VA SIGMET Education

IAVWOPSG/4-IP/5
/ IAVWOPSG/4-IP/5
10/7/08

INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS VOLCANO WATCH OPERATIONS GROUP (IAVWOPSG)

FOURTH MEETING

Paris, France, 15 to 19 September 2008

Agenda Item / 5: / Operation of the IAVWOPSG
5.2: / Improvement of the format and content of all volcanic ash related messages

VA SIGMET Education

(Presented by Australia)

SUMMARY
This paper presents activities by Australia towards improving the VA SIGMET service in the ASIA/PAC Region. These include supporting the ASIA/PAC SIGMET Seminar, training visits to ASIA/PAC states and coordinating with New Zealand the design and production of VA SIGMET posters.

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 As part of the efforts aimed at improving the SIGMET service in the Region, CNS/MET SG/10 proposed to organize a SIGMET Seminar. APANPIRG/17 endorsed this proposal and adopted Conclusion 17/42 as follows:

Conclusion 17/42 — ASIA/PAC SIGMET Seminar
That,
a) ICAO, in coordination with WMO and the VAAC and TCAC Provider States in the ASIA/PAC Region, be invited to organize in 2007 a regional training seminar for the States’ SIGMET Focal Points; and
b) States’ CAAs and meteorological authorities be strongly encouraged to ensure participation of the designated SIGMET Focal Points or other appropriate personnel in the above seminar.

In accordance with these recommendations the Australian Bureau of Meteorology was requested by the ICAO Secretary-General to support the seminar.

1.2 Other SIGMET Educational activities in which Australia participated included training visits to the Philippines and PNG, as well as coordinating with New Zealand to design and publish VA SIGMET posters proposed by CNS/MET SG/9 and endorsed by APANPIRG/16.

2. ASIA/PAC SIGMET SEMINAR

2.1 Asia Pacific region SIGMET Seminar was conducted by ICAO in Bangkok and sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) over the period 11-13 July 2007. The seminar was attended by 26 representatives from 16 states in the Asia/Pacific Region along with representatives from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). WMO was represented remotely via the VOIP.

2.2 Australia attended the seminar and gave presentations on VA SIGMETs, the proposed VA SIGMET Poster (with New Zealand) and conducted a practical exercise on producing a VA SIGMET from a Volcanic Ash Advisory (VAA).

2.3 The practical exercise on issuing VA SIGMETS was based on the 2002 eruption of Mt. Ruang. This case involved multiple eruptions in a short time that affected multiple FIRs. Good discussion and feedback occurred with the participants while working through this exercise that was included in the procedures for the updated ASIA/PAC Regional SIGMET Guide. The exercise also raised several issues with formatting VA SIGMETs that was included in an ICAO working paper, CNS/MET SG/11-WP/33.

3. REGIONAL AWARENESS OF VA SIGMET

3.1 As part of VAAC Darwin’s regional liaison and awareness program, visits were made to the national meteorological services in the Philippines (PAGASA), in August 2007, and PNG (National Meteorological Service), in Jan 2008. At both aviation forecast centres presentations were made and training conducted on preparing VA SIGMETs based on VAAs; similar to what was presented at the 2007 ASIA/PAC SIGMET Seminar.

4. VA SIGMET POSTER

4.1 APANPIRG/16 endorsed the proposal by CNS/MET SG/9 to enhance the availability and quality of the SIGMET information by producing SIGMET posters describing the SIGMET procedures to be used as training material and quick reference tools by MWOs. Australia and New Zealand have cooperated on producing a VA SIGMET poster which is now printed as an A2 poster and has been dispatched to ICAO for distribution (the appendix to this paper refers).

5. ACTION BY THE IAVWOPSG

5.1 The meeting is invited to note the information presented in this paper.

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Appendix
IAVWOPSG/4-IP/5
Appendix

APPENDIX

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