Article 55 Rules of the Air

(1)

In this article “the Rules of the Air” means regulations made or having effect as if made under article 95 of the Air Navigation Order 2005 and applied to the Isle of Man under section 11 of the Airports and Civil Aviation Act 1987 (an Act of Tynwald).

(2)

Subject to paragraph (3), it shall be an offence to contravene, to permit the contravention of, or to fail to comply with, the Rules of the Air.

(3)

It shall be lawful for the Rules of the Air to be departed from to the extent necessary—

(a)

for avoiding immediate danger;

(b)

for complying with the law of any country other than the Isle of Man within which the aircraft then is; or

(c)

for complying with Military Flying Regulations (Joint Service Publication 550) or Flying Orders to Contractors (Aviation Publication 67) issued by the Secretary of State in relation to an aircraft of which the commander is acting as such in the course of his duty as a member of any of Her Majesty’s naval, military or air forces.

(4)

If any departure from the Rules of the Air is made for the purpose of avoiding immediate danger, the commander of the aircraft shall cause written particulars of the departure, and of the circumstances giving rise to it, to be given within 10 days thereafter to the competent authority of the country in whose territory the departure was made or if the departure was made over the high seas, to the Department.

(5)

Nothing in the Rules of the Air exonerates any person from the consequences of any neglect in the use of lights or signals or of the neglect of any precautions required by ordinary aviation practice or by the special circumstances of the case.