{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-navigation-second-amendment-order-1987/note",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-navigation-second-amendment-order-1987/note.json",
  "legislation": "uksi/1987/2062",
  "legislation_title": "The Air Navigation (Second Amendment) Order 1987",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/air-navigation-second-amendment-order-1987",
  "path": "note",
  "kind": "note",
  "number": null,
  "heading": "Explanatory note",
  "text": "(This note is not part of the Order)\nThis Order amends the Air Navigation Order 1985.\nThe principal changes are:\n(1) From 1st January 1990 aeroplanes of 5700 kg or less flying for the purpose of public transport under Instrument Flight Rules must carry two qualified pilots if they are multi-engined or powered by turbine jet or powered by one or more turbine propeller engines and pressurised. Unpressurised turbo prop aircraft which may only carry less than ten passengers and piston engined aircraft may carry only one pilot provided that the aircraft is fitted with an approved auto-pilot (article 2(1)).\n(2) Cabin attendants must be carried by any aircraft flying for the purpose of public transport on which at least twenty passengers are actually carried or which is capable of carrying at least thirty six passengers and actually carries at least one passenger. The number of cabin attendants required varies with the number of passenger seats installed in the aircraft although a lesser number of attendants may be carried with the permission of the Authority (article 2(2)).\n(3) Commanders of aircraft flying for the purpose of public transport are now required to confirm that they have the appropriate runway visual range at the time at which they descend below 1,000 feet above the height of the aerodrome at which they intend to land and to establish and maintain the appropriate visual reference once they are below the appropriate decision height or minimum descent height. Decision height is now defined in terms of a precision approach, which is itself now defined. Minimum descent height is defined in terms of a non-precision approach which is also now defined. A revised definition of runway visual range allows for it to be calculated by either human observation or instruments and from the touchdown zone or the midpoint of the runway (article 2(4), (5), (6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (11), (18), (19), (20), (22), (23), (24) and (25)).\n(4) The crew of helicopters flying over water in connection with the offshore exploitation or exploration of mineral resources in specified circumstances are required to wear a survival suit (article 2(12), (28) and (31)).\n(5) All passengers aged two years or more must have their own seat. All passengers aged less than two years must be provided with a child restraint device (article 2(13) and (30)).\n(6) New requirements are introduced for the carriage of oxygen aboard aircraft on public transport flights. The main points of the new requirements are that all pressurised aircraft operating above flight level 250 must carry a minimum of two hours supply of oxygen for flight crew and ten minutes for each passenger cabin occupant. In addition,dedicated first aid oxygen is to be carried together with portable breathing equipment for cabin attendants. Except for changes to altitude bands, the requirements for pressurised aircraft operating below flight level 250 and for unpressurised aircraft are similar to the previous requirements. The new requirements apply only to new aircraft, as specified in the Order, although older aircraft may elect to comply with either the existing or the new requirements. The one change which affects all public transport aircraft is that from 1st January 1989 all flight crew are required to use supplemental oxygen when flying above 10,000 feet for any period whatsoever (article 2(14), (26), (29), (32) and 33)).\n(7) A passenger may be carried in a helicopter which is carrying a suspended load provided that the passenger is a person who has been raised from the surface or who it is intended shall be lowered to the surface (article 2(15)).\n(8) Additional smoke protection equipment is required for the crew of aircraft flying for the purpose of public transport. Additional oxygen must be provided for all portable breathing equipment carried on board, such equipment must be carried for all required cabin attendants and additional equipment must be carried in certain circumstances (article 2(27), (34) and (35)).\n(9) Associated with the introduction of the Basic Commercial Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes), the privileges of the private pilot’s licence (aeroplanes) no longer permit receipt of any remuneration whatsoever for services as a pilot. They do however include the conduct of aerial work flights which consist of flying training and testing, glider towing and parachute dropping where these activities are carried out under the auspices of a club (article 2(36)).\n(10) A new professional pilot’s licence is introduced with restricted privileges to be known as the Basic Commercial Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes) (BCPL). In order to receive remuneration for carrying out aerial work flights, a pilot will be required to hold a professional licence—ie at least a BCPL. The privileges of the new licence will also permit the holder to undertake limited public transport flying subject to certain conditions (article 2(37)).\n(11) In order to fly as pilot in command at night, with or without passengers, the holder of a Private Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes), a Basic Commercial Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes) or a Private Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters and Gyroplanes) must have a Night Rating included in the licence and the holder of a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (Aeroplanes) or a Commercial Pilot’s Licence (Helicopters and Gyroplanes) requires to have an Instrument Rating included in the licence or to have had specified experience within the previous 13 months (article 2(38), (39), (40), (41), (42), (44), (45)).\n(12) The Territorial Sea Act 1987 (c. 49), which came into force on 1st October 1987, has extended the breadth of the territorial sea adjacent to the United Kingdom from 3 to 12 miles. Where aircraft flying in transit to or from airspace over the high seas overfly certain areas within straits now forming part of the territorial waters of the United Kingdom which were formerly part of the high seas, the articles of the Order which will apply to such aircraft are limited to specific provisions required for aircraft safety (article 2(17) and (50)).",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1987/2062/note",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T16:16:35.007170+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}