During the work on SID and STAR phraseology changes and cancellation of level restrictions, fundamental issues arose regarding ICAO standards and procedures for terrain and obstacle clearance.
ICAO provisions presently have problems:
- Currently most responsibility lies with pilots.
- Implied responsibility.
- Duty of care under surveillance when an aircraft leaves surveillance airspace.
- Charting has shortcomings.
- Questionable language regarding visual approaches.
“The objectives of the air traffic control service as prescribed in Annex 11 do not include prevention of collision with terrain. The procedures prescribed in this document do not relieve pilots of their responsibility to ensure that any clearances issued by air traffic control units are safe in this respect. When an IFR flight is vectored or is given a direct routing which takes the aircraft off an ATS route, the procedures in Chapter 8, 8.6.5.2 apply”
The note under 8.6.5.2 appears in several places in ICAO documents. It does not specify how a pilot should undertake this task.
Terrain clearance while vectoring is obviously an ATC responsibility. What can be unclear is who is responsible in direct routing (off ATS route) situations.
IFATCA Policy is:The pilot-in-command is always responsible for the safety of the flight, which includes maintaining a safe vertical distance above terrain and obstacles at all times. ATCOs are responsible to support the pilot-in command by assigning levels which are not lower than the minimum levels provided by the ATC unit. ICAO provisions should provide clear and unambiguous language regarding the pilot-in-command responsibility for maintaining a safe vertical distance above terrain and obstacles. ATC units shall provide ATCOs with the minimum level(s) which may be assigned to IFR flights in their area of jurisdiction. Where any corrections for the effects of temperature, pressure and/or wind are necessary, such corrections shall be made by the ATC unit and the corrected level shall be provided to the ATCO. |
| See: Resolution B1, B2 – WP 85 – Gran Canaria 2014, Resolution B9 – WP 92 – Sofia 2015, Resolution B30 – WP 60 – Virtual 2022, WP 100 – Singapore 2024 |
Last Update: December 13, 2024