Guide to the Rules
Rule Structure
The Rules are divided into about 50 Parts, which is the name given to groups of related Rules. Parts are identified by both a number and a name. Once you become familiar with the Parts, you will probably refer to them just by number.
You are not expected to know all of these Parts, but you need to be familiar with the ones that relate to you. For example, a private pilot needs to know about getting a licence, the flying and airspace Rules, and how to report accidents. Part 61 tells you the requirements to get a Pilot's licence, Part 91 tells you the Rules of the air and airspace, and Part 12 covers accident and incident reporting. Everyone needs to know about Part 1, which explains definitions and abbreviations for terms used in the Rules.
Gaps in numbering allow Parts to be added where necessary, without having to renumber the whole system. For example, the first number used is Part 1, but the next number currently in use is Part 11 - the numbers in between are open for future use.
Which Parts do you need?
The subject of each Part is explained in its title. Parts are loosely organised into groups that relate to similar things. For instance, all licences for pilots, engineers, air traffic controllers, and flight engineers, come under Parts with numbers in the 60s.
But unfortunately its not that simple - everyone in aviation is interconnected in some way. So, although you may have a core Part that you need to use most, you will also need to use many other Parts.