1.  These Regulations may be cited as the Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control (Fourth Amendment) Regulations 1987 and shall come into force on 17th December 1987.

2.  The Schedule to the Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control Regulations 1985(2) shall be amended as follows:-

(1) In rule 5(1)(a)(i) after the words "in the event of failure of a power unit" there shall be inserted the following -

"and if such an aircraft is towing a banner such height shall be calculated on the basis that the banner shall not be dropped within the congested area".

(2) In rule 5(1)(d)(ii), after the words "in the event of the failure of a power unit" there shall be inserted the following -

"and if such an aircraft is towing a banner such height shall be calculated on the basis that the banner shall not be dropped within 3000ft of the assembly".

(3) For rule 9 there shall be substituted the following -

"Display of lights by aircraft

9-(1) (a) By night an aircraft shall display such of the lights specified in these Rules as may be appropriate to the circumstances of the case, and shall not display any other lights which might obscure or otherwise impair the visibility of, or be mistaken for, such lights.

(b)By day an aircraft fitted with an anti-collision light shall display such a light in flight.

(2) A flying machine on a United Kingdom aerodrome shall:-

(a)display by night either the lights which it would be required to display when flying or the lights specified in rule 11(2)(c) of these Rules unless it is stationary on the apron or part of the aerodrome provided for the maintenance of aircraft;

(b)display when stationary on the apron by day or night with engines running a red anti-collision light, if fitted.

(3) Notwithstanding the provisions of this section of these Rules the commander of an aircraft may switch off or reduce the intensity of any flashing light fitted to the aircraft if such a light does or is likely to :

(a)adversely affect the performance of the duties of any member of the flight crew; or

(b)subject an outside observer to unreasonable dazzle.".

(4) For rule 10 there shall be substituted the following -

"Failure of navigation and anti-collision lights

10-(1) In the United Kingdom, in the event of the failure of any light which is required by these Rules to be displayed at night, if the light cannot be immediately repaired or replaced the aircraft shall not depart from the aerodrome and, if in flight, shall land as soon as in the opinion of the commander of the aircraft it can safely do so, unless authorised by the appropriate air traffic control unit to continue its flight.

(2) In the United Kingdom, in the event of a failure of an anti-collision light when flying by day, an aircraft may continue to fly by day provided that the light is repaired at the earliest practicable opportunity.".

(5) For rule 11(1) there shall be substituted the following -

"11-(1) A flying machine when flying at night shall display lights as follows :-

(a)in the case of a flying machine registered in the United Kingdom having a maximum total weight authorised of more than 5700kg or any other flying machine registered in the United Kingdom which conforms to a type first issued with a type certificate on or after 1st April 1988 the system of lights in paragraph (2)(b) of this rule;

(b)in the case of a flying machine registered in the United Kingdom which conforms to a type first issued with a type certificate before 1st April 1988 having a maximum total weight authorised of 5700kg or less, any one of the following systems of lights :-

(i)that specified in paragraph (2)(a) of this rule, or that specified in paragraph (2)(b); or

(ii)that specified in paragraph (2)(d), excluding sub-paragraph (ii);

(c)in the case of any other flying machine one of the systems of lights specified in paragraph (2) of this rule.".

(6) For rule 11(2)(a) there shall be substituted the following -

"(a)(i)a steady green light of at least five candela showing to the starboard side through an angle of 110 degrees from dead ahead in the horizontal plane; and

(ii)a steady red light of at least five candela showing to the port side through an angle of 110 degrees from dead ahead in the horizontal plane; and

(iii)a steady white light of at least three candela showing through angles of 70 degrees from dead astern to each side in the horizontal plane.".

(7) For rule 15(1) there shall be substituted the following -

"(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this rule, an airship while flying at night shall display the following lights :-

(a)a steady white light of at least five candela showing through angles of 110 degrees from dead ahead to each side in the horizontal plane;

(b)a steady green light of at least five candela showing to the starboard side through an angle of 110 degrees from dead ahead in the horizontal plane;

(c)a steady red light of at least five candela showing to the port side through an angle of 110 degrees from dead ahead in the horizontal plane;

(d)a steady white light of at least five candela showing through angles of 70 degrees from dead astern to each side in the horizontal plane; and

(e)an anti-collision light.".

(8) In rule 15(3) for the words "An airship, while moored within the United Kingdom by night, shall display the following lights" shall be substituted the words "An airship, while moored within the United Kingdom by night, shall display the following steady lights".

(9) In rule 21 prior to the words "In relation to flights" there shall be inserted the words "Subject to Rule 21A of these Rules".

(10) After rule 21 there shall be inserted the following new rule -

"Flight by gliders in notified airspace

21A.  Rule 21 of these Rules shall not apply to the commander of a glider which is flying in controlled airspace notified for the purposes of this rule if the glider is flown in accordance with conditions such as may also be notified for the purposes of this rule in respect of that controlled airspace.".

(11) In Column 1 of the Table to rule 36(1) immediately below "Aberdeen" there shall be inserted "Belfast/Aldergrove" and in Column 2 adjacent thereto there shall be inserted "(3)(a) and (b)".

(12) In rule 50 for the words "article 66(1)(a)(iii)" there shall be substituted the words "article 69(1)(a)(iii)".

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Rules of the Air and Air Traffic Control Regulations 1985. The principal changes are :

(1) Rule 5 is amended so that when calculating the ability of an aircraft to alight clear of a congested area or an assembly in the open air of more than 1000 persons, if the aircraft is towing a banner, the calculation must be done on the basis that the banner will not be jettisoned whilst over the congested area or within 3000ft of such an assembly (regulation 2(1) and (2)).

(2) Rule 9 is amended to require aircraft fitted with an anti-collision light to display such a light in flight by day, to require an aircraft to display specified lights at night whilst on the ground unless it is stationary in a specified part of an aerodrome, to require an aircraft to display an anti-collision light when stationary on the apron of an aerodrome with its engines running and to permit any flashing light to be switched off or reduced in intensity if it may adversely affect members of the flight crew or outside observers (regulation 2(3)).

(3) Rule 10 is amended to permit an aircraft to continue to fly by day when its anti-collision light has failed subject to a specified condition (regulation 2(4)).

(4) Rule 11 is amended to impose the requirements previously applying to aircraft having a maximum total weight authorised of more than 5700kg also on any other flying machine of a type first certified on or after 1st April 1988 (regulation 2(5) and (6)).

(5) Rule 15 is amended to require an airship to display an anti-collision light while flying at night (regulation 2(7)).

(6) A new rule 21A is added to permit gliders to enter specified airspace which is notified for the purpose of rule 21 without complying with the provision of rule 21 subject to compliance with such conditions as may be notified for the purpose of rule 21A (regulation 2(10)).

(7) Rule 36 is amended to establish Special Rules Airspace at Belfast/Aldergrove Airport (regulation 2(11)).