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AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 19
/ AIS-AIMSG/1-SN No. 19
21/11/08

AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION SERVICES-AERONAUTICAL

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT STUDY GROUP (AIS-AIMSG)

FIRST MEETING

Montréal, 2 to 4 December 2008

Agenda Item / 7: / Annex amendment proposals
7.5: / Miscellaneous
Agenda Item / 8: / Guidance material
8.6: / Miscellaneous

OPERATING PROCEDURES FOR AIS DYNAMIC DATA

(Presented by Paul Bosman)

SUMMARY
This study note proposes the integration of the content of the most recent edition of the Operating Procedures for AIS Dynamic Data (OPADD) into global ICAO documentation. This will enable increased understanding of the processing of NOTAM and its related messages (ASHTAM, SNOWTAM), support harmonisation of working practices and assist the increased automation of States’ NOTAM processing and Briefing systems.

1.  INTRODUCTION

1.1  The first edition of the Operating Procedures for AIS Dynamic Data - OPADD (published in January 2000 as edition 1.0) has been widely distributed and applied in Europe. Changing needs and modified ICAO standards required further evolution through a consistent maintenance scheme. The current OPADD edition implemented is 2.1 which had been released March 2007. It is available at: http://www.eurocontrol.int/aim/public/standard_page/qm_opadd.html

1.2  The OPADD is being maintained through the OPADD Focus Group II, established under the oversight of the European AIS Operations Subgroup of the Aeronautical Information Team. At this moment, the OPADD-FG is very well advanced in the task to prepare the OPADD edition 3.0 with a release date planned for springtime 2009.

1.3  Through proactive exploitation by a number of States and Organisations around the Globe it has since its first publication become a ‘de-facto standard’ and translated into Japanese and Russian. For example, OPADD 2.1 has been formally established as a regional working procedure in the ICAO Asia and Pacific Region.

1.4  This wide acceptance and application of the OPADD has given rise to the proposal of this study note, namely to recommend its integration into global ICAO Standards and Guidance material, respectively.

2.  content and status of the OPADD

2.1  The OPADD document contains ECAC States-approved guidelines for the handling of Dynamic Data. These guidelines complement ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) as defined by Annex 15 and the AIS Manual (Doc 8126).

2.2  The scope of the OPADD details, in the main, procedures related to NOTAM. It also covers examples of SNOWTAM and ASHTAM as well as specific guidance for harmonisation of these messages.

2.3  Recent maintenance work has considered its expansion to global applicability by avoiding explicit reference to specific European systems. However, European specifics were needed e.g. in support of the EAD and have, therefore, been focussed inside in a single chapter. Although chapter 6 has been labelled ‘Specific European Arrangements’ the relevant procedures may be exploited for any type of operations or arrangements which apply a central (regional) database operated on behalf of a group of States.

2.4  The OPADD 3.0 will be a further significant step towards harmonisation as it contains for the first time, a new chapter presenting guidelines covering the retrieval and provision of pre-flight information bulletins (PIB).

2.5  The following main chapters are contained in the OPADD edition 3.0:

·  NOTAM creation;

·  NOTAM processing;

·  Database completeness and coherence messages;

·  Procedures for SNOWTAM and ASHTAM and special conditions;

·  Specific European arrangements;

·  Guidelines for the creation and provision of PIB.

3.  recommendation

3.1  Further exploitation of OPADD will enable increased understanding concerning the processing of NOTAM and its related messages (ASHTAM, SNOWTAM). It will support harmonisation of working practices and assist increased automation of States’ NOTAM processing and Briefing systems in order to meet changing user requirements.

3.2  The draft OPADD version 3.0 (see Ref. 1 on AIS-AIMSG/1 website) is now submitted to the AIS-AIMSG by way of this Study Note though formal release is only foreseen for springtime 2009. Edition 3.0 is proactively proposed as by the time, the detailed content would need to be integrated into guidance material, this version will be fully consolidated. Therefore, the changes to ICAO SARPs as proposed below are generic and are fully supported by the current OPADD edition 2.1.

3.3  In order to realise the intended benefits of the OPADD it is recommended to:

a)  integrate the content of the OPADD into global ICAO material with an applicability date of Nov 2010, by:

1)  referencing it inside Annex 15, chapter 5.2 through following text:
‘5.2.2 Recommendation.— Detailed working practices covering NOTAM, SNOWTAM, ASHTAM and PIB production are contained in the ICAO Manual <title> Doc Nr.’;

2)  adding a note into Annex 15, Appendices 2, 3, 6 under each general item 1:
‘Detailed working practices covering NOTAM/SNOWTAM/ASHTAM are contained in the ICAO Manual <title> Doc Nr.’; and by

b)  translating the content of the OPADD 3.0 into the ICAO Doc 8126 or establishing a new manual to cover ‘Dynamic Data Procedures’.

4.  action by the AIS-AIMsg

4.1  The AIS-AIMSG is invited to:

a)  discuss the content of the study note;

b)  advise how best to publish the detailed content of the OPADD in guidance material;

c)  request Eurocontrol to provide the consolidated OPADD edition 3.0, as soon as published, to the secretariat; and to

d)  endorse the recommendations as outlined in item 3.3.

Reference material:

Draft OPADD 3.0 (v0.85)

Note: Colour coding indicates the differences between ed. 2.1 and 3.0. The clean version can be provided during the meeting or on request.

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