AIC for REPUBLIC OF LATVIA

In Latvia, the Standardized European Rules of the Air (SERA), i.e., COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) No 923/2012 of 26 September 2012 laying down the common rules of the air and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in air navigation and amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 1035/2011 and Regulations (EC) No 1265/2007, (EC) No 1794/2006, (EC) No 730/2006, (EC) No 1033/2006, (EU) No 255/2010 and COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2016/1185 of 20 July 2016 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 as regards the update and completion of the common rules of the air and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in air navigation (SERA Part C) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 730/2006, are complied with General Air Traffic (GAT).

1. Regulation (EU) 2016/1185 Article 1, point (1)(b):

SERA is not applied to model aircraft with weight below 20kg and toy aircraft.

2. Rules of the Air over high seas (SERA.1001)

Over the high seas within the Riga FIR the provisions of Annex 2 “Rules of the Air” and Annex 11 “Air Traffic Services” to the Convention on International Civil Aviation apply.

3. Dropping or spraying (SERA.3115)

No dropping or spraying from an aircraft in flight is permitted unless authorized by the Civil Aviation Agency of Latvia.

4. Towing (SERA.3120)

No aircraft or other object shall be towed by an aircraft unless authorized by the Civil Aviation Agency of Latvia.

5. Parachute descents (SERA.3125)

Parachute descents shall be carried out in accordance with The Rules of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 493 (July 17, 2007) on Parachute Dropping (AIP ENR 5.5).

6. Aerobatic flights (SERA.3130)

Aerobatic flights shall be carried out in accordance with The Rules of the Cabinet of the Ministers No. 824 (December 23, 2014) on Aircraft Aerobatic Flights (AIP ENR 5.5).

7. Formation flights (SERA.3135)

No conditions other than those listed in SERA.3135 (a), (b), (c) and (d) are imposed on formation flights in controlled airspace.

8. Unmanned free balloons (SERA.3140)

Unmanned free balloons shall be operated in accordance with SERA.3140.

9. Prohibited areas and restricted areas (SERA.3145)

No aircraft shall be flown within the prohibited or restricted areas (AIP ENR 5.1) except for aircraft in emergency or under exemption based on SERA Article 4, or unless conditions have been met for flying into the specific area.

10. Water operations (SERA.3230)

No other periods than those listed in SERA.3230(b) are imposed on lights to be displayed by aircraft on the water.

11. Submission of a flight plan (SERA.4001)

11.1 SERA.4001 (b)(3):

A flight plan shall be submitted for a flight intended to be conducted outside controlled airspace operating within 15 km (8 NM) area from the Latvian border with Belarus and Russia from ground to FL095 (AIP ENR 1.10, paragraph 1.1.2 f.) and in an aerodrome Traffic information zone (TIZ) and Traffic information area (TIA) during its operating hours.

11.2 SERA.4001 (b)(4):

There are no designated areas or routes for which a flight plan has to be submitted in order to avoid possible interception.

12. Contents of a flight plan (SERA.4005)

A flight plan shall contain the information required by SERA.4005 (AIP ENR 1.10, paragraph 1.2.3).

13. Completion of a flight plan (SERA.4010)

No additional information, except for SERA 4010(a), is required for completion of a flight plan.

14. Closing a flight plan (SERA.4020)

An arrival report shall be made to appropriate air traffic services unit in accordance with requirements set out in SERA.4020 (AIP ENR 1.10, paragraph 3.1).

15. VMC visibility and distance from cloud minima (SERA.5001)

VMC visibility and distance from cloud minima used in Latvia are contained in Table 1 below.

Table 1.

Altitude band	Airspace class	Flight visibility	Distance from cloud
At and above 3050 m (10 000 ft) AMSL	C, G	8 km	1500 m horizontally 300 m (1000 ft) vertically
Below 3050 m (10 000 ft) AMSL and above 900 m (3000 ft) AMSL, or above 300 m (1000 ft) above terrain, whichever is the higher	C, G	5 km	1500 m horizontally 300 m (1000 ft) vertically
At and below 900 m (3000 ft) AMSL, or 300 m (1000 ft) above terrain, whichever is the higher	C	5 km	1500 m horizontally 300 m (1000 ft) vertically
	G	5 km***	Clear of cloud and with the surface in sight

(***) Note:

a. during the daytime flight visibilities reduced to not less than 1500 m are permitted for flights operating:

1. at speeds of 140 kt IAS or less to give an adequate opportunity to observe other traffic or any obstacles in time to avoid collision; or

2. in circumstances in which the probability of encounters with other traffic would normally be low, e.g. in areas of low volume traffic and for aerial work at low levels;

b. during the daytime helicopters are permitted to operate in less than 1500 m, but not less than 800 m flight visibility, if maneuvred at a speed that will give adequate opportunity to observe other traffic or any obstacles in time to avoid collision;

c. flights when ceiling, visibility and distance from cloud minima are lower than those specified in SERA.5001 (Table 1 including Note: a. and b.) and in paragraph 16.5 are permitted in special cases such as medical flights, search and rescue operations, fire-fighting, police and customs missions, evacuations, environmental control missions conducted by, or on behalf of public authorities, traffic surveillance and pursuit missions. The flights referred to c. are entitled to perform only those operators who have received exemption based on SERA Article 4.

Pilots involved in the above mentioned missions are responsible for the decisions they make regarding the flight within their approved operational privileges

16. Visual flight rules (SERA.5005)

16.1 SERA.5005 (a) and (b):

VFR flights during the day shall be conducted in accordance with SERA.5005(a) and (b).

16.2 SERA.5005 (c):

VFR flights at night shall be conducted in accordance with SERA.5005(c).

VFR flights at night within class G shall be conducted in accordance with Table 1 or its Note c.

16.3 SERA.5005 (d):

VFR flights are not authorized to operate above FL195 and at transonic or supersonic speeds.

VFR flights above FL195 and at transonic and supersonic speeds are authorized in designated areas.

16.4 SERA.5005 (g):

VFR flights within class C airspace above transition altitude (5000 ft AMSL) shall be conducted at IFR flight levels appropriate to the track as specified in AIP ENR 1.7, paragraph 5 “TABLE OF CRUISING LEVELS”.

VFR flights within class G airspace above 3000 ft AMSL shall be conducted at an altitude or VFR flight levels appropriate to the track as specified in AIP ENR 1.7, paragraph 5 “TABLE OF CRUISING LEVELS”.

16.5 VFR flights at night in CTR shall establish and maintain two-way radio communication on the appropriate ATC communication channel and the following meteorological conditions shall be applied:

1. the ground visibility is not less than 5 km and

2. the ceiling is not less than 1500 ft.

16.6 For IFR and VFR flights within class G airspace the Flight Information Service (FIS) is provided on request on the appropriate communication channel (AIP ENR 2.1).

16.7 At aerodromes where ground visibility is reported either by AFIS or by automatic broadcasting service pilots have to take it into account for take-off and landing.

16.8 If not otherwise required by aerodrome flight procedures, for VFR flights within ATZ a pilot has to monitor continuously air-air communication on frequency 123.950 MHz before arrival at ATZ located aerodrome or its crossing in order to be informed about the air traffic situation and transmit blind the following information:

16.8.1. Inbound traffic:

1. call sign, type of aircraft, altitude, location of the aircraft and further intentions 3 minutes before entering the traffic circle or 10 km (5 NM) from the aerodrome;

2. RWY to be used for landing;

3. entering traffic pattern and altitude (downwind, base leg and final);

4. vacating the RWY.

16.8.2. Outbound traffic:

1. call sign, type of aircraft, intention for departure;

2. RWY to be used for take-off;

3. intended flight direction and altitude or circling.

16.8.3. Crossing traffic:

1. call sign, type of aircraft, altitude, intended flight direction.

17. Special VFR in control zones (SERA.5010)

17.1 Special VFR flights are subject to ATC clearance.

17.2 Special VFR flights during the day within a control zone shall be operated under the conditions specified in SERA.5010, except aircraft under exemption based on SERA Article 4 such as medical flights, search and rescue operations, fire-fighting, police and customs missions, evacuations, environmental control missions conducted by, or on behalf of public authorities, traffic surveillance and pursuit missions.

17.3 Special VFR flights at night within a control zone may be operated by aircraft under exemption based on SERA Article 4 such as medical flights, search and rescue operations, fire-fighting, police and customs missions, evacuations, environmental control missions conducted by, or on behalf of public authorities, traffic surveillance and pursuit missions.

17.4 Pilots involved in the above mentioned special operations missions are responsible for the decisions they make regarding the flight within their approved operational privileges.

18. Instrument flight rules (IFR) - Rules applicable to all IFR flights (SERA.5015)

An IFR flight shall, except when necessary for take-off or landing, be flown at a level which is at least 300 m (1000 ft) above the highest obstacle located within 8 km of the estimated position of the aircraft, but not lower than Area Minimum Altitude (AMA).

19. Rules applicable to IFR flights within class "G" airspace (SERA.5025)

19.1 SERA.5025(a):

An IFR flight operating in level cruising flight outside of controlled airspace shall be flown at a cruising level appropriate to its track as specified in SERA Appendix 3 (AIP ENR 1.7).

19.2 SERA.5025(c):

An IFR flight shall report to the appropriate ATS unit the time and level of passing each designated compulsory reporting point, together with any other required information. In the absence of designated reporting points, position reports shall be made at intervals of 10 minutes or as specified by the appropriate ATS unit.

20. Classification of airspace (SERA.6001)

20.1 Airspace classes A, B, D, E, F are not used within the Riga FIR.

20.2 A speed limitation of 250 kt IAS does not apply to flights of military fighter aircraft.

21. Requirements for communication and SSR transponder (SERA.6005)

21.1 SERA.6005(a):

The airspaces designated as TIA and TIZ with a designated VHF frequency are Radio Mandatory Zones (RMZ).

Before entering a RMZ, an initial call containing the designation of the station being called, call sign, type of aircraft, position, level, the intentions of the flight shall be made by pilots on the appropriate communication channel. Within RMZ pilots shall establish and continuously maintain two-way radio communication on the appropriate ATS communication channel.

21.2 SERA.6005(b):

All flights operating in TIA, TIZ and Spilve ATZ - Transponder Mandatory Zones (TMZ), shall carry and operate SSR transponders capable of operating on Modes A and C or on Mode S.

22. Operation of air traffic control service (SERA.8005)

22.1 SERA.8005(b)(5):

Separation is provided between special VFR flights. Clearances issued by air traffic control units shall provide separation between special VFR flights in CTR by assigning different entry/exit routes or holding positions. When these are not practicable only one Special VFR flight shall be allowed to fly in CTR.

23. Separation minima (SERA.8010)

The separation minima to be applied for traffic from the Riga FIR to the neighbouring FIRs are reflected in the corresponding LoAs.

24. Adherence to flight plan (SERA.8020)

24.1 SERA.8020(a)(1):

Aircraft shall adhere to the current flight plan as required by SERA.8020 (a) and SERA(a)(1), unless otherwise directed by the appropriate ATS unit.

24.2 SERA.8020(a)(2):

There is no changeover points established in the Riga FIR as referred to in SERA.8020(a)(2).

24.3 SERA.8020(b)(3):

A revised estimated time shall be notified as soon as possible to the appropriate ATS unit if the estimated time is found to be in error more than 5 minutes from the previously notified.

25. Position reports (SERA.8025)

25.1 SERA.8025(a):

A controlled flight shall report to the appropriate air traffic services unit, as soon as possible, the time and level of passing each designated compulsory reporting point, together with any other required information. Position reports shall similarly be made in relation to additional points when requested by the appropriate air traffic services unit.

In the absence of the designated reporting points, position reports shall be made at intervals of 10 minutes or as specified by the appropriate ATS unit.

26. Communications (SERA.8035)

26.1 If a communication failure precludes compliance with SERA.8035, the aircraft shall comply with the flight procedures in force and the applicable parts of the said provision. In addition, aircraft forming part of the aerodrome traffic at a controlled aerodrome shall keep a watch for instructions that may be issued by visual signals.

26.2 If in visual meteorological conditions, the aircraft shall:

26.2.1 set the transponder to code 7600;

26.2.2 continue to fly in visual meteorological conditions;

26.2.3 land at the nearest suitable aerodrome; and

26.2.4 report its arrival by the most expeditious means to the appropriate air traffic control (ATC) unit or AFIS unit.

26.3 If in instrument meteorological conditions or if the weather conditions are such that it seems inadvisable to complete the flight in accordance with paragraph 26.2, the aircraft flight crew of the aircraft shall:

26.3.1 set the transponder to code 7600;

26.3.2 in airspace where an ATS surveillance system is used in the provision of ATC, maintain the last assigned speed and level, or minimum flight altitude, for a period of 7 minutes. This time is counted from paragraphs 26.3.2.1.1, 26.3.2.1.2, 26.3.2.2.1, 26.3.2.2.2 or 26.3.2.2.3, whichever is later:

26.3.2.1 when the aircraft is on a route with no compulsory reporting points or the aircraft flight crew has been instructed to omit position reports:

26.3.2.1.1 the time when it reaches the last assigned level or minimum flight altitude or

26.3.2.1.2 the time when the transponder is set to code 7600, or

26.3.2.2 when the aircraft is on a route that contains compulsory reporting points and has not been instructed to omit position reports:

26.3.2.2.1 the time when it reaches the last assigned level or minimum flight altitude, or

26.3.2.2.2 the latest time over a compulsory reporting point as estimated by the pilot, or

26.3.2.2.3 the aircraft's failure to report its position over a compulsory reporting point.

26.3.3 thereafter adjust level and speed in accordance with the filed flight plan.

26.3.4 when being radar vectored or when the aircraft is proceeding using area navigation (RNAV) without a specified limit for rejoining the route specified in the current flight plan, rejoin the current flight plan route as soon as possible, but no later than at the next significant point, taking into consideration the applicable minimum flight altitude;

Note: The flight route or the time when descent for the destination aerodrome is commenced means the information in accordance with the current flight plan.

26.3.5 proceed according to the current flight plan route to the appropriate designated navigation aid serving the destination aerodrome and, when required to ensure compliance with 26.3.6 below, hold over this aid until commencement of descent;

26.3.6 commence descent from the navigation aid specified in 26.3.5 at, or as close as possible to, the expected approach time last received and acknowledged; or, if no expected approach time has been received and acknowledged, at, or as close as possible to, the estimated time of arrival resulting from the current flight plan;

26.3.7 complete a normal instrument approach procedure as specified for the designated navigation aid;

26.3.8 land, if possible, within 30 minutes after the estimated time of arrival specified in 26.3.6 or the last received and acknowledged expected approach time, whichever is later.

Note. After a communication failure is detected, a transponder-equipped aircraft shall select mode A and code 7600. When the aircraft carries a serviceable transponder equipped with mode C, this mode shall be continuously operated unless otherwise instructed by the appropriate ATC unit.

27. Automatic terminal information service (ATIS) (SERA.9010)

27.1 SERA.9010(a)(2)(ii):

When ATIS messages are used in directed request/reply transmissions, the appropriate air traffic services unit shall, whenever Voice-ATIS and/or D-ATIS is provided, report the current altimeter setting to an arriving aircraft when it is cleared to descent below the transition level. The latest altimeter setting shall also be reported when an aircraft is cleared for approach, unless it is known that the aircraft has already received the latest altimeter setting.

28. Unlawful interference (SERA.11001)

28.1 SERA.11001(b):

There are no dedicated aerodromes assigned for landing of an aircraft, which is being subjected to unlawful interference.

29. Special aircraft observations (SERA.12005)

29.1 SERA.12005(b):

In addition to SERA.12005(a), light icing shall be reported by all aircraft when observed during a flight within the Riga Flight Information Region (FIR).

30. Unmanned free balloons (SERA Appendix 2)

No additional requirements are prescribed for unmanned free balloons operations in Latvian airspace.

Cancels AIC A 004/2016