1) An air traffic control clearance shall be coordinated between air traffic control units to cover the entire route of an aircraft or a specified portion thereof as described in provisions (2) to (6).

(2) An aircraft shall be cleared for the entire route to the aerodrome of first intended landing:

(i)

when it has been possible, prior to departure, to coordinate the clearance between all the units under whose control the aircraft will come; or

(ii)

when there is reasonable assurance that prior coordination will be effected between those units under whose control the aircraft will subsequently come.

(3) When coordination as in (2) has not been achieved or is not anticipated, the aircraft shall be cleared only to that point where coordination is reasonably assured; prior to reaching such point, or at such point, the aircraft shall receive further clearance, holding instructions being issued as appropriate.

(4) When prescribed by the ATS unit, aircraft shall contact a downstream air traffic control unit, for the purpose of receiving a downstream clearance prior to the transfer of control point.

(i)

Aircraft shall maintain the necessary two-way communication with the current air traffic control unit whilst obtaining a downstream clearance.

(ii)

A clearance issued as a downstream clearance shall be clearly identifiable as such to the pilot.

(iii)

Unless coordinated, downstream clearances shall not affect the aircraft’s original flight profile in any airspace, other than that of the air traffic control unit responsible for the delivery of the downstream clearance.

(5) When an aircraft intends to depart from an aerodrome within a control area to enter another control area within a period of thirty minutes, or such other specific period of time as has been agreed between the area control centres concerned, coordination with the subsequent area control centre shall be effected prior to issuance of the departure clearance.

(6) When an aircraft intends to leave a control area for flight outside controlled airspace, and will subsequently re-enter the same or another control area, a clearance from the point of departure to the aerodrome of first intended landing may be issued. Such clearance or revisions thereto shall apply only to those portions of the flight conducted within controlled airspace.