---
title: "SERA.5015 Instrument flight rules (IFR) — Rules applicable to all IFR flights — ANNEX: Rules of the Air, SERA · Avioverse"
description: "Aircraft equipment Aircraft shall be equipped with suitable instruments and with navigation equipment appropriate to the route to be flown and in…"
url: "https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/sera/annex-rules-of-the-air/section-5/sera-5015"
---

# SERA.5015 Instrument flight rules (IFR) — Rules applicable to all IFR flights

ANNEX: Rules of the Air · Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 · EAR revision 26 Aug 2025

IR Implementing rule

## SERA.5015 Instrument flight rules (IFR) — Rules applicable to all IFR flights

(a) [Aircraft](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aircraft) equipment

Aircraft shall be equipped with suitable instruments and with navigation equipment appropriate to the route to be flown and in accordance with the applicable air operations legislation.

(b) Minimum levels

Except when necessary for take-off or landing, or except when specifically authorised by the [competent authority](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/competent-authority), an [IFR flight](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/ifr-flight) shall be flown at a [level](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/level) which is not below the minimum flight [altitude](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/altitude) established by the State whose [territory](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/territory) is overflown, or, where no such minimum flight altitude has been established:

(1) over high terrain or in mountainous areas, at a level which is at least 600 m (2 000 ft) above the highest [obstacle](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/obstacle) located within 8 km of the estimated position of the aircraft;

(2) elsewhere than as specified in (1), at a level which is at least 300 m (1 000 ft) above the highest obstacle located within 8 km of the estimated position of the aircraft.

(c) Change from IFR flight to [VFR flight](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/vfr-flight)

(1) An aircraft electing to change the conduct of its flight from compliance with the instrument flight rules to compliance with the visual flight rules shall notify the appropriate [air traffic](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/air-traffic) services unit specifically that the IFR flight is cancelled and communicate thereto the changes to be made to its current [flight plan](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/flight-plan).

(2) When an aircraft operating under the instrument flight rules is flown in or encounters [visual meteorological conditions](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/visual-meteorological-conditions) it shall not cancel its IFR flight unless it is anticipated, and intended, that the flight will be continued for a reasonable period of time in uninterrupted visual meteorological conditions.

(3) Change from IFR flight to VFR flight shall only be acceptable when a message initiated by the pilot-in-command containing the specific expression ‘CANCELLING MY IFR FLIGHT’, together with the changes, if any, to be made to the current flight plan, is received by an ATS unit. No invitation to change from IFR flight to VFR flight shall be made by ATS either directly or by inference.

IR · SERA.5015 — Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 · Regulation (EU) 2016/1185 · SERA Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Aug 2025

GM Guidance material

## GM1 SERA.5015(b) Instrument flight rules (IFR) — Rules applicable to all IFR flights

MINIMUM LEVELS

When determining which are the highest obstacles within 8 km of the estimated position of the [aircraft](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/aircraft), the estimate will take account of the navigational [accuracy](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/accuracy) which can be achieved on the relevant [route segment](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/route-segment), having regard to the navigational facilities available on the ground and in the aircraft.

GM · GM1 SERA.5015(b) — Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 · ED Decision 2013/013/R · SERA Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Aug 2025

GM Guidance material

## GM1 SERA.5015(c)(3) Instrument flight rules (IFR) — Rules applicable to all IFR flights

No reply, other than the acknowledgment ‘[IFR FLIGHT](https://avioverse.aero/glossary/easa/ifr-flight) CANCELLED AT ... (time)’, should normally be made by an ATS unit.

GM · GM1 SERA.5015(c)(3) — Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 · ED Decision 2016/023/R · SERA Easy Access Rules · EAR revision 26 Aug 2025

[All rules in SECTION 5 Visual meteorological conditions, visual flight rules, special VFR and instrument flight rules](https://avioverse.aero/regulations/easa/sera/annex-rules-of-the-air/section-5)

Consolidated from the EASA Easy Access Rules (revision 26 Aug 2025, extracted 13 Oct 2026) for convenience. Not the official publication — verify against the Official Journal of the European Union and the EASA publications before operational use.