BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE AIR FORCE ...

AFMAN 11-217V1 3 JANUARY 2005 379
Chapter 18
INTERNATIONAL CIVIL AVIATION ORGANIZATION (ICAO) PROCEDURES
18.1. Introduction. The ICAO is composed of over 180 member nations and is a part of the
United Nations. Unlike the FAA, whose regulations are directive, ICAO is an advisory
organization that jointly agrees on procedural criteria. Although the ICAO does not have any
enforcement authority, ICAO member nations do undertake an obligation to adopt the
annexes and procedures adopted as standard by the ICAO. These are published in a
document called Procedures for Air Navigation Services-Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS),
in the Annexes to the Convention, and Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS).
Member nations are required to publish their exceptions to PANS-OPS and SARPS in their
individual Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP). Most nations do this and follow the
ICAO publication of aeronautical information SARPS in Annex 15. These procedures are
intended to be strictly adhered to by flight crews in order to achieve and maintain an
acceptable level of safety in flight operations. USAF aircrews will find pertinent information
extracted from the AIPs in FLIP AP and the Foreign Clearance Guide (FCG).
18.1.1. The ICAO Convention does contain an exemption for state aircraft. However,
there should be a due regard exercised for the safety of navigation of civil aircraft.
USAF crews shall comply with guidance in AFI 11-202 Volume 3, General Flight
Rules regarding compliance with ICAO procedures.
18.1.1.1. NOTE: Although an ICAO signatory, the United States uses none of the
PANS-OPS procedures. We use the Federal Aviation Regulations for procedural
guidance instead as an equivalent to an AIP.
18.1.2. The Continuum of Safety. Even more so than in the United States, international
flying requires good judgment on the part of the pilot. The Air Force expects and
encourages you to apply it. No book of hard and fast rules could ever hope to cover all
the various situations you may encounter everywhere in the world. The global mission of
the USAF means that you may well be required to operate in countries without a welldeveloped
aviation system, or into airfields where the ICAO rules have been ignored,
replaced or poorly applied. The PIC must necessarily be the final judge of what is safe
and prudent for any given mission on any given day. A thorough review of all flight
planning documents prior to departure is critical.
18.1.3. Applicability. Procedures described in this chapter apply only in airspace not
under FAA control. These procedures are ICAO standard procedures and may be
modified by each country (as the U.S. has).
18.1.3.1. When determining whether to apply FAA or ICAO procedures in flying an
instrument procedure, the nationality of the air traffic controller or who produced the
procedure is not relevant. The geographic location of the aircraft is the determining
factor, unless local procedures (detailed in FLIP and/or local directives) are in place.
Regardless of the nationality of the air traffic controller and/or the origin of the
instrument procedure you are using, if you are flying outside US National Airspace,
apply ICAO instrument procedures unless otherwise published.