Exam Tips and Most Common Facts

Sovereignty vs Suzerainty

Sovereignty is absolute right from Article 1. Suzerainty is voluntary compliance. NOT interchangeable. Suzerainty has no article number.

Cabotage trap

Domestic carriage by foreign carrier. European Union internal routes by EU carriers are NOT cabotage.

Standard vs Recommended Practice

Standard uses "necessary" and "will conform." RP uses "desirable" and "will endeavour to conform."

State of Registry vs Operator

Registry issues Certificate of Airworthiness. Operator receives Article 83 bis transfer. Leasing questions test this distinction.

Pacta Sunt Servanda

Article 26 Vienna Convention. Every treaty binding and must be performed in GOOD FAITH. Foundational enforcement rule.

ICAO SARPs are Soft Law

Soft law internationally but become HARD LAW when State adopts domestically. PCARs mirroring Annex 6 IS hard law in Philippines.

Why States Comply

Reciprocity, reputation, self-interest, institutional pressure like USOAP, IOSA, EU safety lists, FAA IASA.

Article 3 bis

Adopted 1983 after KAL 007. Prohibits weapons against civil aircraft. Took 15 YEARS to enter force in 1998.

Philippines Founding Signatory

Original signatory 7 December 1944. One of 52 states. Signed under Commonwealth status before independence.

No State Has Denounced

Article 95. NO state has ever denounced Chicago Convention.

Article 90 Negative Consensus

Silence equals acceptance. Only MAJORITY voting NO can block new Standard.

Article 29 Seven Documents

Registration, Airworthiness, Crew Licenses, Journey Logbook, Radio License, Passenger List, Cargo Manifest.

Article 38 Differences

Standards require MUST comply OR notify ICAO. RPs require SHOULD comply. Non-notification is treaty violation.

Article 83 bis Leasing

Over 50% of world fleet leased. Ireland registered Airbus operated by Cebu Pacific may transfer oversight via Article 83 bis.

Article 89 Emergency

US closed airspace on 9

Warsaw vs Montreal

Warsaw: carrier presumed liable but HAS defense. Montreal Tier 1: NO defense below 128,821 SDR. Montreal Tier 2: UNLIMITED above.

5th Jurisdiction

Montreal Article 33. Passengers sue in HOME COUNTRY. Major innovation vs Warsaw.

Paris 1919

FIRST international air law convention. Established sovereignty. Created ICAN not ICAO. Allied states only.

Chicago 1944

52 original signatories. Entered force 4 April 1947. Turkey was 26th ratification. Created ICAO.

Warsaw 1929

First global liability. Cap ~$10,000

Hague Protocol 1955

Doubled Warsaw cap to ~$20,000.

Montreal 1999

Two-tier absolute liability. Supersedes Warsaw for 140+ states.

Tokyo 1963

Offences aboard aircraft.

Hague 1970

Hijacking. Extradite or prosecute.

Montreal 1971

Sabotage.

Beijing 2010

Post-9

Annexes with ONLY Standards

Annexes 2, 5, 7, 8. No Recommended Practices.

Annex 19

NEWEST Annex 2013. Consolidated SMS from Annexes 1, 6, 8, 11, 13, 14.

Annex 6 Part IV RPAS

1st Edition 2024. Applicability 26 November 2026.

Annex 1 Medical Classes

Class 1 = ATPL, CPL. Class 2 = PPL, GPL. Class 3 = ATC only. No medical for AMT, AMS.

Annex 1 Experience

PPL = 40hr. CPL = 200hr or 150hr at ATO. ATPL = 1,500hr.

Annex 2 Right-of-Way

Balloons over Gliders over Non-powered over Powered. Lower on final has priority.

Annex 2 High Seas

ICAO Rules apply WITHOUT EXCEPTION over high seas.

Annex 2 Emergency Squawks

7600 = Radio failure. 7700 = Emergency. 7500 = Hijack.

Annex 5 Wind Direction

To tower = MAGNETIC. On charts = TRUE. Tested directly on AELE.

Annex 6 Flight Duty

Max 1,000hr

Annex 8 C of A Lifecycle

Type Certificate → Production Certificate → C of A → Continued Airworthiness → ADs.

Annex 10 ADS-B

ADS-B Out transmissions are UNENCRYPTED. Known cybersecurity vulnerability.

Annex 13 Reports

Preliminary within 30 days for MTOW >2,250kg or turbojet. Final target 12 months.

Annex 13 Safety Recommendations

Shall NOT create presumption of liability or determine fault.

Annex 14 RESA

Minimum 90m. Recommended 240m for Code 3

Annex 14 PAPI

2W+2R = ON GLIDE PATH. Critical exam fact.

Annex 14 RFF

Target 2 MINUTES. Maximum 3 MINUTES.

Annex 14 Threshold Stripes

18m=4, 23m=6, 30m=8, 45m=12, 60m+=16. Common exam question.

Annex 14 Sign Colours

Mandatory = WHITE on RED. Location = YELLOW on BLACK. Direction = BLACK on YELLOW. NO red information sign.

Annex 14 Taxiway Patterns

Pattern A = 2 solid + 2 dashed = CAT I. Pattern B = 6 solid ladder = CAT II

Annex 16 Chapter 14

Strictest noise. From 2017. 7 EPNDB below Chapter 4.

Annex 18 Lithium Batteries

≤100Wh = cabin carry-on. 100-160Wh = operator approval. >160Wh = PROHIBITED. Standalone lithium batteries FORBIDDEN as cargo on passenger aircraft.

JAA vs EASA

JAA had NO binding authority. EASA HAS binding authority. EU law automatically applicable.

No EASA Part 43

FAR Part 43 is US-ONLY. EASA has NO equivalent. Split across Part-M, Part-145, Part-66, Part-CAMO.

Annual vs 100-Hour

Annual requires IA holder. 100-hour can be done by A&P. Classic exam trap.

ODA vs DOA

ODA (FAA) = DOA (EASA). Boeing 737 MAX controversy questioned FAA ODA adequacy under Annex 8.

Post-Brexit

UK CAA separate from EASA. UK Part 145 ≠ EASA Part 145. Separate approvals.

Philippines Dualist

Treaties require implementing legislation. PCARs ARE implementing regulations for ICAO Annexes.

PCAR Structure

Part 1 = definitions. Part 2 = personnel licensing (Annex 1). Part 5 = airworthiness (Annex 8). Part 6 = AMO (Annex 8).

Manoeuvring vs Movement

Manoeuvring EXCLUDES apron. Movement INCLUDES everything. Tested directly.

PCN Five Parts

Number

ACN > PCN

Operate under LIMITATIONS only.

TODA Rule

≤1.5 × TORA. Clearway max = ½ TORA. Stopway only in ASDA not LDA.

Precision vs Non-Precision

MDA = non-precision. DA

CAT II

III Requirements

OLS Slopes

Approach = 2%. Conical = 5%. Transitional = 14.3% (1:7). Take-off = 2%. IHS = flat at 45m.

PAPI On Path

2W+2R = ON GLIDE PATH. 4W = TOO HIGH. 4R = TOO LOW. GO AROUND.

Lighting Colours

Approach = WHITE. Edge = WHITE (YELLOW last 600m). Threshold = GREEN. End = RED. Taxiway edge = BLUE. Taxiway CL = GREEN. Stop bar = RED. RGL = FLASHING YELLOW.

1st and 2nd Freedoms

Covered by IASTA. Widely ratified.

3rd-9th Freedoms

Negotiated bilaterally via Air Services Agreements.

ASEAN Open Skies

Opens 3rd and 4th Freedom routes. Does NOT grant cabotage.