The Air Navigation Order 1989

Prohibition of unlicensed air traffic controllers, student air traffic controllers and aerodrome flight information service officers

71.—(1) A person shall not provide at any place any type of air traffic control service or an aerodrome flight information service or hold himself out, whether by use of a radio call sign or in any other way, as a person who may provide any type of air traffic control service or an aerodrome flight information service unless:

(a) in the case of an air traffic control service, he is the holder of, and complies with the terms of:

(i) a valid student air traffic controller’s licence granted under this Order and he is supervised in accordance with article 70(3) of this Order;

(ii) a valid air traffic controller’s licence so granted authorising him to provide that type of service at that place; or

(iii) a valid air traffic controller’s licence so granted which does not authorise him to provide that type of service at that place, but he is supervised by a person who is present at the time and who is the holder of a valid air traffic controller’s licence so granted which authorises him to provide at that place the type of air traffic control service which is being provided; or

(b) in the case of an aerodrome flight information service, he is the holder of and complies with the terms of an aerodrome flight information service officer’s licence granted under this Order authorising him to provide such a service at that place:

Provided that a licence shall not be required by any person who acts in the course of his duty as a member of any of Her Majesty’s naval, military or air forces or a visiting force.

(2) The holder of an air traffic controller’s licence shall not be entitled to perform any of the functions specified in Schedule 9 to this Order in respect of a rating at any place unless:

(a) his licence includes that rating and the rating is valid for the place at which, and the type of radar equipment, if any, with the aid of which, the functions are performed; or

(b) he is supervised by a person who is present at the time and who is the holder of a valid air traffic controller’s licence granted under this Order which authorises him to provide at that place the type of air traffic control service which is being provided.

(3) A person shall not provide any type of air traffic control service or an aerodrome flight information service unless he has identified himself in such a manner as may be notified.

(4) Nothing in a licence granted under article 70 of this Order shall permit any person to operate manually any direction-finding equipment for the purpose of providing air traffic control service to an aircraft at a time when he is providing air traffic control service or making signals to that aircraft or to another aircraft.

(5) Nothing in this article shall prohibit the holder of a valid air traffic controller’s licence from providing at any place for which the licence includes a valid rating, information to aircraft in flight in the interests of safety.