Aircraft shall be equipped with suitable instruments and with navigation equipment appropriate to the route to be flown.

Except when necessary for take-off or landing, an IFR flight shall be flown at a level that is not below the established minimum IFR altitude or, where no such minimum flight altitude has been established:

1. over a high terrain or in mountainous areas (if higher than 1500 M), at a level which is at least 600 M (2000 FT) above the highest obstacle located within 8 KM of the estimated position of the aircraft;
2. elsewhere than as specified in a), at a level which is at least 300 M (1000 FT) above the highest obstacle located within 8 KM of the estimated position of the aircraft.

Note: The estimated position of the aircraft will take account of the navigational accuracy which can be achieved on the relevant route segment, having regard to the navigational facilities available on the ground and in the aircraft.

The minimum flight altitudes are determined in accordance with relevant requirements of ICAO Annex 2 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation.

An aircraft electing to change the conduct of its flight from compliance with the instrument flight rules to compliance with the visual flight rules shall, if a flight plan was submitted, notify the appropriate air traffic services unit specifically that the IFR flight is cancelled and communicate thereto the changes to be made to its current flight plan.

The pilot shall only change from compliance with the instrument flight rules to compliance with visual flight rules if it is possible to anticipate that the flight will be terminated, or continued for a reasonable period of time in visual meteorological conditions, when so prescribed by appropriate flight operational manual.

An IFR flight operating in level flight outside of controlled airspace shall be flown at a cruising level appropriate to its track as specified in the table of cruising levels ENR 1.7, except when otherwise specified by the appropriate air traffic control unit for flights at or below 900 M (3 000 FT) above mean sea level.

An IFR flight operating outside controlled airspace but within or into areas, or along routes, designated by the appropriate ATS authority in accordance with 3.3.1.2 c) or d) of ICAO Annex 2 shall maintain an air-ground voice communication watch on the appropriate communications channel and establish two-way communication, as necessary, with air traffic control unit providing flight information service.

All IFR flights operating outside controlled airspace and required by the appropriate ATS authority to:

1. submit a flight plan, and
2. maintain an air ground voice communication watch on the appropriate communication channel and establish two-way communication, as necessary, with the air traffic services unit providing flight information service, and shall report position as specified in Annex 2, 3.6.3 for controlled flights.

Free Route Airspace (FRA): A specified airspace within which users may freely plan a route between a defined entry point and a defined exit point, with the possibility to route via intermediate (published or unpublished) way points, without reference to the ATS route network, subject to airspace availability. Within this airspace, flights remain subject to air traffic control.

South East Common Sky Initiative (SECSI): Initiative of several States/ANSPs on European Southeast Axis traffic flow to implement cross-border FRA.

South East Common Sky Initiative Free Route Airspace (SECSI FRA): The airspace volume consisting of airspace volumes defined in ENR 2.2 of the corresponding AIPs where cross-border application of FRA is implemented.

FRA Arrival Connecting Point (A): A published Significant Point to which FRA operations are allowed for arriving traffic to specific aerodromes. The FRA relevance of such points shall be included in ENR 4.1/4.4 columns as (A). Indications on their use for arrivals to specific aerodromes shall be notified via the RAD.

FRA Departure Connecting Point (D): A published Significant Point from which FRA operations are allowed for departing traffic from specific aerodromes. The FRA relevance of such points shall be included in ENR 4.1/4.4 columns as (D). Indications on their use for departures from specific aerodromes shall be notified via the RAD.

FRA Horizontal Entry Point (E): A published Significant Point on the horizontal boundary of the Free Route Airspace from which FRA operations are allowed. The FRA relevance of such points shall be included in ENR 4.1/4.4 columns as (E). If this point has specific conditions of utilization, this shall be described in the RAD.

FRA Horizontal Exit Point (X): A published Significant Point on the horizontal boundary of the Free Route Airspace to which FRA operations are allowed. The FRA relevance of such points shall be included in ENR 4.1/4.4 columns as (X). If this point has specific conditions of utilization, this shall be described in the RAD.



FRA Intermediate Point (I): A published Significant Point or unpublished point, defined by geographical coordinates or by bearing and distance via which FRA operations are allowed. If published, the FRA relevance of such points shall be included in ENR 4.1/4.4 columns as (I). If this point has specific conditions of utilization, this shall be described in the RAD.

Route Availability Document (RAD): A common reference document containing the policies, procedures and description for route and traffic orientation. It also includes route network and free route airspace utilisation rules and availability.

SECSI FRA flight procedures and flight planning procedures are published in ENR 1.10 of the corresponding AIPs.

All SESCI FRA constraints, exceptions, limitations and restrictions, if any will be published via the RAD and promulgated in accordance with ENR 1.10