Application — Annex 2 / SERA
General (ICAO)
ICAO Annex 2 Rules of the Air contains the standard traffic rules for international aviation.
Key definitions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| VFR | "Visual Flight Rules". A flight is under "VFR" if the flight is conducted under visual flight rules. |
| IFR | "Instrument Flight Rules". "IFR" is the abbreviation for "Instrument Flight Rules". |
| VMC | "Visual Meteorological Conditions". "VMC" is the abbreviation for "Visual Meteorological Conditions". |
| IMC | "Instrument Meteorological Conditions". |
| Ceiling | Height of the base of the lowest cloud layer covering more than half the sky below 20 000 ft: "Ceiling" is defined as the height of the base of the lowest layer of clouds covering more than half of the sky below 20 000 ft. |
Europe (EASA / EU)
SERA — harmonisation goal
An essential goal of the SERA (Standardised European Rules of the Air) regulation is to harmonise the rules of the air in European airspace:
- Reg (EU) 923/2012 (SERA).
- Directly applicable in all EU member states.
- Complemented by EASA AMC/GM.
- Largely equivalent to ICAO Annex 2.
SERA structure — key sections
- SERA.2010: pre-flight action (PIC responsibility).
- SERA.3210: right of way.
- SERA.3215: lights in flight.
- SERA.3220: simulated instrument flight.
- SERA.4001: flight plans.
- SERA.5001: VMC minima.
- SERA.5005: VFR minimum altitudes / cruising levels.
- SERA.5010: special VFR (SVFR).
Germany (national)
SERA applies directly. National additions in LuftVO (Luftverkehrs-Ordnung) — see "National Law — Germany" lesson.
Rules of the Air* (10th ed., 2005, unchanged); EU Reg 923/2012 (SERA) Easy Access Rules; LuftVO.*