Introduction

The Regulation (EU) No 139/2014 is officially referred to as IR-ADR (Implementing rules – Aerodromes), but it is more commonly known as EASA ADR. It replaces existing national requirements with regard to the management, certification and operations of aerodromes in European states.

In accordance with the Basic Regulation Member States may decide to exempt from the provisions of EASA ADR an aerodrome which handles no more than 10,000 passengers per year and no more than 850 movements related to cargo operations per year. Member States are however required to examine the traffic figures of an exempted aerodrome on an annual basis. If the traffic figures at such an aerodrome have exceeded those provided for in the Basic Regulation over the last three consecutive years, Member States are required to inform EASA and revoke the exemption.

The standard of reference for EASA ADR at ICAO’s level is Annex 14, Volume I, which is applicable to all aerodromes open to public use in accordance with the requirements of Article 15 of the ICAO Convention. The contents of Annex 14, Volume I, reflect the planning and design, as well as operation and maintenance, of aerodromes. The regulation is also closely based on ICAO Documents 9734 (Safety Oversight Manual) and 9774 (Manual on Certification of Aerodromes).

Entry into Force

The Regulation entered into force in February 2014.

The transition period for establishing compliance with its requirements ended on 31 December 2017.

Definitions

The following entities are the main recipients of the requirements of regulation (EU) No 139/2014:

• Competent authorities (NAAs);
• Aerodrome operators; and
• Apron management service providers.

Competent authority (NAA)

The term refers to the authority designated within each Member State with the necessary powers and responsibilities for the certification and oversight of aerodromes, as well as personnel and organisations involved therein.

Aerodrome operator

The term refers to the entity certified by a competent authority to operate an aerodrome (a defined area – including any buildings, installations and equipment – on land or water or on a fixed, fixed offshore or floating structure intended to be used either wholly or in part for the arrival, departure and surface movement of aircraft).

Apron management service provider

The term refers to the entity overseen by a competent authority to provide apron management services (services provided to manage the activities and the movement of aircraft and vehicles on an apron).

Contents

The regulation consists of four annexes (parts) with related subparts as follows:

Annex I

Annex I contains definitions for terms used in annexes II to IV.

Annex II

Part-ADR.AR (authority requirements - aerodromes) establishes requirements for the Competent Authorities involved in the certification and oversight of aerodromes, aerodrome operators and apron management service providers. These requirements are articulated in the following series of subparts:

Subpart A (ADR.AR.A) (general requirements)

Subpart B (ADR.AR.B) (management of competent authority)

Subpart C (ADR.AR.C) (oversight, certification and enforcement)

Annex III

Part-ADR.OR (organisation requirements - aerodrome operators) establishes the requirements to be followed by aerodrome operators subject to the Basic Regulation with respect to their certification, management, manuals and other responsibilities, as well as providers of apron management services. These requirements are articulated in the following series of subparts:

Subpart A (ADR.OR.A) (general requirements)

Subpart B (ADR.OR.B) (certification of aerodromes and aerodrome operators, declaration of providers of apron management services)

Subpart C (ADR.OR.C) (additional aerodrome operator responsibilities)

Subpart D (ADR.OR.D) (management, including management system, personnel requirements and training)

Subpart E (ADR.OR.E) (aerodrome manual and documentation)

Annex IV

Part-ADR.OPS (operations requirements - aerodromes) establishes the requirements to be followed with regard to aerodrome operations. These requirements are articulated in the following series of subparts:

Subpart A (ADR.OPS.A) (aerodrome data)

Subpart B (ADR.OPS.B) (aerodrome operational services, equipment and installations)

Subpart C (ADR.OPS.C) (aerodrome maintenance)

Acceptable means of compliance, guidance material, certification specifications

Acceptable means of compliance (AMC), guidance material (GM) and certification specifications (CS) to regulation (EU) No 139/2014 are provided as follows:

Acceptable means of compliance and guidance material to authority (Part-ADR.AR), organisation (Part-ADR.OR) and operations (Part-ADR.OPS) requirements for aerodromes;

Guidance material on the implementation of the remote tower concept for single mode of operation;

Certification specifications and guidance material for aerodromes design (CS-ADR-DSN).

Highlights

Important novelties mandated by regulation (EU) No 139/2014, in comparison with national requirements for aerodromes, include the need for a declaration to be made by apron management service providers and the need to improve control on airside driving.

Declaration of apron management service providers

EASA ADR is not only applicable to aerodrome operators but also to apron management service providers. Unlike aerodrome operators the latter do not undergo a certification process but are rather required to submit a declaration to the competent authority regarding their compliance with all applicable requirements of the Basic Regulation and its implementing rules. Upon receiving a declaration from a provider of apron management services intending to provide such services at an aerodrome, the Competent Authority is required to verify that the declaration contains all the information required by Part ADR.OR and to acknowledge receipt of the declaration to the organisation submitting it.

Apron management service providers are required to maintain compliance with the applicable requirements and with the information given in the declaration as well as to notify the Competent Authority of any changes to their declarations or the means of compliance they use through submission of an amended declaration. Apron management service providers are required to provide their services in accordance with the aerodrome manual and comply with all relevant provisions contained therein.

Operation of vehicles

Under EASA ADR aerodrome operators are required to establish and implement procedures for the training, assessment and authorisation of all drivers operating on the movement area.

Amendments

Regulation 139/2014 has been subject to several corrections and amendments.

Errors were found in the French version of this Regulation which were corrected by Regulation 2017/161. Versions in other languages were not affected.

An error was found in the Polish version which was corrected by Regulation 2022/697. Versions in other languages were not affected.

The first amendment of this Regulation was made by Regulation 2018/401. The definition of "instrument runway" was updated and definitions for "type A instrument approach operation" and "type A instrument approach operation" were added.

The second amendment of this Regulation was made by Regulation 2020/469. Annex III was amended by:

• Extending the information to be provided by the applicant for an aerodrome operator certificate to include the types of operation in the airspace associated to the aerodrome.
• Explicitly stating that the flight procedures of the aerodrome must be in accordance with Regulation 2017/373.

The third amendment to this Regulation was made by Regulation 2020/1234. The changes mostly address the provisions related to competent authorities, oversight and apron operations and include:

• Updating some of the provisions in Annex II and Annex III
• Adding provisions for Apron management operations in Annex IV

The fourth amendment to this Regulation was made by Regulation 2020/2148. The changes include:

• Adding/updating 25 definitions in Annex I
• Updating provisions about Management of aeronautical data and aeronautical information and Training and proficiency check programmes in Annex III
• Adding/updating provisions of Annex IV:
  • Aerodrome data, in particular adding provisions about the origination of NOTAM and surface condition reports
  • NOTAM and SNOWTAM forms
  • Operational services, equipment and installations, including operation of vehicles and requirements for vehicle drivers
  • Aerodrome maintenance, including vehicles, aerodrome surfaces, visual aids and electrical systems

The fifth amendment to this Regulation was made by Regulation 2022/208. The changes mostly address low visibility operations and include:

• Adding/updating/removing 9 definitions in Annex I.
• Adding a general requirement in Annex III regarding the provision and maintenance of aerodrome equipment
• Adding/updating requirements in Annex IV about:
  • Information on the aerodrome lighting system
  • Charts relevant to the aerodrome
  • Information on radio navigation and landing aids
  • Information on visual segment surface (VSS) penetration
  • Low-visibility procedures

The sixth amendment to this Regulation was made by Regulation 2022/2074. The only change was the update of the NOTAM definition.

The seventh amendment to this Regulation was made by Regulation 2023/203. The changes add provisions for information security risk assessment, information security management and reaction to information security vulnerabilities and incidents and are applicable as of 22.02.2026.

A consolidated version of this Regulation can be found here. It incorporates Regulations 2017/161, 2018/401, 2020/469, 2020/1234, 2020/2148, 2022/208 and 2022/2074.

Related Articles

• Regulation 2018/1139 - Common Rules in the Field of Civil Aviation and Establishing EASA ("Basic Regulation")
• European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA)
• Acceptable Means of Compliance and Guidance Material
• Alternative Means of Compliance

Further Reading

• Regulation (EC) 139/2014 (IR-ADR) - full text (OJ, 14.02.2014)
• ED Decision 2022/006/R - Certification Specifications and Guidance Material for Aerodrome Design (CS-ADR-DSN)
• ICAO Doc 9734 AN/959 Safety Oversight Manual Part A 2nd Edition
• FAA Part 139 - Certification of Airports