Changes to SERA

SERA 2025 Updates: New Rules, Clearer Procedures, Safer Skies

As part of EASA’s summer safety campaign, we’re spotlighting key regulatory updates that matter to our operations.

One of the most important: The 2025 updates to the Standardised European Rules of the Air (SERA).EASA has introduced changes to align more closely with ICAO amendments, to simplify regulation maintenance, and to better support operational safety across Europe.

Here’s a straight-talking guide to what’s changed in SERA, who it affects, and what it means for organisations in the aviation community.

🧩 Key Structural Changes

• Article 2 (Definitions) Updated: New and clarified definitions for key terms like Data Accuracy, Meteorological Watch Office, Runway Condition Report, and Communicable Disease.
• Article 3 and 5 Updates: From 1 May 2025, Article 5 has been removed. Improved references to applicable rules and removed outdated supplements, to align fully with ICAO amendments and newer EU regulations.The Supplement to the Annex containing the commonly agreed differences from ICAO provisions is no longer maintained in the regulation but in separate compliance checklists published on the EASA website.
• Alignment with ICAO Amendments: SERA now incorporates:
  • Amendment 45 to Annex 2
  • Amendment 52 to Annex 11
  • Amendments 7-A, 7-B, 8, and parts of 9 to PANS-ATM (Doc 4444)
  • Updates from ICAO Doc 7030 (Regional Procedures)

Impact:

• Greater consistency with international procedures.
• Easier cross-border operations for airlines and ATC.

✈️ Operational Focus Areas 

1. Position Uncertainty on the Manoeuvring Area (SERA.3212)

Clearer procedures if an aircraft is uncertain of its position while taxiing, pilots must immediately notify ATC.

2. Visual Flight Rules (SERA.5005) and Special VFR (SERA.5010)

In these two points of SERA the requirements on special VFR and their flights in control zones are corrected.

3. Flight Plan Contents (SERA.4005)

Additional requirement on including the information on ballistic parachute recovery system in the filed flight plans, following safety recommendations after a 2016 accident (RANS S6, EC-YDQ).

4. Air Traffic Control Clearances (SERA.8015)

Additional requirements on flights partially subject to air traffic control clearances and read back of clearances by radio-equipped vehicle drivers.

5. Adherence to Current Flight Plan (SERA.8020)

Enhanced requirements on deviations from the current flight plan and intended changes the Mach number or true airspeed.

6. Radio Communication Failure (RCF) Procedures (SERA.8035 and 14083) 

📡 There are clear new requirements for what both flight crews and ATC units must do when communication fails in the airspace regulated by SERA:

The requirements detailed in SERA collected and organised the presently applicable ICAO radio communication failure procedures described in Annexes 2 and 10 Volume II, and PANS-ATM grouping the actions to address flight crews and air traffic controllers with two differences. The first difference is that IFR flights are required to set Mode A Code 7601 to inform the air traffic services unit about their intention to continue to fly in visual meteorological conditions and land at the nearest suitable aerodrome. The other difference is that there is a common time parameter of 20 minutes for both procedural and surveillance environment to be observed before adapting the speed and vertical profile in accordance with the filed flight plan, as amended by the modification and delay messages.

Flight Crew Actions:

• Set Mode A Code 7600 immediately to indicate radio failure.
• VFR Flights:
  • Fly in VMC conditions.
  • Land at the nearest suitable aerodrome.
  • Report arrival to the appropriate authority as soon as possible.
• IFR Flights:
  • Maintain the last assigned speed and level for 20 minutes after squawking 7600 if failure occurs outside controlled airspace.
  • Then proceed according to the filed flight plan.
  • If no limit points specified, rejoin the flight plan route at the next significant point.
  • Hold over the destination aerodrome, commence descent close to the ETA, perform the published instrument approach procedure, and land within 30 minutes after ETA.
• Landing in VMC:
  • If visual conditions are met, the crew must land as soon as possible.
  • In this case, set Mode A Code 7601 (VMC with communication failure).

ATC Actions:

• Service Based on Expected Procedures:ATC must provide services assuming the aircraft will follow the standard radio failure procedures based on their filed flight plan and operational expectations.
• Notify Other ATC Units:The ATC unit must immediately inform adjacent ATC units about the aircraft with lost communication and gather information about alternate aerodromes where the aircraft could divert.
• Re-established Communication:If communication with the aircraft is re-established, ATC must promptly inform the previous ATC units about the new status.
• Use of Visual Signals:Aircraft and ATC must revert to visual signals as specified in Appendix 1 if necessary to support safe handling on the ground or in controlled airspace.

✈️ Why This Matters

Radio communication failures are rare, but when they happen, every second counts.Clear, structured responses — by both crews and controllers — prevent unnecessary diversions, unsafe assumptions, and secondary emergencies.

Operational teams must ensure:

• Flight crews practice RCF scenarios in training.
• Dispatch and OCC teams understand the new flow of notifications.
• ATC liaisons are ready to coordinate information rapidly across units.

7.  Wake Turbulence (SERA.14090)

Specific communication procedures (SERA.14090) related to the wake turbulence category, weather deviation and clearances on standard instrument departure and standard instrument arrival. The latter has a significant effect on the phraseology to unambiguously indicate the constraints, where applicable.

8. Automatic Terminal Information Service (SERA.9010)

Updated ATIS procedures, reflecting the requirements on the reporting runway surface conditions.

9. On-board Aircraft Identification Setting (SERA.13015)

Clear obligations on aircraft operators for correct transponder code and ADS-B settings during flights. There is also the allowance to use of an additional specific call sign, if approved by the competent authority based on the requirements provided as means of compliance. The requirements in this point are applicable to both Mode S and ADS-B transmitters.

🌍 Public Health Focus (SERA.14100)

New Definition and Notification Procedures for Communicable Diseases:

• If a communicable disease is suspected on board, flight crews must report using specific phrases and follow national public health protocols.
• Supports faster handover to medical authorities on arrival.

📜 Appendices

• Appendix 1 (Signals) and Appendix 5 (Aircraft Observations) updated to reflect new ICAO standards.

🧑‍✈️ Who Needs to Know What?

✅ Final Thought: Communicate, Confirm, Comply

The theme running through the 2025 SERA updates is simple: better communication among the stakeholders and adherence to clear, internationally standardised procedures.

It’s another reminder that clarity and compliance are not just regulatory targets—they are the foundation of safe, predictable operations.