Rules and Guidelines
Introduction | Speed | Temporary Airspaces-Definitions and Use | Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA) |
Air Traffic Control (ATC) | AWACS
Introduction
Special Operations are currently covering a large part of IVAO operations. The way of how it is embedded and organized it’s not a discussable topic. We believe that the way SO should operate is as close as it gets to reality. Of course with obeying the prime SO directive
To keep the joy of flying in combination with military ops is our target and to gives fellow pilots and ATC members a hobby to their abilities but also a hobby with educational highlights.
Categorization of Military and Special Operations:
All military and special operations in IVAO are broken down into four fundamental categories, A and B, 1,2 and 3. These categories have been established to allow simple definition of what constitutes military and special operations and further establishes the rules and regulations that govern the manner in which they may be undertaken. Further statements within these rules and regulations also establish departmental and divisional conventions for creation, overseeing, regulation and clearance of military/specops events, exercises and training. Category A and B defines all military/special operations activities in IVAO as follows, although IVAO recognizes that activities may occasionally cross between these definitions:
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Category A (Cat A) General Operations:
Fire-fighting, Police, Coastguard, Shipwreck and SAR, Medical and Casualty Evacuation, VIP flights with escorts, Humanitarian flights, Fly-Ins with military aircraft, Logistical (military or strategic) transport, CIMIC
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Category B (Cat B) Military Operations:
Formation flights, Air-to-Air Refueling, Shipborne and Aircraft Carrier Practices, Low-level Flights, CAP flights, tactical transport, AWACs simulations, Reconnaissance flights, Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground Operations.
Category 1 and 2 defines the way in which these activities take place, who is responsible for them, together with the rules and guidelines that are applicable:
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Category 1 (Cat 1) Official SO Events:
This definition applies to those formal occasions where a division or group of divisions invites members or groups of members to participate in SO events, for which participation the members will receive SO points towards the granting of SO Pilot or SO Controller Awards. Clearances for these events must be sought from the Special Operations Department at IVAO-HQ and details of how to obtain these clearances can be found on the SO site. Requesting a proper timeslot for the event is time driven therefore due to all actions to be done in time.
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Category 2 (Cat 2) Training Exercises:
This definition was brought into being to allow a framework to be set in place under which semi-formal and informal training exercises may be undertaken at Divisional level by members or groups of members without having to seek clearances from the Special Operations Department at IVAO-HQ. These activities are not regarded as "formal events" as defined in Category 1 and therefore members will not receive SO points for participation in Category 2 training/exercises. In order to prevent abuse or misuse of this new freedom, divisional officers are required to undertake and adhere to rules and regulations.
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Category 3 (Cat 3) D.A.R.T.:/ V.E.S.P.A.:
The military created DART (disaster & response team) in 1996 because of its experience in Rwanda two years earlier, when international relief organizations arrived too late to save thousands of people from a cholera epidemic. That convinced the federal government it needed to be able to respond more quickly. Since then, DART has helped disaster victims in Turkey, Honduras, Sri Lanka and, most recently, Pakistan, after the October 2005 earthquake. In short delivering AID to those needed it most.
VESPA (very special agency operations) is the part of operations where military involvement is needed for search and rescue in the end of the spectrum. Like Search and rescue missions in close collaboration with coast guard, UNHCR, red cross etc. This Cat 3 type event would be approved as official event for SO point and also as not official event without point.
note :The rationale to add DART and VESPA into SO is due to the spectrum of flying nobody is formerly doing at IVAO but there’s potential.
Speed
In Belgian airspace you should respect regulations about allowed speeds and take them into account at all times. For non-OAT (Operational Air Traffic) flights, military aircraft must follow the same speed regulations as civil traffic!
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Low-Level Flights
Low-level flights are flights with military aircraft up to 2000ft AGL (Above Ground Level). Jets and prop aircraft will most likely fly at 1500ft AGL and helicopters around 500ft AGL. In action jet and prop aircraft can fly at 250ft AGL. Over land a maximum speed of 420kts and 450kts over sea is accepted. A maximum speed for interceptors is Mach 0.90 over land, not exceeding 575 KIAS however, and Mach 0.95 over sea.
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Normal Flights
Above 2000ft AGL never exceed mach 1.00 in Belgian airspace unless otherwise instructed by ATC (e.g. for scramble interception). Speed regulations for low-level flying don’t apply here!
Temporary Airspaces-Definitions and Use
TRA/TSA
TRA : Temporary Reserved Airspace
TSA : Temporary Segregated Airspace
The difference between a TRA and TSA is that a TSA is fully separated for participants and non-participant traffic inside the area. A TRA may be crossed by non-participant traffic under specified terms.
The use of an TRA or TSA shall be restricted to a minimum. The use of an TRA or TSA shall only be used, when ATC is available, or if there are no preferential GAT routes through the TRA/TSA.
When there are no flights inside a TRA/TSA the airspace will automatically be deactivated.
TRA's and TSA's may only be established within controlled airspaces. This to avoid OAT interfering with GAT.
During a SO event, the use of a TRA must be published on the division home page to inform GAT pilots.
Also notice this with the clearance request.
Outside TRA/TSA there will be no priority for OAT over GAT.
Normal IFR and VFR rules have to be observed.
Unless the division has specified military routes, corridors or windows for OAT and arrangements.
During SO events that require the use of TRA/TSA, specified ATC is needed for that TRA/TSA area.
For information on TRA/TSA in Belgium see Brussels FIR structure | BXL FIR-UI chart at Specials Ops->Charts (or directly here).
Flexible Use of Airspace (FUA)
Means assign airspace to traffic on a dynamic way.
It can only be given by ATC and it is for a period of time only.
FUA is not more then a open specified part of an airspace were traffic can fly through in a strait line.
The use of a TRA/TSA may not be more then necessary.
Air Traffic Control (ATC)
EBSZ_CTR (Belga Radar) is responsible for providing Military ATC within Brussels FIR. EBSZ_CTR may only be opened with a minimum rating of C1 and with sufficient knowledge of the Belgian airspace.
EBSZ_CTR will notify EBBU_CTR 10 minutes before activating military airspace above 4500ft. When EBSZ_CTR (Belga Radar) is NOT online, all military OAT (OAT: Operational Air Traffic) activities shall be coordinated 10 minutes in advance by the military pilot or the leader of a formation with Civil ATC. EBSZ_CTR MUST be active for all military OAT activities above 4500ft if EBBU_CTR is not able to provide ATC to OAT. If EBBU_FSS (Brussels Flight Information) is not online, EBSZ_CTR will provide Flight Information Service to both Civil and Military aircraft in uncontrolled airspace below 4500ft. The termination of Special Operations shall always be announced to all ATC Units concerned and the airspace in which they took place shall immediately return to civil status.
For more info we would like to refer to the General Procedures Document which can be found under Special Ops->Procedures (or here)
AWACS
For information on how to use AWACS for the BE Spec Ops, see the applicant document at Special Ops -> Procedure and chose AWACS (or directly here).
NOTE: The text above is adapted for IVAO BE Spec Ops. For the official IVAO™.aero Rules and Guidelines see link below.
More info at IVAO Spec Ops Guidelines