Russia relaxes lower airspace rules for business and general aviation flights

Titlu: Russia relaxes lower airspace rules for business and general aviation flights
Sursa: Flightglobal
Autor: Howard Gethin
Data: 27/04/2010

Citat :

The Russian authorities moved to stimulate development of general and business aviation by easing air traffic requirements. They are to allow uncontrolled visual flight rules operations at low level and a notification system for higher levels.

Alexander Neradko, head of the Federal Air Transport Agency, says: "All Russian airspace will be divided into three classes. The first two classes will be administered according to a permit system, as before. These two classes cover high-altitude airspace - over 8,100m [26,570ft] as well as slightly lower altitudes for long-distance aircraft flying at high speeds."

The third class of airspace will be administered according to a notification system as opposed to a permit system. This mainly applies to small aircraft and helicopters. Pilots previously had to wait 24h for permission after applying, now they will be able to use Russian airspace after about 1h after notifying authorities about their flight. This corresponds to rules set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and is bound to facilitate the development of private aviation in Russia.

The rules, published on 11 March, include allowance for aircraft to operate free of air traffic control in visual flight rules in airspace below 9.800ft - so-called Class G airspace - if they are flying at less than 245kt (450km/h).

The move has been met with scepticism by operators, who have long called for the air traffic system to be reformed to resemble that used elsewhere in the world.

Leonid Koshelev, head of the United Business Aviation Association, says the new rules, due to come into force in November, are insufficient without a regulatory system in place to govern general aviation in Russia, in which he says the government seems unwilling to get involved.

He says the government needs to create a mechanism to guarantee flight safety. "It's as if they let everyone drive on the roads without any traffic police," Koshelev says. "There will be no development of general aviation in Russia without this. Private flyers here are totally unprepared for flying like this without safety mechanisms. If you ask people flying here, they think that there will not be much change without reform and restructuring of the authorities, and there's doubt that they want to do it."

Several schemes involving private and government air services have fallen foul of the air traffic and regulatory regime in Russia in the past few years. A Moscow city government plan to introduce helicopter air taxis to the city's business district was scrapped after difficulties with air traffic regulations. A ban remains on most flights over the Russian capital.

Vad ca pana si rusii, care au inventat sistemul asta cretinoid de administrare a spatiului aerian, sint pe cale sa renunte la el. Romania, insa, nu renunta. La noi COAP-ul taie si spanzura in continuare... Vom fi ultima reduta comunista de genul asta din Eurasia... In Romania totul este facut pentru a pune bete in roate aviatiei private...

Titlu: Russia considers criminal sanctions against rule-breaking GA flyers
Sursa: flightglobal
Autor: ***
Data: 24/08/2010

Citat :

Russia may be preparing for a new era of relatively free skies, but air crews who fall foul of an air code designed to promote light aircraft and helicopter use have been warned.

Rosaviatsiya, the state aviation authority, has proposed to the Russian transport ministry that deliberate transgressors should face criminal prosecution. The proposal is in anticipation of the introduction on 1 November of new, more liberal rules for Russian airspace which will mainly affect general aviation pilots and helicopter operators in lower airspace.

Previously, pilots sent in an application and waited 24h for permission to be granted. Now, pilots will simply notify the authorities about their flight and be able to use Russian airspace after about an hour.

Rosaviatsiya introduced the new rules with the intention of promoting GA activity in Russia, which has long been stifled by restrictive airspace regulations and registration issues.

It is impossible not to notice the recent growth in accidents in general aviation which has been caused by deliberate violations of the air code, which is intended to protect flight safety, Rosaviatsiya says.

The agency cited the example of a light aircraft that crashed in August 2010 in Bashkortostan, killing the pilot. When the wreckage was examined, it was found that the aircraft was not on the state register, and did not have an airworthiness certificate, despite having the registration number RA-0070G which belonged to a different aircraft.

Rosaviatsiya notes that deliberate violations of the air code differ notably from unintentional violations by aircrew. It says conscientious pilots need not fear criminal prosecution or the existing fines regime for minor, unintentional infractions.