The Rules of the Air Regulations 1996

SECTION VII AERODROME TRAFFIC RULES

Application of aerodrome traffic rules

33.  The rules in this section of these Rules which are expressed to apply to flying machines shall also be observed, so far as is practicable, in relation to all other aircraft.

Visual signals

34.—(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the commander of a flying machine on, or in the pattern of traffic at, an aerodrome shall observe such visual signals as may be displayed at, or directed to him from the aerodrome by the authority of the person in charge of the aerodrome and shall obey any instructions which may be given to him by means of such signals.

(2) The commander of such a flying machine shall not be required to obey the signals referred to in rule 47 (Marshalling Signals) if in his opinion it is inadvisable to do so in the interests of safety.

Movement of aircraft on aerodromes

35.  An aircraft shall not taxi on the apron or the manoeuvring area of an aerodrome without the permission of the person in charge of the aerodrome or, where the aerodrome has an air traffic control unit for the time being notified as being on watch, without the permission of that unit.

Access to and movement of persons and vehicles on the aerodrome

36.—(1) A person or vehicle shall not go onto any part of an aerodrome (not being a part of the aerodrome which is a public right of way) without the permission of the person in charge of that part of the aerodrome, and except in accordance with any conditions subject to which that permission may have been granted.

(2) A vehicle or person shall not go or move on the manoeuvring area of an aerodrome having an air traffic control unit without the permission of that unit, and except in accordance with any conditions subject to which that permission may have been granted.

(3) Any permission granted for the purposes of this rule may be granted whether in respect of persons or vehicles generally, or in respect of any particular person or vehicle or any class of person or vehicle.

Right of way on the ground

37.—(1) This rule shall apply to flying machines and vehicles on any part of a land aerodrome provided for the use of aircraft and under the control of the person in charge of the aerodrome.

(2) Notwithstanding any air traffic control clearance it shall remain the duty of the commander of an aircraft to take all possible measures to ensure that his aircraft does not collide with any other aircraft or with any vehicle.

(3) (a) Flying machines and vehicles shall give way to aircraft which are taking off or landing.

(b) Vehicles, and flying machines which are not taking off or landing, shall give way to vehicles towing aircraft.

(c) Vehicles which are not towing aircraft shall give way to aircraft.

(4) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3) and of rule 17(7)(c), in case of danger of collision between two flying machines:

(a) when the two flying machines are approaching head-on or approximately so, each shall alter its course to the right;

(b) when the two flying machines are on converging courses, the one which has the other on its right shall give way to the other and shall avoid crossing ahead of the other unless passing well clear of it;

(c) a flying machine which is being overtaken shall have the right-of-way, and the overtaking flying machine shall keep out of the way of the other flying machine by altering its course to the left until that other flying machine has been passed and is clear, notwithstanding any change in the relative positions of the two flying machines.

(5) Subject to the provisions of paragraph (3)(b) a vehicle shall:

(a) overtake another vehicle so that the other vehicle is on the left of the overtaking vehicle;

(b) keep to the left when passing another vehicle which is approaching head-on or approximately so.

Launching, picking up and dropping of tow ropes, etc.

38.  –

(1) Tow ropes, banners or similar articles towed by aircraft shall not be launched at an aerodrome except in accordance with arrangements made with the air traffic control unit at the aerodrome or, if there is no such unit, with the person in charge of the aerodrome.

(2) Tow ropes, banners or similar articles towed by aircraft shall not be picked up by or dropped from aircraft at an aerodrome except:

(a) in accordance with arrangements with the air traffic control unit at the aerodrome or, if there is no such unit, with the person in charge of the aerodrome; or

(b) in the area designated by the marking described in rule 44(7), and the ropes, banners or similar articles shall be picked up and dropped when the aircraft is flying in the direction appropriate for landing.

Flight within aerodrome traffic zones

39.  –

(1) Paragraphs (2) and (3) shall apply only in relation to such of the aerodromes described in Column 1 of the following Table as are notified for the purposes of this rule and at such times as are specified in Column 2 thereof.

TABLE

	Column 1	Column 2
(a)	A Government aerodrome	At such times as are notified
(b)	An aerodrome having an air traffic control unit or an aerodrome flight information unit	During the notified hours of watch of the air traffic control unit or the aerodrome flight information unit
(c)	A licensed aerodrome having a means of two-way radio communication with aircraft	During the notified hours of watch of the air/ground radio station

(2) An aircraft shall not fly, take off or land within the aerodrome traffic zone of an aerodrome to which this paragraph applies unless the commander of the aircraft has obtained the permission of the air traffic control unit at the aerodrome or, where there is no air traffic control unit, has obtained from the aerodrome flight information unit at that aerodrome information to enable the flight within the zone to be conducted with safety or, where there is no air traffic control unit nor aerodrome flight information unit, has obtained information from the air/ground radio station at that aerodrome to enable the flight to be conducted with safety.

(3) The commander of an aircraft flying within the aerodrome traffic zone of an aerodrome to which this paragraph applies shall:

(a) cause a continuous watch to be maintained on the appropriate radio frequency notified for communications at the aerodrome or, if this is not possible, cause a watch to be kept for such instructions as may be issued by visual means;

(b) where the aircraft is fitted with means of communication by radio with the ground, communicate his position and height to the air traffic control unit, the aerodrome flight information unit or the air/ground radio station at the aerodrome (as the case may be), on entering the zone and immediately prior to leaving it.