UK EASA PPL Exams - Semi Circular Rule

[Gentoo]

Does anyone have a link to a document explaining how the rule changes (move to this rule) apply to VFR flights at lower altitudes?

I have my exams coming up but the book I am using seems out of date, the questions on this seem to refer to IFR and VFR flights operating with slightly different 'cruising altitudes' but this is not mentioned in any of my books.

I have looked at this link:

CluedUp Preview: How SERA affects UK domestic rules of the air, general permissions and exemptions | Airspace Use & Rules | Operations and Safety (http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=2884&pagetype=90&pageid=16723)

..but I need to know a bit more detail. It states:

Cruising levels
The quadrantal cruising levels system historically used in the UK does not exist in SERA. Instead, the semi-circular cruising level system applied throughout the rest of the world is used. To aid transition to the new system, this will now take effect in the UK on 2 April 2015.

But I am unsure how the rule applies to flights below transition altitude

[Gertrude the Wombat]

I think we came to the conclusion that it didn't matter much in real life, because if you're VFR and squeezing between the top of an ATZ at 2,200' and the bottom of controlled airspace at 2,500' you haven't got a lot of choice, and if you're IFR then anything you do is almost certainly illegal under the new rules, possibly because EASA doesn't really get this UK habit of hobby pilots flying IFR outside controlled airspace.


Which doesn't help you with exam answers, I'm afraid.

[ChickenHouse]

The document you are looking for is called AIP. Each country has defined its own change altitude, i.e. change to semi-circular is above 5000ft QNH in Germany and above 3000ft QNH in Denmark - independent of transition level. Don't know UK, but you should have had that during you theory lessons.

[Gertrude the Wombat]

Don't know UK, but you should have had that during you theory lessons.
Yeah, but, you try a web search for the UK rules! - you just get dozens of links of the form given in the OP. And one has the impression that it's been changing every five minutes for the last several months, and you've already been told that the text books are out of date, so how on earth do you think the instructors could find out what the score was to get it right in the "theory lessons"? - and even if they did, that was last week, who's to know the rules haven't changed again this week?

You can see why some people think "sod it, I'll just go flying".

[Mach Jump]

The 'Semi-circular'/'Quadrantal' Rules apply/applied only to IFR flights

On a VFR flight, outside controlled airspace,(CAS) you can fly at any level/height/altitude you choose. (Although, it is good practice to follow the Semi-circular rule above Transition Altitude.)

When VFR inside CAS you must fly at the level/altitude allocated.

To explain the dog's breakfast of SERA/CAA Exemption, as applied to IFR, outside/below CAS, read this thread:

http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/565812-ifr-class-g-what-has-changed-under-part-sera.html#post9074525


MJ:ok:

[ChickenHouse]

Yeah, but, you try a web search for the UK rules! - you just get dozens of links of the form given in the OP. And one has the impression that it's been changing every five minutes for the last several months, and you've already been told that the text books are out of date, so how on earth do you think the instructors could find out what the score was to get it right in the "theory lessons"? - and even if they did, that was last week, who's to know the rules haven't changed again this week?

You can see why some people think "sod it, I'll just go flying".

This does not apply for the UK alone. We all know that regulations reached a state of nonsense for pilots, so we have to get used to it, because we are not allowed to shoot the theory clerks in their armchairs.

I expect every student in pilot training to gather some sort of intelligence how to maneuver through the mud of regulations and documents. Searching the Internet and using Google, not as a brain-extention but brain-replacement, is not on that list of skills. I expect a student when ready, to know the methods to imagine and track the way to where the information I need is found. As this is highly local business, it is or should usually be taught during theory lessons.

For the semi-circular rules, as this is a practical maze example: It is not set in the European rules, but choice of the local country, so it has to be in some local regulations. If I remember correctly, in Germany the basic regulations are in local LuftVO §31 and §28 and the setting of 5000ft MSL or 2000ft AGL, whichever is higher, for use of semi-circular rules are in local "Nachrichten für Luftfahrer" NfL I 190/01. In France you have to go to SIA - La référence en information aéronautique (http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/asp/frameset_fr.asp?m=26) and search for the 3000ft MSL/1000ft AGL setting for semi-circular rules. As far as I am aware, the UK has not set special rules for circular rules beyond TL at 3000ft and at some places 6000ft (AIP ENR 1.7-1Kap4). But UK chose to recommend VFR taking the same IFR altitudes, wich feels kind of odd for continental flyers. Actual setting are not in some unqualified internet databases, but in the official documents, to start with the AIP.

It is a pity we do not have a single and open data base, maybe housed at Eurocontrol for Europe, due to local small kingdoms, but thats the way it is today.