Interception of civil aircraft

ENR 1.12 Interception of civil aircraft

1 Interception procedures

Interception of civil aircraft shall be governed by present Rules, appropriate regulations and administrative directives issued by appropriate authority and Georgian Ministry of Defence.

Note 1. – The word “interception” in this context does not include intercept and escort service provided, on request, to an aircraft in distress, in accordance with the ICAO Search and Rescue Manual (Doc 7333).

Note 2. – The term “interception” means determining the identity of an aircraft by another aircraft and directing its flight in a mode that is deemed necessary or to require that aircraft to land.

1.1 The pilot-in-command of a civil aircraft, when intercepted, shall comply with the Standards in Appendix 2 of Annex 2, Sections 2 and 3, interpreting and responding to visual signals as specified in Table 2.

1.2 Principles to be observed by Georgia:

Interception of civil aircraft will be undertaken only as last resort;
If undertaken, an interception will be limited to determining the identity of the aircraft, unless it is necessary to return the aircraft to its planned track, direct it beyond the boundaries of Georgian airspace, guide it away from a prohibited, restricted, or danger area or instruct it to effect a landing at a designated aerodrome;
Practice interception of civil aircraft will not be undertaken;
Navigational guidance and related information will be given to an intercepted aircraft by radiotelephony, whenever radio contact can be established; and
In the case where an intercepted civil aircraft is required to land in the territory overflow, the aerodrome designated for the landing is to be suitable for the safe landing of the aircraft type concerned.

2 ACTIONS BY INTERCEPTED AIRCRAFT

2.1 An aircraft which is intercepted by another aircraft shall immediately:

follow the instructions given by the intercepting aircraft, interpreting and responding to visual signals in accordance with the specifications of item in Table 2;
notify, if possible, the appropriate air traffic services unit;
attempt to establish radiocommunication with the intercepting aircraft or with the appropriate intercepting control unit, by making a general call on the emergency frequency 121.500 MHZ, giving the identity of the intercepted aircraft and the nature of the flight;
if equipped with SSR transponder, select Mode A, Code 7700, unless otherwise instructed by the appropriate air traffic service unit.

2.2 If any instructions received by radio from any sources conflict with those given by the intercepting aircraft by visual signals, the intercepted aircraft shall request immediate clarification while continuing to comply with the visual instructions given by the intercepting aircraft.

2.3 If any instructions received by radio from any sources conflict with those given by the intercepting aircraft by radio, the intercepted aircraft shall request immediate clarification while continuing to comply with the radio instructions given by the intercepting aircraft.

3 Radio communication during interception

If radio contact is established during interception but communication in a common language is not possible, attempts shall be made to convey instructions, acknowledgement of instructions and essential information by using the phrases and pronunciations in Table 1 and transmitting each phrase twice.

4 PHRASES FOR USE BY INTERCEPTING AND INTERCEPTED AIRCRAFT

Phrases for use by INTERCEPTING aircraft			Phrases for use by INTERCEPTED aircraft
Phrase	Pronunciation(1)	Meaning	Phrase	Pronunciation(1)	Meaning
(1) Syllables to be emphasized are printed in bold letters. (2) The call sign required to be given is that used in radiotelephony communications with air traffic services units and corresponding to the aircraft identification in the flight plan. (3) Circumstances may not always permit, nor make desirable, the use of the phrase “HIJACK”.
CALL SIGN	KOL SA-IN	What is your call sign?	CALL SIGN (call sign)(2)	KOL SA-IN (call sign)	My call sign is (call sign)
FOLLOW	FOL-LO	Follow me	WILCO	VILL-KO	Understood. Will comply
DESCEND	DEE-SEND	Descend for landing	CAN NOT	KANN NOTT	Unable to comply
YOU LAND	YOU LAAND	Land at this aerodrome	REPEAT	REE-PEET	Repeat your instruction
PROCEED	PRO-SEED	You may proceed	AM LOST	AM LOSST	Position unknown
			MAYDAY	MAYDAY	I am in distress
			HIJACK(3)	HI-JACK	I have been hijacked
			LAND (place name)	LAAND(place name)	I request to land at (place name)
			DESCEND	DEE-SEND	I require descent

5 SIGNALS FOR USE IN THE EVENT OF INTERCEPTION

Signals initiated by intercepting aircraft and responses by intercepted aircraft
Series	INTERCEPTING Aircraft Signals	Meaning	INTERCEPTED Aircraft Responds	Meaning
1	DAY or NIGHT – Rocking aircraft and flashing navigational lights at irregular intervals (and landing lights in the case of a helicopter) from a position slightly above and ahead of, and normally to the left of, the intercepted aircraft (or to the right if the intercepted aircraft is a helicopter) and, after acknowledgement, a slow level turn, normally to the left, (or to the right in the case of a helicopter) on the desired heading.	You have been intercepted. Follow me.	DAY or NIGHT – Rocking aircraft, flashing navigational lights at irregular intervals and following. Note. – Additional action required be taken by intercepted aircraft is prescribed in Annex 2 Chapter 3, 3.8	Understood, will comply.
2	DAY or NIGHT – An abrupt break-away manoeuvre from the intercepted aircraft consisting of a climbing turn of 90 degrees or more without crossing the line of flight of the intercepted aircraft.	You may proceed.	DAY or NIGHT – Rocking the aircraft.	Understood, will comply.
	Note 1. – Meteorological conditions or terrain may require the intercepting aircraft to reverse the positions and direction of turn given above in Series 1. Note 2. – If the intercepted aircraft is not able to keep pace with the intercepting aircraft, the latter is expected to fly a series of race-track patterns and to rock the aircraft each time it passes the intercepted aircraft.
3	DAY or NIGHT – Lowering landing gear (if fitted), showing steady landing lights and overflying runway in use or, if the intercepted aircraft is a helicopter, overflying the helicopter landing area. In the case of helicopters, the intercepting helicopter makes a landing approach, coming to hover near to the landing area.	Land at this aerodrome.	DAY or NIGHT – Lowering landing gear (if fitted), showing steady landing lights and following the intercepting aircraft and, if, after overflying the runway in use or helicopter landing area, landing is considered safe, proceeding to land.	Understood, will comply.

Signals initiated by intercepted aircraft and responses by intercepting aircraft
Series	INTERCEPTED Aircraft Signals	Meaning	INTERCEPTING Aircraft Responds	Meaning
4	DAY or NIGHT – Raising landing gear (if fitted) and flashing landing lights while passing over runway in use or helicopter landing area at a height exceeding 1000 FT (300 M) but not exceeding 2000 FT (600 M) (in the case of a helicopter, at a height exceeding 170 FT (50 M) but not exceeding 330 FT (100 M)) above the aerodrome level, and continuing to circle runway in use or helicopter landing area. If unable to flash landing lights, flash any other lights available.	Aerodrome you have designated is inadequate.	DAY or NIGHT – If it is desired that the intercepted aircraft follow the intercepting aircraft to an alternate aerodrome, the intercepting aircraft raises its landing gear (if fitted) and uses the Series 1signals prescribed for intercepting aircraft.	Understood, follow me.
4		Aerodrome you have designated is inadequate.	If it is decided to release the intercepted aircraft, the intercepting aircraft uses the Series 2 signals prescribed for intercepting aircraft.	Understood, you may proceed.
5	DAY or NIGHT – Regular switching on and off of all available lights but in such a manner as to be distinct from flashing lights.	Cannot comply.	DAY or NIGHT – Use Series 2 signals prescribed for intercepting aircraft.	Understood.
6	DAY or NIGHT – Irregular flashing of all available lights.	In distress.	DAY or NIGHT – Use Series 2 signals prescribed for intercepting aircraft.	Understood.