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Navigate / EASA / AIR OPERATIONS MAR 2026 / ANNEX VI (Part-NCC) / SUBPART D: INSTRUMENTS, DATA AND EQUIPMENT / SECTION 1 - Aeroplanes /

NCC.IDE.A.120 Operations under VFR - flight and navigational instruments and associated equipment

NCC.IDE.A.120 specifies VFR flight and navigational instruments for aeroplanes, including basic day instruments, additional instruments for VMC over water or night, and extra displays when two pilots are required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Under NCC.IDE.A.120(a), aeroplanes operated under VFR by day must be equipped with a means of measuring and displaying: magnetic heading, time in hours/minutes/seconds, barometric altitude, indicated airspeed, slip, and Mach number whenever speed limitations are expressed in terms of Mach number.

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In addition to the VFR day instruments, the aeroplane must be equipped with a means of measuring and displaying turn and slip, attitude, vertical speed, and stabilised heading; a means of indicating when the supply of power to the gyroscopic instruments is not adequate; and a means of preventing malfunction of the airspeed indicating system due to condensation or icing.

* Aviation.Bot's Suggestion - Always consult the original regulation for confirmation

These additional instruments are required when operating under VMC over water and out of sight of land, or under VMC at night, or in conditions where the aeroplane cannot be maintained in a desired flight path without reference to one or more additional instruments, as specified in NCC.IDE.A.120(b).

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The aeroplane must have a means of indicating when the supply of power to the gyroscopic instruments is not adequate, as required by NCC.IDE.A.120(b)(2).

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The aeroplane must be equipped with a means of preventing malfunction of the airspeed indicating system due to condensation or icing, as stated in NCC.IDE.A.120(b)(3).

* Aviation.Bot's Suggestion - Always consult the original regulation for confirmation

When two pilots are required, the aeroplane must have an additional separate means of displaying barometric altitude, indicated airspeed, slip (or turn and slip as applicable), attitude (if applicable), vertical speed (if applicable), stabilised heading (if applicable), and Mach number (if applicable when speed limitations are in Mach terms).

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No, a Mach number display is only required whenever speed limitations are expressed in terms of Mach number, as per NCC.IDE.A.120(a)(6).

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The regulation requires a means of measuring and displaying stabilised heading, but it does not define the term; it is listed as one of the additional instruments needed under the conditions in NCC.IDE.A.120(b)(1)(iv).

* Aviation.Bot's Suggestion - Always consult the original regulation for confirmation

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NCC.IDE.A.120 Operations under VFR – flight and navigational instruments and associated equipment

Regulation (EU) 2019/1384

(a) Aeroplanes operated under VFR by day shall be equipped with a means of measuring and displaying the following:

(1) magnetic-heading;

(2) time in hours, minutes and seconds;

(3) barometric altitude;

(4) indicated airspeed;

(5) slip; and

(6) Mach number whenever speed limitations are expressed in terms of Mach number.

(b) Aeroplanes operated under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) over water and out of sight of the land, or under VMC at night, or in conditions where the aeroplane cannot be maintained in a desired flight path without reference to one or more additional instruments, shall be, in addition to (a), equipped with:

(1) a means of measuring and displaying the following:

(i) turn and slip;

(ii) attitude;

(iii) vertical speed; and

(iv) stabilised heading;

(2) a means of indicating when the supply of power to the gyroscopic instruments is not adequate; and

(3) a means of preventing malfunction of the airspeed indicating system required in (a)(4) due to condensation or icing.

(c) Whenever two pilots are required for the operation, aeroplanes shall be equipped with an additional separate means of displaying the following:

(1) barometric altitude;

(2) indicated airspeed;

(3) slip, or turn and slip, as applicable;

(4) attitude, if applicable;

(5) vertical speed, if applicable;

(6) stabilised heading, if applicable; and

(7) Mach number whenever speed limitations are expressed in terms of Mach number, if applicable.

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