You might have missed them…

There was a pretty big change (or ten) in the new SERA guidance (that’s the Standardised European Rules of the Air) that EASA have brought out.

Don’t worry though, it only came in on May 1st and I figure you get a few weeks grace period to actually read this big regulation things, particularly when many of the EU states are yet to update their own AIPs (it is applicable to all).

So, here just for you are some of the changes applicable for Flight Crew, that recently came into force. If you do want to read them all properly then head here. Download it. Scroll through and stop at anything in purple.

A New Squawk

Yeah, you read it right. No more ICE. Now we have IC+1E.

7600 is for ‘C’ – loss of comms. In the past, if you lost all your comms (not super likely but could happen) then you’d dial up 7600 and follow the IFR loss of comms procedures (you know, the remain on previously cleared for x number of minutes then try and land within whatever it was of your ETA).

Now, it has changed a bit. We have 2 codes – 7600 and also 7601.

So what’s the difference?

Well, if your plan is to follow the the lost comms procedures and continue then you use 7600.

FYI – it’s also now 20 minutes not 7 minutes that you stick ar your last assigned speed, level etc.

But if your plan is to continue VMC and land at the nearest suitable aerodrome (so divert) then now you use 7601

Why the change? Well, according to the SERA notes here it is because every second counts and this new procedure will help alleviate ATC workload, prevent unnecessary diversions, and help every liaise more to support the comm-less crew.

Use 7601

If you are in IFR, lost all your comms, are going to divert in VMC to land at the nearest suitable.

If in doubt, stop!

If you are moving about the manoeuvring area and are confused by your position, there are new guidelines for what to do about this. It mainly boils down to

A. Stopping and then

B. Telling ATC

I sort of feel like we all knew to do this anyway, but maybe folk were embarrassed? Anyway, with a rise in runway incursions (from aircraft and ground vehicles) this is good its been clarified. SERA.3212 in case you want to know.

Changes to people onboard

If its a big change to what was filed, tell ’em. By ’em I mean… actually I’m not sure who, but point is, if you filed information regarding how many people are onboard, fuel or endurance, then someone now wants to know. I suggest calling OCC and asking them to do it.

Air Traffic Advisory Stuff

Something to do with IFR traffic using Class F airspace? Look, I’m going to be honest, I fly from big airport to big airport and am near on always under ATC control, so if this applies to you, go read it. Its a bunch of stuff on airspace classification changes and it was too much purple for me to read.

Wake turbulence

They’re still using the original 4. Super J (listed in ICAO Doc 8643). Heavy H (equal or more than 136,000kg), Medium M (7000kg to 136,000kg) or Light L (equal or less than 7000kg).

No, they have not addressed the question as to why Super is J and not S. I can only assume it stands for Jumbo-er. And yes, there are airports out there that have their own strange (but pretty cool) wake turbulence projects so if you fly to one of those, know about it.

Stuff I think is obvious but is in purple so will mention it anyway

Horizontal speed control. i.e. speed. Fly what ATC tell you to unless they explicitly say oterhwise. Same goes for the speeds on SIDs and STARs. Who has not been doing this? Shame on you.

Here’s and interesting one:

Cancellation of any speed control instruction does not relieve the flight crew of compliance with the speed limitations associated with airspace classifications as specified in Appendix 4 ‘ATS airspace classes — services provided and flight requirements’ to the Annex to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.

Did people think it did? Were they going for world record max speeds just because ATC said they didn’t have to be 250knots anymore? Well, now it’s official you can’t.

If you’ve been cleared for the final approach, the previous assigned level clearance still applies. It doesn’t mean “now you can do a mad dive”.

If – pay attention now – you get a provision clearance (and here is the example in the regulations):

Scandinavian 941 behind DC9 on short final line up behind

Then you need to identify the aircraft or vehicle that the conditional clearance is based off. This worries me because my aircraft recognition is pretty poor. Especially in the US where they tell you the airline instead of the type and I often depart in the evening so trying to spot a specific aircraft livery is not easy… anyway, point is, identify what it is your conditional clearance is based off and tell ATC so they know you know that they know that you know what they are talking about.

If you’re deviating from flight plan, tell ATC. We’re talking Mach 0.02 or more and speed more than 10 knots. Again, who wasn’t doing this that it requires a special amendment to confirm you need to? The caveat as always is with ADS-C.

If there aren’t designated reporting points for position reports, consider checking in every hour. It’s for your benefit.

Something big!

If, like me, you’d nearly given up reading, don’t. Here’s a big one for you!

Change to emergency descent procedures

OK, what have we got? First sentence: Navigate as deemed appropriate by the pilots!

Wuhhttt? Yuh, do what you need then tell ATC!! ATC are also going to help out more by taking a bunch of “appropriate actions” such as putting out an emergency broadcast for everyone else in the area, so you don’t have to worry about it, and issuing a bunch of useful info to the aircraft engaged in said emergency descent.

Signals

There are some new or a bit changed emergency signals to know. It’s to do with raising and lowering landing gears and again, read it if you think you might need it.

Something about ADS-B and identification settings?

I’m really flagging here but trying to keep going for the safety of all aviation-kind… anyway, there is something about something and to be honest, I think your operator will cover this for you so just going to move on. If you haven’t read my disclaimer before, do so now – this is all to help but is not official. Don’t rely on me to get it right for you.

Lots of purple. Something about Comms

This bit looks useful again. We’ve just got past the radio comms failure bit (SERA.14083) and are reading all the stuff after it. There is some handy info on blind transmissions, what ATC will do if they can’t get hold you too, and then 14090(e) which is all about specific communication procedures.

This clarifies a whole load of stuff on CLIMB VIA and all that sort of thing. Same for STARs. Understanding the differences in these clearances is really important so I’m going to let you go read and understand them yourself.

Communicable diseases

Ewww.

AIREPs

Loads of detail on how to do these.

FINALLY….

We made it to page 342. WHEW! What a lot of changes. Here’s the thing – they’re all really necessary (and good) so go take a proper read. Encourage your Ops Folk to put something out about it so you fully understand what applies to you.

Here’s the other thing – this was a BIG change because a lot of the stuff is not just for pilots., it involves other team areas too. But many of these impact on others so understanding the changes across all teams is really critical.