Specifications for flight information regions, control areas, control zones and flight information zones

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/469

(a) FLIGHT INFORMATION REGIONS

Flight information regions as defined in point 23 of Article 2 to Regulation (EC) No 549/2004 shall:

(1) cover the whole of the air route structure to be served by such regions; and

(2) include all airspace within its horizontal limits, except when limited by an upper flight information region.

Member States shall retain their responsibilities towards the ICAO within the geographical limits of the flight information regions entrusted to them by the ICAO on the date of entry into force of this Regulation.

(b) CONTROL AREAS

(1) Control areas shall be delineated so as to encompass sufficient airspace to contain the flight paths of those instrument flight rules (IFR) flights or portions thereof to which the applicable parts of the air traffic control (ATC) service are provided, taking into account the capabilities of the navigation aids normally used in that area.

(2) A lower limit of a control area shall be established at a height above the ground or water of not less than 200 m (700 ft), unless otherwise prescribed by the competent authority.

(3) An upper limit of a control area shall be established when either:

(i) ATC service will not be provided above such upper limit; or

(ii) the control area is situated below an upper control area, in which case, the upper limit shall coincide with the lower limit of the upper control area.

(c) CONTROL ZONES

(1) The horizontal limits of a control zone shall encompass at least those portions of the airspace, which are not within control areas that contain the paths of IFR flights arriving at and departing from aerodromes to be used under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC).

(2) If located within the horizontal limits of a control area, the control zone shall extend upwards from the surface of the earth to at least the lower limit of the control area.

(d) FLIGHT INFORMATION ZONES

(1) The horizontal limits of a flight information zone shall encompass at least those portions of the airspace, which are neither within control areas nor within control zone, that contain the paths of IFR and/or VFR flights arriving at and departing from aerodromes.

(2) If located within the horizontal limits of a control area, the flight information zone shall extend upwards from the surface of the earth to at least the lower limit of the control area.

LIMITED BY AN UPPER FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION

When limited by an upper flight information region, the lower limit specified for the upper flight information region should constitute the upper vertical limit of the flight information region and should coincide with a VFR cruising level as specified in the tables in Appendix 3 to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.

AMC1 SECTION I — (b) CONTROL AREAS

ED Decision 2020/008/R

UPPER LIMITS

When established, the upper limits of a control area should coincide with a VFR cruising level of the tables in Appendix 3 to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.

GM1 SECTION I — (b) CONTROL AREAS

ED Decision 2020/008/R

GENERAL

(a) When the lower limit of a control area is above 900 m (3 000 ft) mean sea level (MSL), it should coincide with a VFR cruising level as specified in the tables in Appendix 3 to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.

(b) In a given control area, the lower limit may be established non-uniformly.

(c) The selected VFR cruising level of the lower limit of a control area should be such that expected local atmospheric pressure variations do not result in a lowering of this limit to a height of less than 200 m (700 ft) above ground or water.

(d) In a control area other than one formed by a system of airways, a system of routes may be established to facilitate the provision of air traffic control.

AMC1 SECTION I — (c) CONTROL ZONES

ED Decision 2020/008/R

HORIZONTAL LIMITS

The horizontal limits of a control zone should extend to at least 9.3 km (5 NM) from the centre of the aerodrome or aerodromes concerned in the directions from which approaches will be made.

GM1 SECTION I — (c) CONTROL ZONES

ED Decision 2020/008/R

GENERAL

(a) If a control zone is located outside of the horizontal limits of a control area, an upper limit should be established.

(b) An upper limit higher than the lower limit of the overlying control area may be established when desired.

(c) If it is desired to establish the upper limit of a control zone at a level higher than the lower limit of the control area established above it, or if the control zone is located outside of the lateral limits of a control area, its upper limit should be established at a level which can easily be identified by pilots. When this limit is above 900 m (3 000 ft) MSL, it should coincide with a VFR cruising level as specified in the tables in Appendix 3 to Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012.

(d) The selected VFR cruising level of the upper limit of a control zone should be such that the expected local atmospheric pressure variations do not result in a lowering of this limit to a height of less than 200 m (700 ft) above ground or water.

(e) A control zone may include two or more aerodromes situated close together.

(f) When designing the lateral limits of control zones, aircraft holding in the vicinity of aerodromes are considered as arriving aircraft.