international civil aviation organization european and north atlantic office user consultation...

International Civil Aviation OrganizationEuropean and North Atlantic Office

User Consultation Workshop on Meteorological Service for Low-Level Flights

Schönhagen Airport, Berlin, 23-24 March 2010

Greg Brock, ICAO EUR/NAT Office

Regional Officer ANS Implementation (MET)

ICAO EUR/NATOffice

Contents

Background Who are the users of LLF forecasts? Who are the MET providers of LLF forecasts?

PT/LLF 2009 regional survey 2010 workshop

Global and regional provisions Annex 3 AIRMET GAMET SWL EUR Air Navigation Plan

Next stepsMET service for LLF 23-24 March 2010 - 2

ICAO EUR/NATOffice

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ICAO EUR/NATOffice

Background

How did the discussion on a need for the harmonization of MET products and services for low-level flights come about?

Meteorology Group (METG) Annual meeting (September) EUR States of accreditation and international organizations

(IATA, IFALPA, WMO, ECTRL) Reports directly to the PIRG – the European Air Navigation

Planning Group (EANPG)

METG/18 (2008) Provision of MET services for low-level flights in the EUR

Region not harmonized Variety of forms and content Growing demand

Project Team on the regional harmonization of MET services for Low-Level Flights (PT/LLF)

MET service for LLF 23-24 March 2010 - 4

ICAO EUR/NATOffice

Who are the MET users?

According to ICAO Annex 6 (Operation of Aircraft) Part II (International General Aviation – Aeroplanes), a General Aviation operation is defined as: “An aircraft operation other than a commercial air

transport operation or an aerial work operation”

So, the GA community encompasses: Gliders and powered parachutes through to large-

non-scheduled cargo flights. For example: Rotorcraft Piston and jet engine fixed-wing aircraft Gliders ‘Lighter-than-air’ craft

Private and commercial


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Have GA user needs changed?

The single most common class of GA aircraft is: Fixed-wind light aircraft

But....

Main area of growth in recent decades has been lighter and more affordable aircraft, such as: Microlights Small helicopters

Plus...

Advanced avionics, including GPS navigation and onboard weather radar


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Who are the MET providers

Forecasts of en-route conditions for low-level flights are prepared locally or regionally by meteorological offices


+ =

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PT/LLF

Composition: Austria, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Poland, Serbia,

Slovenia (Rapporteur) and IFALPA

Terms of reference: Assists METG in developing proposals for amendment to

the EUR Air Navigation Plan (EUR ANP) related to meteorological services for low-level flights

Amendments to EUR ANP necessary to: ensure the harmonized implementation of the relevant

Annex 3 Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs); and

enhance the services for low-level flights throughout the EUR Region


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2009 regional survey

MET perspective: Status of MET information provided for low-level

flights 34 replies, including:

90% issue area forecasts for LLF; 60% issue AIRMET; 75% issue bespoke (non-ICAO standard) LLF forecasts

USER perspective: Preferences on the type of MET information for low-

level flights 22 replies, including:

80% preference for graphical LLF forecasts 50% preference for state of the sea and SST info >90% would like to use standardized LLF forecasts


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2010 user consultation workshop

Engaging the MET and LLF user communities

What are the user requirements for LLF forecasts, now and in the future? Content and format? Parameters and thresholds? Validity periods and update cycle? Criteria for amendment? Availability?

Can MET service providers meet these present and future user requirements?

How do we harmonize MET service for LLF? Common best practices, guidelines, etc? What changes are necessary to the EUR ANP?


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Contents





ICAO EUR/NATOffice

Global and regional provisions

ICAO Annex 3 – Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation

ICAO Doc 8896 – Manual of Aeronautical MET Practice

ICAO Doc 7754 – EUR Air Navigation Plan Volume I – Basic ANP Volume II – Facilities and

Services Implementation Document (FASID)

ICAO Doc 7030 – Regional Supplementary Procedures


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Forecasts of en-route conditions

[Annex 3]

All forecasts of en-route conditions are provided within the framework of the WAFS By the two World Area Forecast Centres (WAFC

London and WAFC Washington)

EXCEPT:

Forecasts of en-route conditions for low-level flights which are prepared locally or regionally By meteorological offices


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Definitions – Annex 3

[Annex 3]

Area forecasts for low-level flights When the density of traffic operating below flight level

100 (or up to flight level 150 in mountainous areas, or higher, where necessary) warrants the routine issue and dissemination of area forecasts for such operations, the frequency of issue, the form and the fixed time or period of validity of those forecasts and the criteria for amendments thereto shall be determined by the meteorological authority in consultation with the users.


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AIRMET information

[Annex 3]

Shall be issued by a meteorological watch office in accordance with regional air navigation agreement, taking into account the density of air traffic operating below FL100

Abbreviated plain language message

Concise description of occurrence and/or expected occurrence of specified en-route weather phenomenon, which have not been included in Section I of the area forecast for low-level flights

Period of validity not more than 4 hours.


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Area forecasts

[Annex 3]

When the density of traffic operating below FL100 warrants the issuance of AIRMET information, area forecasts for such operations shall be prepared in a format agreed upon between the meteorological authorities concerned

Abbreviated plain language GAMET area forecast

Chart form wind/temperature and low-level significant weather forecast (SWL) charts


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Area forecasts for low-level flights

[Annex 3]

Ground to FL100 (or ≥ FL150 in mountainous areas)

En-route weather phenomena hazardous to low-level flights

When prepared in support of the issuance of AIRMET, area forecasts are: Issued every 6 hours Valid for 6 hours Transmitted to meteorological offices concerned not

later than one hour prior to the beginning of their validity period


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GAMET

Section I information on en-route

weather phenomena hazardous to low-level flights, prepared in support of the issuance of AIRMET information

Section II additional information

required by low-level flights

included in accordance with regional air navigation agreement

YUCC GAMET VALID 220600/221200 YUDO

YUCC AMSWELL FIR/2 BLW FL100

SECN I

SFC WSPD: 10/12 65 KMH

SFC VIS: 06/08 3000 M BR N OF N51

SIGWX: 11/12 ISOL TS

SIG CLD: 06/09 OVC 800/1100 FT AGL N OF N51 10/12 ISOL TCU 1200/8000 FT AGL

ICE: MOD FL050/080

TURB: MOD ABV FL090

SIGMETS APPLICABLE: 3, 5

SECN II

PSYS: 06 L 1004 HPA N5130 E01000 MOV NE 25 KT WKN

WIND/T: 2000 FT 270/70 KMH PS03 5000 FT 250/80 KMH MS02 10000 FT 240/85 KMH MS11

CLD: BKN SC 2500/8000 FT AGL

FZLVL: 3000 FT AGL

MNM QNH: 1004 HPA

SEA: T15 HGT 5M

VA: NIL


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“Regional Air Navigation Agreement”

Basic ANP and FASID, Part VI (MET)

Basic ANP supplements the GAMET provisions in Annex 3, to the extent that: When area forecasts for LLF are issued as GAMET,

Section II should include: Short description of general weather situation; Mean surface winds also for values ≤ 30KT; Upper wind/temp in mountainous areas for altitudes

≥FL150; Information about widespread surface visibility < 5000

m; State of the sea and sea surface temperature (if

applicable); Outlook concerning expected hazardous weather

phenomenon during the following validity period.


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Low-level SIGWX forecast (SWL)

Include: Surface winds; Surface visibility; Significant weather; Mountain obscuration; Cloud type/amount; Icing; Turbulence; Mountain wave; Pressure centres and

fronts; Freezing level; Sea surface temperature

and state of sea; Volcanic eruptions


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Contents





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Next steps...

Which types of forecast work best in which situations? Graphical versus textual? Strengths and weaknesses of each?

Are all MET parameters catered for? Thresholds for inclusion/exclusion? Abbreviations and/or symbols? Amendment criteria?

Which height indications are preferential? Flight levels? Pressure levels? Heights AGL?

Fixed time validity versus period of validity?

Lead time of issuance?


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Next steps...

Can we identify common user requirements?

Can we identify current MET best practices?

Can we consolidate these into harmonized regional provisions within the EUR Air Navigation Plan? Notably Basic ANP Part VI (MET)

Timescale? PT/LLF Workshop – March 2010 METG/20 – September 2010 EANPG/52 – November 2010 Proposal for amendment to EUR Air Navigation Plan

Volume I (Basic ANP) Part VI (MET) – Early 2011??


- END -

Thank you

international civil aviation organization european and north atlantic office user consultation...

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