Commission implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 (SERA) laying down the common rules of the air and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in air navigation. The provision of ICAO Annex 2 (Rules of the AIR), ICAO Annex 11 (Air Traffic Services) and ICAO Doc 4444, were used as a basis and are included in the SERA.
The national regulations stated in the Ordinance of Rules of the Air and ATS and in the Aviation Law, are applicable within Croatian airspace, excluding those portions of airspace that have been delegated (see ENR 2.2). Croatian military flights shall be conducted according to regulations stated above unless otherwise prescribed by specific rules.
Ordinance on the Rules of the Air (Official Gazette, No. 32/2018, 10/2021)
Flying below minimum heights for pilots of balloons, gliders and airplanes
Article 16.a
The minimum heights shall be those specified in SERA. 3105 Minimum heights.
Balloon pilot, glider pilot or motor glider pilot while ridge soaring and aeroplane pilot or motor glider pilot when towing a glider on a ridge, outside densely populated areas of cities and settlemens may fly below the prescribed heights for VFR flights which ensure:
Approval for flying under bridges and similar structures and transmission lines and antennas, the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency will issue only for the purpose of spraying chemicals for pest control and similar activities in agriculture and forestry, and to perform other similar tasks whose execution requires performing low flights.
Flying under bridges and similar structures and transmission lines and antennas may operate pilots with an appropriate professional pilot license and at least 400 hours of flight time in the appropriate aircraft type.
SERA. 3115 Dropping or spraying
Dropping or spraying of objects or other substances out of or from aircraft is prohibited, except when approval was granted by the Civil Aviation Agency.
This does not apply to ballast in the form of harmless liquid or fine sand, fuel, tow ropes and similar objects, if it is in the interest of aircraft safety or life and health protection of aircraft occupants and if dropped or discharged at places where no danger to persons or property exists.
The dumping of fuel shall not be performed at levels of less than 5000 FT when dumping kerosine nor less than 2000 FT when dumping gasoline.
SERA. 3130 Aerobatic flight
Aerobatic flights are only permitted in visual meteorological conditions and with the explicit consent of all persons on board. Aerobatic flight over cities and other densely populated areas, above groups of people and public airports is prohibited.
SERA. 3135 Formation flights
For the conduction of formation flights the consent of all participating pilots-in-command is needed.
When issuing an ATC clearance and applying the separation, a competent ATC unit considers all aircraft in the formation as being one aircraft. The leader of the formation and pilots in formation flights are responsible for maintaining the safe distance of aircraft in the formation and during formation join-up and breakaway.
While conducting a formation flight in the controlled airspace, pilots operating in a formation shall maintain the horizontal distance within 0.5 NM and vertical distance within 100 FT from the leader’s aircraft. When flights are intended to be conducted with distances greater than stated above, an approval to split the formation and applying single separation shall be requested from the responsible ATC unit.
While conducting the formation flights, an aerodrome traffic zone (ATZ) and controlled zones (CTR) shall be avoided unless there is an intention to land.
All aircraft in the formation shall be equipped with adequate communication and navigation equipment. During the formation flight, the leader of formation is responsible for radio communication with a relevant ATC unit, while other aircraft in the formation shall maintain a listening watch on the same radio frequency. Only the leader of the formation sets the SSR transponder to an appropriately assigned or prescribed code.
If the leader loses the orientation during the formation flight, leading shall be taken over by the pilot of another aircraft not being disoriented, as agreed before the beginning of the flight. The original leader may take over the formation flight back, only if he has determined the position of the aircraft. If the whole formation loses the orientation, the leader shall not abandon the leadership and will take all necessary measures to regain orientation. The forced landing shall be commenced after all measures have been taken but orientation has not been established and the aircraft is running short of fuel.
SERA. 3120 Towing
An aircraft or other object shall only be towed by an aircraft under the following conditions:
The Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the prescribed units of measurement shall be applied to flight operations. The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure shall establish the units of measurement to be used and they are published in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) GEN 2.1.
The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure establishes flight information regions which are published in the AIP. Controlled and uncontrolled airspace is established within the flight information regions, according to the extent of the air traffic services maintained there, on the basis of the classification described in subsection ENR 1.4. Within the controlled airspace, VFR flights may be prohibited completely or partly by Croatia Control Ltd., with regard to the limitation of space and time if urgently required by the degree of intensity of air traffic subject to air traffic control.
The Minister of Maritime Affairs, Transport and Infrastructure in compliance with the Ministry of Defense and Croatia Control Ltd., establishes prohibited and restricted areas, if necessary, for the prevention of danger to public safety or order, especially for the safety of air traffic. Prohibited areas shall not be penetrated. Restricted areas may be penetrated as far as permitted by the restrictions, or if permission of penetration has been given in accordance to ENR 5.1.
Flights with gliders in clouds are permitted only if prior approval from air traffic control is obtained, in accordance with approved conditions. Flight in cumulonimbus clouds are permitted only if such flights are specified in flight manual.
When more than one glider is in the same cloud permanent radio communication and vertical separation of at least 500 feet must be maintained.
Ordinance on the Rules of the Air (Official Gazette, No. 32/2018, 10/2021)
Flights and activities that require approval
Article 18.
Take-offs and landings on natural land and water operating sites of airplanes, rotorcraft, airships and motor powered gliders are permitted only if prior approval is obtained from Croatian Civil Aviation Agency.
Take offs of gliders outside an aerodrome are permitted only if prior approval is obtained from Croatian Civil Aviation Agency.
Permission for landing of gliders outside an aerodrome is not required.
Permission for take offs and landings of manned free balloons outside an aerodrome is not required.
Parachute descents outside an aerodrome are permitted only if prior approval is obtained from Croatian Civil Aviation Agency.
Before take-offs and landings outside an aerodrome, local police, and in the case of take-offs and landings from/on water, local port authority must be informed in timely manner.
Release of flying lanterns or children's balloons, use of kites and man-carrying parachutes, flight of unmanageable flying objects with their own thrust (firing rocket and pyrotechnic objects), use of reflectors and signalling devices (lasers) and release of captive balloons is prohibited during the working hours of the aerodrome at a distance of less than 5 KM from the reference point of the airport.
Release of kites and man-carrying parachutes with a rope longer than 100 M, flying unmanageable flying objects with their own thrust (firing rocket and pyrotechnic objects) if object reach a height greater than 50 M above surface, use of captive balloons with a rope longer than 30 M and group and mass release of children’s balloons and release of sky lanterns is permitted only with the approval from the competent ATC unit.
The mooring rope of captive balloons and kites, whose use requires permission, must be marked, with red-white flags with a spacing of 100 M during the day, or at night by red and white lights.
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS
UAS operators shall register themselves when operating within the ‘open’ category any of the following unmanned aircraft:
and when operating within the ‘specific’ category an unmanned aircraft of any mass.
UAS operators' registration in EU member state is recognised in the Republic of Croatia.
UAS operators that have their principal place of business, are established, or reside in a third country, shall comply with registration and other requirements of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947, for the purpose of UAS operations within the Single European Sky airspace.
UAS OPERATIONS CATEGORISATION
OPEN CATEGORY
Basic flight rules in Open subcategory A1
Remote pilot of aircraft class C1 does not overfly assemblies of people and reasonably expects that no uninvolved person will be overflown. In the event of unexpected overflight of uninvolved persons, the remote pilot shall reduce as much as possible the time during which the unmanned aircraft overflies those persons;
Remote pilot of an aircraft:
may overfly uninvolved persons but shall never overfly assemblies of people. When the follow-me mode is active, aircraft may fly up to a distance of 50 M from the remote pilot.
Remote pilot keeps the unmanned aircraft in VLOS at all times except when flying in follow-me mode or when using an unmanned aircraft observer as specified in Part A of the Annex of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947.
During flight, the unmanned aircraft is maintained within 120 M from the closest point of the surface of the earth.
When flying an unmanned aircraft within a horizontal distance of 50 M from an artificial obstacle taller than 105 M, the maximum height of the UAS operation may be increased up to 15 M above the height of the obstacle at the request of the entity responsible for the obstacle.
The unmanned aircraft does not carry dangerous goods and does not drop any material. During the flight, remote pilots and UAS operators shall not fly close to or inside areas where an emergency response effort is ongoing unless they have permission to do so from the responsible emergency response services.
Basic flight rules in Open subcategory A2
Remote pilot shall make sure the unmanned aircraft does not overfly uninvolved persons and the UAS operations take place at a safe horizontal distance of at least 30 M from them; the remote pilot may reduce the horizontal safety distance down to a minimum of 5 M from uninvolved persons when operating an unmanned aircraft with an active low speed mode function and after evaluation of the situation.
UAS operator shall ensure that all involved persons present in the area of the operation have been informed of the risks and have explicitly agreed to participate.
Remote pilot keeps the unmanned aircraft in VLOS at all times except when flying in follow-me mode or when using an unmanned aircraft observer as specified in Part A of the Annex of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947.
The unmanned aircraft does not carry dangerous goods and does not drop any material.
During the flight, remote pilots and UAS operators shall not fly close to or inside areas where an emergency response effort is ongoing unless they have permission to do so from the responsible emergency response services.
During flight, the unmanned aircraft is maintained within 120 M from the closest point of the surface of the earth.
When flying an unmanned aircraft within a horizontal distance of 50 M from an artificial obstacle taller than 105 M, the maximum height of the UAS operation may be increased up to 15 M above the height of the obstacle at the request of the entity responsible for the obstacle.
Basic flight rules in Open subcategory A3
Operations shall be conducted in an area where the remote pilot reasonably expects that no uninvolved person will be endangered within the range where the unmanned aircraft is flown during the entire time of the UAS operation.
Operations shall be conducted at a safe horizontal distance of at least 150 M from residential, commercial, industrial or recreational areas.
UAS operator shall ensure that all involved persons present in the area of the operation have been informed of the risks and have explicitly agreed to participate.
The unmanned aircraft does not carry dangerous goods and does not drop any material.
During the flight, remote pilots and UAS operators shall not fly close to or inside areas where an emergency response effort is ongoing unless they have permission to do so from the responsible emergency response services.
Remote pilot keeps the unmanned aircraft in VLOS at all times except when flying in follow-me mode or when using an unmanned aircraft observer as specified in Part A of the Annex of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947.
During flight, the unmanned aircraft is maintained within 120 M from the closest point of the surface of the earth.
When flying an unmanned aircraft within a horizontal distance of 50 M from an artificial obstacle taller than 105 M, the maximum height of the UAS operation may be increased up to 15 M above the height of the obstacle at the request of the entity responsible for the obstacle.
SPECIFIC CATEGORY
Basic flight rules for Specific category
As specified in operational authorisation, standard scenario and in accordance with Single European Rules of the Air Regulation (EU) 923/2012.
CERTIFIED CATEGORY
Basic flight rules for Certified category
In accordance with Single European Rules of the Air, Regulation (EU) 923/2012 and Regulation (EU) 1332/2011.
THIRD COUNTRY OPERATORS
UAS operators that have their principal place of business, are established, or reside in a third country, shall comply with above stated and other applicable rules of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/947 for the purpose of UAS operations within Croatian airspace.
Periodic individual operations of the off-airport landing and take-off of helicopters (hereinafter IASU/H) from natural helicopter landing sites (hereinafter NHLS) are permitted if the operator complies with conditions related to the obligation to obtain the approval, the experience of the crew, landing/take-off area and safety aspects of the operation. Those conditions are prescribed by the Regulation on helicopter operations to/from natural helicopter landing sites (hereinafter Regulation).
The provisions of the Regulation do not apply to IASU/H operations when landing in case of emergency, providing emergency medical assistance or when carrying out military, customs or police activities, search and rescue activities, firefighting, border control and coast guard or similar activities undertaken in the public interest.
Approval is issued by the Croatian Civil Aviation Agency (hereinafter Agency) based on a request submission by the helicopter operator on the prescribed application form FAO-FRM-003, no later than seven (7) working days before the commencement of operations. Application form is available on Agency’s website https://www.ccaa.hr/en/forms-65654 under Forms.
The approval issued by the Agency does not relieve the helicopter operator from the responsibility of obtaining other approval/s and comply with the requirements from other regulations governing property and legal relations, and physical planning and environmental protection.
The helicopter operator is also required to obtain approval when performing flight operations from a vessel, for the purpose of landing on the NHLS and vice versa.
IASU/H may only be performed by a helicopter pilot-in-command (PIC) having the appropriate pilot license and experience and having performed at least 3 landings and take-off during the 90 days preceding the intended operations, on the helicopter specified in the application.
NHLS shall not be located in a congested area and at a distance of less than 500 FT (150 M) of a congested area. NHLS must be free of any obstacles and surrounded by a safe area with width not less than 10 M.
Landing and take-off from NHLS may only be performed by day in visual meteorological conditions and in accordance with the helicopter flight manual (FM).
Prior to the commencement of the operations, helicopter operator must notify the Operations and Communications Centre of local competent police administration of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia about the landing site i.e. the use of NHLS, via contact number available on the following link: https://mup.gov.hr/footer-109/footer-111/about-the-police-120/police-administration/146.
The helicopter operator is obliged to keep records of performed IASU/H operations (such as name of the area(s), coordinates of the locality, date and the number of operations) and submit a written notification to the Agency upon the completion of operations.
Written permission shall be obtained from Croatia Control Ltd. for a special use of controlled airspace (see relevant AICs series B).
Ordinance on the Rules of the Air (Official Gazette, No. 32/2018, 10/2021)
Problematic use of psychoactive substances
Article 75a.
An aircraft crew member is under the influence of alcohol while performing his/her duties if his/her alcohol concentration in the body is determined to be higher than 0.2 g/kg (gram of alcohol per kilogram of blood) or the appropriate amount of milligrams per liter of exhaled air.
An aircraft crew member who refuses to cooperate during an alcohol test or who has been tested positive for alcohol is not permitted to perform his/her duties.