Air Law (Third Edition Sep 2022) – ISBN 9781800350496
Nevertheless, many student pilots approach the subject with a heavy heart and too often Air Law is viewed as a largely academic and boring subject, best learnt ‘by rote’ purely to pass the exam, rather than acquiring any practical knowledge. This misconception was not aided by the original EASA PPL/LAPL Air Law syllabus, which contained much material that was largely irrelevant to non-commercial, VFR flight in the average General Aviation (GA) aircraft and offered little in the way of useful day-to-day aeronautical knowledge.
This shortcoming was addressed in the new 2015 CAA / EASA PPL and LAPL syllabi, produced by a team put together by the UK CAA and designed to bring PPL and LAPL training into line with the modern flying environment. In particular, the new syllabi focuses the Theoretical Knowledge elements of the courses on up-to-date and practical aeronautical knowledge, rather than requiring the pilot to learn overly academic and irrelevant material with little application in real world flying. This same approach is now also being applied to Theoretical Knowledge for professional pilot licences, such as the CPL, ATPL and MPL.
To make the best of this new approach to aviation Theoretical Knowledge requires new training material for the student pilot and Aeronautical Knowledge – Air Law is the first of a brand-new series of training manuals, designed from the beginning to take full advantage of this new methodology in aviation training. Rather than merely making revisions to an existing publication, AFE has produced a totally new training manual for Air Law, fully aligned with the 2015 CAA / EASA PPL and LAPL syllabi and offering the pilot a comprehensive understanding of modern air law and how to apply aviation procedures, rules and regulations in practice.
Aeronautical Knowledge – Air Law is a large format, full-colour publication, illustrated throughout with full colour diagrams, line drawings and photographs. The clean page design is based on modern instructional concepts to make the subject matter as accessible as possible and straight-forward to assimilate. Above all, the text and illustration avoids the approach of those older books which adopt a ‘cut and paste’ style of merely copying aviation regulation into print, word for word, without meaningful explanation. Instead the purpose and practical application of aviation regulations and procedures is explained, giving the pilot a proper understanding of Air Law and how to apply the procedures in practice. Throughout the focus is on the non-commercial VFR operation of General Aviation (GA) aircraft.
A mark of this new approach is the range of modern-world and safety-related subjects covered in Aeronautical Knowledge – Air Law, including:
Pre‐flight Actions
Avoiding Collisions and Rights of Way
Operation in the Vicinity of Aerodromes
Preventing Runway Incursion
Radio Mandatory Zones (RMZ)
Transponder Mandatory Zones (TMZ)
Medical certificates
The third edition of Aeronautical Knowledge – Air Law is also the only fully up-to-date book on the subject for PPL, LAPL and NPPL pilots and student pilots, fully revised to accurately reflect the situation since the UK left EASA and covering the requirements of both UK CAA and EASA rules and regulations.
Written by a current EASA Fight Instructor and established aviation author of over 25 training manuals since 1992, who was also closely involved in the creation of the 2015 EASA PPL and LAPL syllabi, Aeronautical Knowledge – Air Law marks the beginning of a fresh and modern approach to aviation Theoretical Knowledge training. It is the first of a series of manuals delivering the real-world Theoretical Knowledge today’s pilots need – not just to pass the relevant exams, but also to operate safely and proficiently in the modern aviation environment.
Aeronautical Knowledge – Air Law Contents
AL1 International Aviation Law
AL2 Standardised Rules of the Air
AL3 Aerodromes
AL4 Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) and Visual Flight Rules (VFR)
AL5 Airspace Classifications
AL6 Altimeter Setting Procedures
AL7 Air Traffic Services
AL8 Aeronautical Information Service (AIS)
AL9 Urgency and Distress Procedures
AL10 Pilot Licensing
AL11 National Procedures
Aeronautical Knowledge – Air Law is suitable for use in conjunction with training courses for the following pilot licences:
UK CAA Private Pilot Licence (PPL) (Aeroplane and Helicopter)
UK CAA Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) (Aeroplane and Helicopter)
EASA Private Pilot Licence (PPL) (Aeroplane and Helicopter)
EASA Light Aircraft Pilot Licence (LAPL) (Aeroplane and Helicopter)
UK National PPL (NPPL)
ICAO‐compliant PPL or equivalent licence
Core knowledge for CAA and EASA Commercial Pilot Licence (CPL)
Foundation knowledge for CAA and EASA Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL)
Foundation knowledge for CAA and EASA Multi‐crew Pilot Licence (MPL)
This publication also provides foundation knowledge for an Air Transport Operations/Management degree or similar academic qualification.
About the Author
Jeremy M Pratt took his first flying lesson at the age of 14, paid for by working in the hangar and radio unit at his local airfield. He gained his pilot’s licence shortly after his 18th birthday after being awarded an Esso/Air League Flying Scholarship, became a flying instructor at 19 and a commercial pilot at the age of 20.
Since then he has taught (and continues to teach) pilots for private and professional licences and associated ratings. He has also flown General Aviation aircraft professionally in various other roles and has owned and co-owned several General Aviation aircraft. His first flying training books were published in 1992, since then they have sold hundreds of thousands of copies world-wide and been translated into a number of languages. In-all Jeremy M Pratt has authored and co-authored around 25 aviation training books as well as contributing to various aviation publications, including Flight Training News (FTN).
Jeremy M Pratt was part of the team that produced the 2015 CAA / EASA PPL and LAPL syllabi, he sits on the CAA’s PPL Theoretical Knowledge Working Group as well as other aviation training and safety committees and working groups.