ICAO and European aerodrome rules

Which standard and which date?

A current ICAO change is not automatically an already applicable EU change.

Read the applicable system

ICAO Annex 14 supplies international aerodrome Standards and Recommended Practices. Regulation 139/2014 and the relevant European certification specifications form the EU framework within their scope; the aerodrome’s certification basis and national/AIP data matter. Some amendments have deferred application dates: the March 2026 consolidation includes provisions applying in March 2028. Those are not ordinary current requirements on 22 October 2026.

Pavement-strength reporting is a concrete example. The ECQB 2026 update notes that ICAO’s ACR/PCR transition and the EU’s ACN/PCN provisions were not yet aligned. The March 2026 EU text still uses ACN/PCN. Teach the systems separately and use the actual published aerodrome report for an operation.

Apply the geometry consistently

The four declared distances are TORA, TODA, ASDA and LDA. An effective clearway extends TODA; a stopway extends ASDA; a displaced landing threshold normally reduces LDA in that direction. Where none changes the declaration and full runway length is available, all four can equal runway length. The underlying definitions survive a different presentation format.

Approach lighting has simple and precision families, with simple single-source/barrette variants, CAT I coding/barrette variants and CAT II/III inner-300-m enhancements. Any threshold displacement changes the system’s relevant reference. Compare the source diagram and actual aerodrome chart rather than learning one decorative drawing as universal.

Can you apply the rules?

Four original questions. Choose from the facts, then review the explanation.