---
title: "SPO.OP.115 Departure and approach procedures – aeroplanes and helicopters — Part-SPO · Avioverse"
description: "The pilot-in-command shall use the departure and approach procedures established by the State of the aerodrome, if such procedures have been published…"
url: "https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/air-ops/part-spo/subpart-b/spo-op-115"
---

# SPO.OP.115 Departure and approach procedures – aeroplanes and helicopters

ANNEX VIII (Part-SPO) · Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

Official sources: [EASA Easy Access Rules (opens in a new tab)](https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/document-library/easy-access-rules/easy-access-rules-air-operations) · [EUR-Lex 2012/965 (opens in a new tab)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0965)

IR Implementing rule

## SPO.OP.115 Departure and approach procedures – aeroplanes and helicopters

(a) The pilot-in-command shall use the departure and approach procedures established by the State of the aerodrome, if such procedures have been published for the runway or FATO to be used.

(b) The pilot-in-command may deviate from a published departure route, arrival route or approach procedure:

(1) provided obstacle clearance criteria can be observed, full account is taken of the operating conditions and any ATC clearance is adhered to; or

(2) when being radar-vectored by an ATC unit.

(c) In the case of operations with [complex motor-powered aircraft](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/complex-motor-powered-aircraft), the final approach segment shall be flown visually or in accordance with the published approach procedures.

IR · SPO.OP.115 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · Regulation (EU) No 379/2014 · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

AMC Acceptable means of compliance

## AMC1 SPO.OP.115 Departure and approach procedures — aeroplanes and helicopters

APPROACH FLIGHT TECHNIQUE — AEROPLANES

(a) All approach operations should be flown as SAp operations.

(b) The CDFA technique should be used for NPA procedures.

AMC · AMC1 SPO.OP.115 — Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 · ED Decision 2022/012/R · Air OPS Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 27 Mar 2026

[All rules in SUBPART B: OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/air-ops/part-spo/subpart-b)

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 27 Mar 2026, extracted 2 Nov 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.