APM 2 Book Oct2018.

Book Page i Friday, November 2, 2018 12:33 PM

The Air Pilot’s Manual

Volume 2

Air Law and Meteorology

‘Recommended reading’
Civil Aviation Authority

Air Pilot Publishing

APM 2 Book Oct2018.Book Page ii Friday, November 2, 2018 12:33 PM

Nothing in this manual supersedes any EU legislation or European

Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Regulations or procedures; or any
operational documents issued by any United Kingdom Government
Department, the Civil Aviation Authority, National Aviation
Authorities, the manufacturers of aircraft, engines and systems, or by
the operators of aircraft throughout the world. As maps and chart are
changed regularly, any extracts reproduced in this book must not be
used for flight planning or flight operations.

Copyright © 2018 Pooleys-Air Pilot Publishing Limited

ISBN 978-1-84336-240-1

First edition published 1987

Second revised edition 1987
Third revised edition published 1993
Fourth revised edition published 1997
Fifth revised edition 1999
Sixth edition 2001
Seventh edition 2004
Eighth revised edition 2008
Ninth revised edition 2010
Tenth revised edition 2011
Eleventh revised edition 2013
Twelfth edition May 2014
Thirteenth edition Nov. 2015
Thirteenth revised edition Feb. 2017 
Fourteenth edition Sept. 2017
Fifteen edition Nov. 2018

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or

transmitted in any form by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording or by any information storage
and retrieval system, without permission from the publisher in
writing.

Origination by Pooleys-Air Pilot Publishing Limited

Published by Pooleys-Air Pilot Publishing Ltd

Elstree Aerodrome, Elstree, Hertfordshire, WD6 3AW. UK.
Tel: +44 (0)208 207 3749
Web: www.pooleys.com
Email: sales@pooleys.com
APM 2 Book Oct2018.Book Page iii Friday, November 2, 2018 12:33 PM

The Air Pilot’s Manual

Volume 2
Contents

Preface to the Fifteenth Edition ........................................... ix

Section One – Air Law

1. Aviation Law and Legislation ................................................... 3
2. Rules of the Air ..................................................................... 17
3. Aerodromes .......................................................................... 37
4. Altimeter-Setting Procedures ................................................. 63
5. Airspace ................................................................................ 77
6. Air Traffic Services ............................................................... 101
7. Visual Flight Rules (SERA.5005) ............................................ 119
8. Instrument Flight Rules (SERA.5015) .................................... 125
9. Registration and Airworthiness ............................................. 129
10. Pilots’ Licences .................................................................... 143
11. Operation of Aircraft ........................................................... 169
12. Distress, Urgency, Safety and Warning Signals ...................... 185
13. Search and Rescue (SAR) .................................................... 189
14. Accident Investigation Regulations ....................................... 197
15. ICAO Annex Terminology .................................................. 201

Section Two – Meteorology

16. Aviation Meteorology .......................................................... 219
17. Heating Effects in the Atmosphere ....................................... 233
18. Wind .................................................................................. 247
19. Cloud and Precipitation ....................................................... 271
20. Visibility ............................................................................... 295
21. Air Masses, Pressure Systems and Frontal Weather .............. 307
22. Hazardous Conditions ......................................................... 329
23. Weather Forecasts and Reports .......................................... 345
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Part-FCL Abbreviations (see ICAO terminology on p199) 379

Index ....................................................................................... 381

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Editorial Team

Dorothy Saul-Pooley LLB (Hons) FRAeS

Dorothy held a UK ATPL, now EASA Part-FCL CPL (A) and a CPL (H)
and is both an instructor and examiner on aeroplanes and an instructor on
helicopters. She is Head of Training for a school dedicated to running Flight
Instructor courses at Shoreham. She is also a CAA Flight Instructor
Examiner. In addition, having qualified as a solicitor in 1982, Dorothy acted
for many years as a consultant specialising in aviation and insurance liability
issues, and has lectured widely on air law and aviation insurance. This highly
unusual combination of qualifications led to her appointment as Honorary
Solicitor to the Guild of Air Pilots and Navigators (GAPAN).

Dorothy is a Fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Past Chairman of the

GAPAN Instructor Committee of which she was a founding member and
the prime instigator of the Guild’s Joint Forum with Central Flying School at
RAF Cranwell for Senior Flying Instructors. She is a Past Chairman of the
Education & Training Committee. After serving as a Warden on the Court of
GAPAN for three years, she was appointed Master for the year 2014-2015 of
the newly renamed Honourable Company of Air Pilots. She is also
Chairman of the Professional Flying Instructors Association.

In 2003 Dorothy was awarded the Jean Lennox Bird Trophy for her
contribution to aviation and support of Women in Aviation and the BWPA
(British Women Pilots Association). In 2013, Dorothy received the
prestigious award of a Master Air Pilots Certificate from GAPAN. In 2015
she was awarded the Brabazon Cup by the BWPA for her outstanding
achievement in aviation. A regular contributor to seminars and conferences,
Dorothy is the author and editor of a large number of flying training books
and has published articles in legal and insurance journals and many in aviation
magazines.

Helena Hughes
On leaving university in 1989 Helena obtained a PPL in America, converting
to UK licence on her return. Shortly afterwards she started work in Air
Traffic Control at London Luton Airport, earning her controller’s licence in
1990. During her time at Luton she was involved in controller training as
both an instructor and assessor. Helena continues to be an operational Air
Traffic Control Officer and is currently posted to Thames Radar. She holds a
CPL/IR and has been a flying instructor since 1998, teaching PPL and
associated ratings. She is a Ground and R/T examiner and has written
both PPL and ATPL Radiotelephony Training Manuals.
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vi

Philip Baxter BA (Hons) LLB (Hons)

Philip held a UK ATPL (A), is an Instructor and has been a PPL
Examiner. He began his working life in the Civil Service, having joined from
school, and stayed for more years than he now cares to remember! He
worked in a wide variety of (mostly) very interesting jobs, within several
Departments, which included one period as Private Secretary to a
government Minister, another (reflecting his long-standing interest in
aviation matters) dealing with aircraft noise and ICAO 'Annex 16' issues as
well as pollution from aircraft engines; and another as a technical author.
Much of the remainder of his Civil Service career was related to
telecommunications, ranging from international Treaties to technical
standardisation. This included representing his departmental interests on
Standards Committees in particular, both internationally and domestically.
Both his Degrees, the first in Science and Technology, the second in Law
(providing an unusual combination) were awarded following part-time study
with the Open University. Since 'retiring' early from a senior middle-
management grade, Philip worked for six years as a full-time Flight Instructor
and Flight Examiner, accruing some three and a half thousand instructional
hours. Phil teaches ground school subjects for the Flying Instructor course
and has also been Vice Chairman of the Professional Flight Instructors'
Association (PFIA).
Robert Seaman BSc MRI FRMetS
Rob Seaman is a professional pilot on the Airbus family, a flight instructor
and meteorologist who is committed to connecting these professions
together for the benefit of flight safety. With a life-long passion for aviation
he was awarded a Royal Air Force flying scholarship (1998), the Norman
Motley Flight Instructor Scholarship (2007), elected Liveryman of the
Honourable Company of Air Pilots (2016) and was expert advisor on the
United Kingdom Flight Safety Committee. Rob’s key interest is in the
practical application of human factors to meteorological threats so as to
enhance their management on the flight deck. His previous career in the Met
Office culminated as Head of Policy Advice relating climate change and the
environment to foreign and defence policy. This drew on experience gained
from previous roles supporting civil and military aviation operations; as a
Senior Applied Scientist developing weather related decision aids to increase
efficiency and effectiveness, and as an Operational Meteorologist supporting
the military at HQ Air Command, the Falklands and the Middle East. Rob
studied Physics at Imperial College, is an Associate of the Royal College of
Science and Fellow of the Royal Meteorological Society.
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vii

Acknowledgements

The Civil Aviation Authority, Captain R. W. K. Snell, Shaun

McConnell, David Hockings, Helena Hughes, Geoffrey Farmiloe
AFRIN, LLB (Hons), LLM, Daljeet Gill, Philip Odell, Esther Law
and the many other instructors and students whose comments have
helped to improve this manual.
A Condensed History of the Air Pilot Manuals
For over 30 years the Air Pilot Manuals have led the academic
training of pilots in the United Kingdom and in many countries
around the world.
I first met Trevor Thom, a professional pilot and natural
teacher, in Melbourne during a visit to Australia in January 1985.
He already had his series of PPL Manuals for the Australian
market and I asked him to produce a series for the New Zealand
market where we had a small aviation business. Having completed
this task, Trevor immediately began writing the first of the Air
Pilot Manuals for the United Kingdom market and this project
began in earnest on 5th December 1985.
Both Trevor Thom and Robert Johnson commenced the task
in my office at Feldon. By the end of the following year, all four
volumes were complete and were published in February 1987. By
the end of that year, we estimated that 95% of all the UK Flying
Schools were using our manuals. Volumes 5, 6 and 7 followed, so
completing the full series.
Unfortunately, Trevor Thom had a serious accident at home
which prevented him from continuing with the editing of the
manuals. His rights were eventually sold to David Robson,
another experienced pilot and natural teacher, who progressively
improved the drawings and brought colour into the manuals for
the first time.
Over the years there have been many assistant editors, in
particular Peter Godwin, whose help I first asked for in the very
early days with Trevor Thom and which continued until quite
recently. The rights in the Air Pilot Manuals are now vested with
the Pooley family and they continue to be edited and published
from our offices and the school at Shoreham Airport.
The Air Pilot Manuals have an outstanding reputation for
accuracy and are continuously updated. They are recommended
CAA reading material and are referred to extensively in the CAA
examination answer booklet.
Robert Pooley
CStJ FRIN FRAeS
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viii
APM 2 Book Oct2018.Book Page ix Friday, November 2, 2018 12:33 PM

ix

Preface to the Fifteenth Edition

K eeping up to date with legal changes is challenging, because

the law is changing all the time. In this edition, we have
expanded on the European regulations which are still in a
transitional period of implementation. We have included the
European rules of the air. Please be aware that there are almost
daily changes to some aspects of aviation law, so you must check
the CAA and EASA websites frequently.
To highlight the difference between UK CAA material and
ICAO or EASA material, we use a lighter typeface for the ICAO
material.

NOTE Please check our websites for updates and links to

references mentioned in the text. Please refer to
www.pooleysapp.com and to the Pooleys websites:
www.pooleys.com and www.pooleysfis.com.
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x
APM 2 Book Oct2018.Book Page 1 Friday, November 2, 2018 12:33 PM

Section One

Air Law

Chapter 1

Aviation Law and Legislation ................................................. 3

Chapter 2

SERA and the UK Rules of the Air ..................................... 17

Chapter 3

Aerodromes ............................................................................ 37
Chapter 4

Altimeter-Setting Procedures ............................................. 63

Chapter 5

Airspace ................................................................................... 77
Chapter 6

Air Traffic Services .............................................................. 101

Chapter 7

Visual Flight Rules (SERA.5005) ....................................... 119

Chapter 8

Instrument Flight Rules (SERA.5015) .............................. 125

Chapter 9

Registration and Airworthiness ........................................ 129

Chapter 10

Pilots’ Licences ..................................................................... 143

Chapter 11

Operation of Aircraft .......................................................... 169

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2 A IR L AW

Chapter 12

Distress, Urgency, Safety and Warning Signals .............. 185

Chapter 13

Search and Rescue (SAR) ................................................... 189

Chapter 14

Accident Investigation Regulations ................................... 197

Chapter 15

ICAO Annex Terminology .................................................. 201