Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Rules of the Air (Amendment) Regulations 2010 and come into force on 14th April 2010.

Amendment to Rule 6 (exemptions from the low flying prohibitions)

2. In rule 6 of the Rules of the Air set out in Schedule 1 to the Rules of the Air Regulations 2007( 2 ), after paragraph (a) insert—

“ (aa) Landing and taking off at a training aerodrome

(i) Any aeroplane of which the maximum total weight authorised does not exceed 2730 kg shall be exempt from the low flying prohibitions in so far as it is flying in accordance with normal aviation practice in the circumstances specified in sub-paragraph (iii).

(ii) Any helicopter or gyroplane of which the maximum total weight authorised does not exceed 3175 kg shall be exempt from the low flying prohibitions in so far as it is flying in accordance with normal aviation practice in the circumstances specified in sub-paragraph (iii).

(iii) An aeroplane or helicopter or gyroplane flies in the circumstances specified in this sub-paragraph if—

(aa) it is flying for the purpose of taking off from, landing at or practising approaches to landing at a training aerodrome; and

(bb) the flight is one on which instruction in flying is being given to a person or a flying test is being performed by a person for the purpose of becoming qualified for the grant of a pilot’s licence or the inclusion or variation of an aircraft rating, a night rating or a night qualification in a licence.

(iv) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (iii), a “training aerodrome” means an aerodrome which the commander of the aircraft is satisfied on reasonable grounds has adequate facilities for the safe conduct of flights on which instruction in flying is being given to a person for the purpose of becoming qualified for the grant of a pilot’s licence or the inclusion or variation of any rating or qualification in the licence. ” .