China Civil UAV Theory Questions — Questions 61–70

The airport flight control area is the area designated for flight activities in an airport area. Source: Basic Rules of Flight, §43: an airport area is an airport and a defined range of space around it in which various flight airspaces are established. An airport area shall be designated taking into account the terrain around the airport, the types of aircraft using the airport and the nature of their missions, the positions of nearby airports and runway directions, the positions of nearby national (border) areas, prohibited areas, firing ranges or launch sites, air routes and air corridors, and public interest and safety. Where adjacent airports are too close together, a single airport area may be designated for them. The boundary of an airport area usually coincides with that of the airport flight (tower) control area.

Entry altitude, flight conditions, and weather conditions are all relevant to flight safety and must all be reported. Source: Basic Rules of Flight, §58: flight into an airport area under complex meteorological conditions must be permitted by the air traffic controller or flight commander. When permitting an aircraft to enter an airport area, the air traffic controller or flight commander shall promptly inform the pilot of: (1) the entry flight altitude; (2) flight conditions within the airport area; (3) horizontal visibility or runway visual range, weather phenomena and cloud base height above the airport, wind direction and speed on the ground and at cloud-penetration altitudes, field pressure or corrected sea-level pressure, or zero-degree altitude, and ground air temperature; (4) the instrument approach or cloud-penetration method and landing heading.

General Aviation Flight Control Regulations, §16: a flight plan application shall be submitted by 15:00 on the day before the intended flight; the flight control department shall approve or deny it by 21:00 on the day before the intended flight and notify the applicant. For emergency rescue, disaster relief, weather modification, or other urgent missions, a temporary flight plan application may be submitted, no later than 1 hour before the intended flight; the flight control department shall approve or deny it 15 minutes before the intended takeoff time and notify the applicant.

Study note: Class A, above 6,000 m, no visual flight; Class B, below 6,000 m; Class C, approach; Class D, tower.

Per the regulation text, merging simplifies management. Source: Basic Rules of Flight, §43: … Where adjacent airports are too close together, a single airport area may be designated for them. The boundary of an airport area usually coincides with that of the airport flight (tower) control area.

Study note: no “international” qualifier — flight safety does not distinguish domestic from international; wherever there is a fixed airway or air route, alternate airports are needed. Source: Basic Rules of Flight, §65: necessary surveillance and navigation equipment shall be provided along air routes and fixed airway areas. Along air routes and fixed airways there shall be alternate airports. Alternate airports shall have the necessary equipment and good communications, navigation, and meteorological support. A military airport serving as a fixed alternate airport for civil aircraft, or a civil airport serving as a fixed alternate airport for military aircraft, shall be approved in accordance with state regulations.

Study note: air route width 20 km; limited section 8 km; air corridor 10 km. Source: Basic Rules of Flight, §14: airport flight airspace shall be designated outside air routes and air corridors. The boundary of instrument (in-cloud) flight airspace shall be no less than 10 km from the boundaries of air routes, air corridors, and other airspaces. …

Study note: look for one “area” and one “sub-area.” Source: Basic Rules of Flight, §30: within the People's Republic of China, by flight control responsibility, the division is: flight control areas, flight control sub-areas, and airport flight control areas. Air routes, airway areas, and civil airport areas are provided with high-altitude control areas, medium/low-altitude control areas, terminal (approach) control areas, and airport tower control areas.

Study note: an option naming both the State Council and the Central Military Commission is the answer. The Basic Rules of Flight of the People's Republic of China were promulgated by the State Council of the People's Republic of China and the Central Military Commission of the People's Republic of China.

General Aviation Flight Control Regulations, §16: a flight plan application shall be submitted by 15:00 on the day before the intended flight; the flight control department shall approve or deny it by 21:00 on the day before the intended flight and notify the applicant. For emergency rescue, disaster relief, weather modification, or other urgent missions, a temporary flight plan application may be submitted, no later than 1 hour before the intended flight; the flight control department shall approve or deny it 15 minutes before the intended takeoff time and notify the applicant.