ENR 1.3  Instrument flight rules

1.  General

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

2.  IFR flight plan

2.1 See ENR 1.10 "Flight planning".
2.2 Terminate the flight plan as soon as practicable on completion of any flight at an aerodrome without ATS.
2.3 Each pilot-in-command of an aircraft shall, when an IFR flight plan has been submitted, adhere to the current flight plan submitted, or the applicable portion of a current flight plan submitted, unless:

  1. a request for change has been made and clearance obtained from an appropriate ATC unit;

  2. an emergency situation arises which necessitates immediate action to deviate from the flight plan.

2.4 Each pilot-in-command of an aircraft operating under IFR shall advice an appropriate ATS unit on the following, in the event of an inadvertent departure from the current flight plan:

  1. any deviation from track;

  2. any variation of 5% or more of the true airspeed or any variation of 0.01 or more of the Mach number given in the flight plan;

  3. a revised ETA when the estimated ETA to the next reporting point notified to the ATS unit is found to be in error by more than two minutes.

3.  Take-off and landing under IFR

3.1  Instrument approaches to aerodrome
3.1.1 When an instrument approach procedure to an aerodrome is necessary, each pilot-in-command of an aircraft operating under IFR shall use a standard instrument approach procedure.
3.2  Authorised DA, DH or MDA
3.2.1 When the instrument approach procedure required by paragraph 3.1.1 provides for and requires the use of a DA, DH or MDA, each pilot-in-command shall use the DA, DH or MDA that is the highest of the following:

  1. the DA, DH or MDA prescribed by the instrument approach procedure;

  2. the DA, DH or MDA prescribed for the pilot-in-command;

  3. the DA, DH or MDA for which the aircraft is equipped.

3.3  Operation below DA, DH or MDA
3.3.1 Where a DA, DH or MDA is applicable, no pilot-in-command shall operate an aircraft at any aerodrome below the MDA, or continue an instrument approach procedure below the DA or DH prescribed in paragraph 3.2.1, unless:

  1. the aircraft is continuously in a position from which a descent to landing on the intended runway can be made at a normal rate of descent using normal maneuvers that will allow touchdown to occur within the touchdown zone of the runway of intended landing;

  2. the flight visibility is not less than the visibility prescribed for the instrument approach procedure being used.

3.4  Landing
3.4.1 A pilot-in-command shall not land an aircraft when the flight visibility is less than the visibility prescribed for the instrument approach procedure used.
3.5  Missed approach procedure
3.5.1 Each pilot-in-command shall immediately execute the missed approach procedure prescribed under if:

  1. the requirements of paragraph 3.3.1 are not met at either of the following times:

    1. when the aircraft is being operated below MDA;

    2. upon arrival at the missed approach point, including a DA or DH where a DA or DH is specified and its use is required, and any time after that until touchdown;

  2. an identifiable part of the aerodrome is not distinctly visible to the pilot during a circling maneuver at or above MDA.

3.6  Take-off Minima
3.6.1 Except provided in paragraph 3.7, a pilot-in-command of an aircraft shall not take-off from an aerodrome under IFR unless weather conditions are:

  1. above the weather minima for IFR take-off prescribed for the aerodrome;

  2. if weather minima for IFR take-off are not prescribed for a particular aerodrome, a ceiling of at least 100 M and above 1500 M visibility.

3.7  Reduced Take-off Minima
3.7.1 A pilot-in-command of an aircraft may take-off under IFR at an aerodrome at a take-off minima of zero cloud ceiling and visibility at or above 800 M provided that:

  1. The RWY to be used has centre line marking or centre line lighting;

  2. The take-off weather visibility is confirmed by the pilot-in-command by observation of the RWY centre line marking or centre line lighting;

  3. Authorises reduced take-off minima on the RWY to be used;

  4. Any obstacles in the take-off flight path are taken into account;

  5. If the aircraft is two-engine propeller-driven aeroplane, the aircraft is equipped with an operative auto-feather or auto-course system.

4.  IFR flight level

4.1 See ENR 1.7 "Altimeter setting procedures".
4.2 Paragraph 1.3 and paragraph 2 of ENR 1.7 shall not apply to an aircraft operating within standby area authorised by ATC.

5.  Minimum altitude for IFR flights

5.1 See paragraph 5.2 of ENR 1.1

6.  Operation in icing conditions

6.1 Except as provided in paragraph 6.2, a pilot-in-command operating an aircraft under IFR shall not perform a take-off in an aircraft that has:

  1. snow, ice or frost adhering to any propeller, windscreen, or power-plant installation, or to an airspeed, altimeter, rate of climb, or flight altitude instrument system; or

  2. snow, ice or frost adhering to the wings, stabilisers or control surfaces;

  3. fly an aircraft into known or forecast icing conditions unless the aircraft is certificated with ice protection equipment for flight in the type of known icing conditions.

6.2 A pilot-in-command may perform a take-off in an aircraft that has snow, ice or frost adhering to the aircraft if the take-off is performed in accordance with the aircraft flight manual, or instructions and data provided by the aircraft manufacturer, for take-off in such conditions.
6.3 If weather reports and briefing information immediately prior to the flight indicate to the pilot-in-command that the forecast icing conditions that would otherwise prohibit the flight will not be encountered during the flight because of changed weather conditions, the restrictions in paragraph 6.1.b based on forecast conditions shall not apply.

7.  IFR radio communications

7.1 Each pilot-in-command of an aircraft operating under IFR shall, unless otherwise authorised by ATC:

  1. have a continuous watch maintained on the appropriate frequency;

  2. report as soon as possible to an appropriate ATC unit;

    1. the time and altitude of passing each designated reporting point or the reporting points or the times specified by ATC;

    2. any other information relating to the safety of flight.

8.  Two-way radio communications failure during IFR operations

8.1 Unless otherwise authorised by ATC, each pilot-in-command of an aircraft that has two-way radio communications failure when operating under IFR in VMC flight conditions, or if VMC flight conditions are encountered after the failure, shall continue the flight under VFR and land as soon as practicable at the nearest suitable aerodrome.
8.2 Unless otherwise authorised by ATC, each pilot-in-command of an aircraft that has two-way radio communications failure when operating under IFR in IMC flight conditions shall continue the flight in accordance with paragraph 8.3 until reaching the clearance limit, at which time the pilot-in-command shall:

  1. if the clearance limit is a fix from which an approach begins, commence descent or instrument approach procedure:

    1. as close as possible to the expected further clearance time if one has been received; or

    2. if an expected further clearance time has not been received,as close as possible to the estimated time of arrival as calculated and advised to ATC.

  2. if the clearance limit is not a fix from which an approach begins:

    1. leave the clearance limit at the expected further clearance time if one has been received or if none has been received, upon arrival over the clearance limit;

    2. proceed to a fix from which an approach begins;

    3. commence descent, or descent and approach, as close as possible to the estimated time of arrival as calculated and advised to ATC.

8.3 The pilot-in-command shall, following a two-way radio communications failure when operating under IFR in IMC flight conditions, continue the flight.

  1. By one of the following routes:

    1. by the route assigned in the last ATC clearance received;

    2. if being radar vectored, by the direct route from the point of radio failure to the fix, aid, or route specified in the vector clearance;

    3. in the absence of an assigned route, by the route that ATC has advised may be expected in a further clearance;

    4. in the absence of an assigned route or a route that ATC advised may be expected in a further clearance, by the route filed in the flight plan.

  2. at the highest of the following altitudes or flight levels for the route segments to be flown:

    1. the altitude or flight level assigned in the last ATC clearance received;

    2. the minimum flight altitude;

    3. the altitude or flight level ATC has advised may be expected in a further clearance.

  3. Maintaining a listening watch on the appropriate ATIS frequency.

9.  Position reporting

9.1 Aircraft flying over a specified reporting point shall immediately make a position report to the relevant ATC unit. A position report shall contain:

  1. Aircraft call sign;

  2. Position;

  3. Time in hours and minutes;

  4. Flight altitude (or flight level) and flight conditions;

  5. Estimated time of flying over the next reporting point or estimated time of arrival at the aerodrome of landing;

  6. Any other particulars requested by the ATC unit or deemed necessary to be reported by the aircrew.