Diplomatic clearance
A Diplomatic Clearance ( English for 'diplomatic clearance ') is a special permit from aviation authorities for foreign state aircraft that want to fly over foreign territory.
history
The 1944 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation established various principles that were intended to regulate international air traffic. It was signed on December 7, 1944. Among other things, the treaty contains fundamental freedoms for international civil aviation , which are intended to guarantee a smooth overflight or stopover on the territory of a foreign state. Another part of the contract was the separate regulation of the overflight of state aircraft, i.e. the machine of heads of state and other state organizations such as the police, customs, the military or civil aircraft flying on a state mission (for example when Monarch Airlines transports British soldiers). These require a previously requested so-called diplomatic clearance . The release must first be approved by the highest aviation authority of the respective country. Once this is done, the state aircraft can fly over a foreign territory.
application
This system is not used in every country. In most cases, the overflights of heads of state are legally secured by bilateral agreements, such as in some member states of the European Union .
The Diplomatic Clearances are the example for flights to Switzerland Federal Office of Civil Aviation approved. Outside of office opening times, these permits are issued by the Swiss Air Force in accordance with the FOCA . While the FOCA is responsible for authorizations, the Swiss Air Force is responsible for checking compliance with diplomatic clearances. The review of the diplomatic clearance flights is handled differently by the states, some are content with the mere review of the flight plan, others also use the airspace surveillance , i.e. visual identification of the diplomatic clearance flights with military aircraft carried out. While some states only perform visual identification on military aircraft, other states perform visual identification on all types of aircraft with diplomatic clearances. For example, the Swiss Air Force is entitled to inspect any aircraft that is in Swiss and Liechtenstein airspace at any time, regardless of type, nationality, etc. The number of checks carried out per year by the Swiss on Diplomatic Clearance flights can be seen in the list under the heading "Live Mission" in the article Swiss Air Force . In the USA, clearance is given by the State Department .
Aircraft with a Diplomatic Clearance are mostly exempt from air traffic control, airport fees and fuel taxes and receive special exemption permits with regard to noise and airport operating times. Diplomatic clearance flights marked Head or State are given priority by air traffic control. If a state aircraft is en route without Diplomatic Clearance or with an incorrect flight plan that does not comply with Diplomatic Clearance, it can be refused the use of the national airspace.
Basically, a Diplomatic Clearance contains the following information: Diplomatic clearance number, ICAO type designation with callsign , matriculation and the types of any alternative aircraft. Then the date of the flight, the starting and landing locations (ICAO abbreviation) with the starting and landing times in UTC and the reason for the flight are given. The issuing state can request further information such as the personal details of the crew and passengers or the type of cargo.
Handling and types
There are various diplomatic clearances: The annual clearance enables the applicant state to submit a comprehensive list of aircraft each year, which can then make an unlimited number of overflights in the following year with a diplomatic clearance number that is always the same defined for this state. The block clearance enables multiple use of the airspace and, if necessary, several take-offs and landings of clearly defined aircraft in a given period of time, which can last from one day to several weeks (e.g. mountain flight training for the CH-53 helicopters of the helicopter squadron 64 of the German Armed Forces in Switzerland).
The daily or one-time Diplomatic Clearance must be requested by the embassy in advance of the flight, this is necessary for overflights that cannot be covered by the annual clearance, or if take-offs and / or landings are planned. The number of flights and take-offs / landings as well as the times are defined here. The validity is limited in time (in Switzerland 72 h = planned day as well as one day before and one day after the planned time). However, this time limit varies depending on the issuing country. Each issuing state can refuse to issue a diplomatic clearance or generally refuse to issue permits for certain types of aircraft. For example, Switzerland does not issue permits for bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Armed aircraft are only granted a license with the prior resolution of the entire Federal Council, the prerequisite for this is that their mission has been legitimized by a UN resolution . While Switzerland z. For example, if AWACS aircraft are not granted authorization, Austria, which is also neutral, authorizes AWACS aircraft to transit through the national airspace.
Trivia
The different ways of dealing with diplomatic clearances have already led to irritations between different states. After two visual inspections of a Russian state aircraft through Switzerland, Russia deposited a protest note in 2015, and in the incident a year later, Moscow declared "astonishment" and demanded an explanation from the Swiss government.
In 2015, Russia refused to allow a Bundeswehr aircraft to fly over it en route to Afghanistan.
Several European countries had refused the Bolivian President Morales the overflight in 2013 because Edward Snowden was suspected to be on board his plane from Moscow.
There was a political uproar on May 31, 2011 when Iran refused a German government machine with the registration 16 + 01 ( Konrad Adenauer ) the right to fly over on its way to India . Chancellor Angela Merkel and a delegation were on board . The machine had to turn around and circling in Turkish airspace for two hours before permission to continue the flight was granted. The Iranian diplomat Ali Reza Sheikh Attar argued that the pilot gave a wrong "callsign" ( aircraft registration number ). This representation was rejected by the federal government with reference to a correctly transmitted Diplomatic Clearance Number .
During a flight of a civilly registered C-130 Hercules in 2003, it was initially not clear whether the aircraft was flying on behalf of the state. When asked by Austria, the USA apologized because it was an aircraft in the service of the US government.
At the end of July 2020, an Airbus A310 of the Bundeswehr had to turn back on its way to Armenia , as Turkey refused to grant overflight rights due to the destination.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Diplomatic Clearances. Federal Office for Civil Aviation , accessed on March 21, 2017 .
- ^ Diplomatic Clearances for Military Transport Aircraft Officially Launched. European Defense Agency , June 3, 2013, accessed March 21, 2017 .
- ↑ Case description on FAB001 and Diplomatic Clearance handling in Switzerland
- ^ Diplomatic Aircraft Clearance Procedures. US Department of State , accessed March 21, 2017 .
- ↑ Russia reacts irritated to Swiss operation , SRF November 19, 2016
- ↑ Swiss fighter check on jet inflames Russian-French tensions
- ^ Matthias Gebauer: Refused overflight permit - Russia blocked Bundeswehr flights to Afghanistan , February 6, 2015. In: Der Spiegel online. Accessed December 20, 2017.
- ↑ Spain refused Morales overflight after US advice
- ↑ Why the mullahs made Merkel wait in the air. Focus , June 6, 2011, accessed April 27, 2017 .
- ↑ Merkel's trip abroad: Iran blames pilot for overflight ban. Spiegel Online , May 31, 2011, accessed April 13, 2015 .
- ↑ Iran refused to overflight by Chancellor - Berlin continues to see blame for overflight ban on Tehran. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, accessed on April 13, 2015 .
- ↑ Dip Clr missing US & OE
- ↑ Turkey blocks Bundeswehr flight. Der Spiegel (online) , August 28, 2020, accessed on August 29, 2020 .