12. Obtaining clearances for state aircraft; notifying specific flights of civil aircraft

 

12 ︱ Obtaining clearances for state aircraft; notifying specific flights of civil aircraft

 

12.1 Definition

12.1.1. State aircraft

 According to Article 3 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 1944), state aircraft are aircraft used in military, customs and police services. No state aircraft can fly over or land in the territory of the Czech Republic without authorization.

12.1.2. Civil aircraft hired for  VIP passengers transport

For the purposes of this Handbook, the expression “civil aircraft hired for VIP passengers transport” refers to aircraft hired by government with VIPs on board (government delegation) in cases where the aircraft does not need an overflight, landing and takeoff clearance and therefore is not subject to prior notification – see 12.5.

“VIP passengers” are heads of state, ruling monarchs and their immediate families, chairpersons of parliamentary chambers, prime ministers and government ministers.

12.1.3. Diplomatic clearances

For the purposes of this Handbook, the expression “diplomatic clearances” refers to authorizations granted to foreign state aircraft (see above for definition) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic in case of flight of police aircraft or aircraft in the police services hired by the Ministry of Interior, or the customs aircraft. Applications for such clearances must be submitted through diplomatic channels.

Applications for clearances for military aircraft with VIP on board are sent to the NMCC CZE (National Movement Coordination Centre) directly.

Diplomatic clearances may be valid for one flight, for one year, or for an indefinite period.

12.1.4. Military flights

For the purposes of this Handbook, the term “military flights” refers to air transport of foreign armed forces and military material, and to air transport carried out for foreign armed forces by military or civil aircraft used or contracted for this purpose by foreign armed forces. Clearances for military flights must be obtained directly from the NMCC CZE (see 12.6.1.).

12.2. Requests for single-flight diplomatic clearances

Requests for single-flight diplomatic clearances for flights of aircraft in police and customs services must be submitted to the Diplomatic Protocol of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of the Czech Republic (“Diplomatic Protocol”).

Clearance for military aircraft (including with VIP on board) has to be submitted to the NMCC CZE directly.

 

12.2.1. Procedure

Clearance for police and customs aircraft

The diplomatic mission/Ministry of Foreign Affairs presents to the Diplomatic Protocol
a diplomatic note with a completed “Diplomatic Clearance form“. The note must be presented at least five (5) working days before the planned flight. In urgent cases (humanitarian and ambulance flights) the note must reach the Diplomatic Protocol at least one working day before the planned flight. Requests received after the deadline may not be processed in time before the aircraft is due to take off. To speed up the processing, it is recommended to send the note by e-mail.

Contact details

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic

Diplomatic Protocol

Loretánské nám. 5

118 00 Praha 1

tel: +420 22418 2228

e-mail: dp_flights.security@mzv.cz

Once the clearance is granted, the Diplomatic Protocol sends the request form (by e-mail) back to the applicant with the clearance number written in section E.

Urgent requests submitted outside working hours or during weekends and public holidays are received and processed by the Operations and Information Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – tel. +420 22418 2425, fax +420 22418 2047, e-mail: oic@mzv.cz.

Clearance for military aircraft and civil aircraft hired by the Army

see 12.6.1.

 

12.3. Annual diplomatic clearances

Requests for next year’s blanket diplomatic clearances for all types of state aircraft must be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic before the end of April of the calendar year. The applicant must present a diplomatic note containing a list of the aircraft stating the owner, operator and type of each aircraft: military, fighters, police, customs or civil (according to this division/identification of the aircraft the requests will be  sent  to the relevant authorities for issuing the clearance).

The annual diplomatic clearance does not, subject to some exceptions, cover flights of aircraft carrying dangerous material (such as explosives or arms and ammunition) and reconnaissance equipment in operation, flights of combat aircraft and unmanned aircraft.

Annual diplomatic clearances are granted on the basis of reciprocity. Each aircraft covered by the clearance must comply with the conditions of the clearance.

 

12.4. Permanent diplomatic clearances

Permanent diplomatic clearances for flights of state aircraft are valid for an indefinite period. They are granted in exceptional cases, namely if the flights are necessary for the fulfilment
of the Czech Republic’s commitments under international law.

 

12.5. How to notify information about flights of civil aircraft with VIP passengers on board

Since civil aircraft performing non-scheduled flights for non-commercial purposes do not need a clearance in accordance with Article 5 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 1944), it is sufficient to submit the flight plan to air control authorities and the airport operator. This applies also to flights carrying government officials (VIP), humanitarian flights, flights necessary to save a human life, search and rescue flights, private and technical flights, and emergency landings.

Diplomatic missions do not notify to the Diplomatic Protocol neither overflying or landing of such aircraft.

 

12.6. Clearances granted by other Czech authorities

12.6.1. Flights of military aircraft (including with VIP on board)

Single-flight clearances for military flights (see 12.1.4.),  including with VIP on board,  are granted by the NMCC CZE  in Stará Boleslav. Requests must be sent directly to the NMCC CZE at least ten (10) working days before the planned flight and must include the completed “Diplomatic Clearance Form”, see 12.7.

Flights of aircraft covered by the annual clearance will follow the conditions of this clearance.

Clearances for flights of EDA, NATO and PfP countries´ aircraft on military missions, both in time of peace or  war, are granted by the NMCC CZE on the basis of NATO regulations. Unless provided otherwise, the contact point is the NMCC CZE.

12.6.2 Civilian carriers flights in military services

Civilian carriers transporting military personnel, material, vehicles and VIP passengers will state in „Diplomatic Clearance Form“ in a column 6 a sentence – „Civilian on behalf of MOD of the specific state“. Civilian carriers’ flights must be notified on the „Diplomatic Clearance Form“  to the NMCC CZE at least ten 10 working days before flight execution, in urgent cases even in a shorter notice. The NMCC CZE will always send a response to the possibility of flight execution.

12.6.3. General information:

Requested airports: all airports in the territory of the Czech Republic.

All information regarding air transports over the territory of the Czech Republic are stated in AIP the Czech Republic.

Clearance applications for any flights that are not covered by the reciprocal blanket diplomatic clearance must be sent to the NMCC CZE at least ten (10) working days before the planned flight on the form „Diplomatic Clearance Form“. If the application is approved, the flight will receive clearance number. The NMCC CZE will always send response to the possibility of flights execution.

The NMCC CZE urges applicants to fill in the electronic form carefully. It is important to have all data on one page only that is why the form is in locked format. Applicants who wish to include additional information will have to use the “Annex” to the request form. Applicants have to use only original form. There is not possible transfer data from MS Word documents into Excel. Incorrect or incomplete requests and requests presented on other than the prescribed form will be rejected and sent back for correction. All requests has to be sent in electronic version.

Contact details

Agency of Logistic

National Movement Coordination Centre 

Brandýs n/L-Stará Boleslav

tel: +420 973 230 760 (24/7 duty)

Fax +420 973 230 730

e-mail: nmcc@army.cz

12.6.4. Flights performed by civil aircraft for commercial and other purposes

Some flights performed by foreign civil aircraft for commercial and other purposes may need an authorization. The authorization can be obtained from the Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic. Requests for these authorizations should not be submitted through diplomatic channels – it is up to the operator to obtain the authorization directly from the Civil Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport.

Contact details

Ministry of Transport of the Czech Republic

Civil Aviation Department

Nábřeží L. Svobody 12

110 15 Praha 1

tel: +420 225 131 329/225 131 390

Fax +420 225 131 323

e-mail: flights@mdcr.cz

 

12.7. Annexes

Diplomatic Clearance Form (XLSX, 18 KB)