We needed a reliable, comprehensive Airport database for International Flight Ops. There wasn’t one out there.

That was six years ago. All of the databases that we found online – both paid for and free – had flaws that made them unusable in the daily Flight Operation. Too short, too long, not enough data, wrong codes, badly formatted … We realised that we had to built a new one from scratch.

So we did. In the interim, we’ve added all kinds of useful data to it, updated it, and made it into what we think is the best database for Ops Controllers, Pilots, Airlines, Software developers, and service providers.

Take a look at the database – you can see a sample 100 records, but the full version is a paid product.

Download the sample

Last year Australia switched off most of its navaids, meaning that RNP became a requirement.

This year, they’re asking all aircraft flying in Australian airspace to be ADS-B equipped after February 2nd, 2017. ADS-B means that controllers can use your uplinked GPS position, instead of mammoth SSR Radar Units all over the country.

There are two exemptions:

• Small Australian-registered GA aircraft
• Foreign-registered aircraft with the restriction that you must fly below FL290 in continental airspace, and stick “RMK/NIL ADSB AUTH” into Field 18 of the Flight Plan.

You don’t need to apply for special authorisation, just show up.

References:

• Air Services Australia (ATC) mandate list
• Australian CAA (CASA) ADS-B information
• CASA Authorisation summary

Just around New Years, a story started growing legs about Bogus CPDLC messages from Shanwick and Gander. In the most worrying version of events, the G550 crew received a “Descend at Max Rate” type message on CPDLC, and when they checked on voice with ATC it hadn’t come from them.

We had lots of replies on this – both by email and in slack, thanks everyone! So here is the event summary as pieced together by the community:

– This was a single event that happened in December, at 0500Z one morning, to a G550
– It was caused by an avionics bug in the FMS – a valid error message was parsed incorrectly and assigned a value of “Descend at max rate” by the FMS, which appeared on the screen.
– Fears of it being some kind of spoofing or hack are unfounded. The initial story spread like wildfire! But ultimately, a non-event.

Confirm Assigned Route

This was the second part of the concerns about CPDLC messages from Shanwick. Lots of crews have been getting an FMS message after passing the Oceanic Entry Point saying “Confirm Assigned Route”. We’ve probably gotten 50 distinct messages/emails/queries on this. Many crews don’t know quite what this is or what to do with it, and many wondered if it was also a “bogus message”.

This is normal. It’s a new procedure, and this message is now automatically sent by Gander, Shanwick, and Iceland. The reason for the message, is to act as a cross check, now that we’re all cruising with 30 miles between us instead of the old school 60. When you do “Confirm Assigned Route”, then ATC knows that you’re both on the same page.

We first mentioned it here in November, have a read. The only recent update is that Gander and Iceland have automated the CPDLC message, so everyone that logs on will get the “Confirm Assigned Route” message.

You can view the full list of changes here, but this list might be a little handier. From Jan 1st, the new edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (Edition 58) will be applicable.

• Replacing the existing lithium battery handling label with a new multi-modal lithium battery mark to be phased in over two years, with a deadline of December 2018 (Figure 7.1.C)
• Introducing a new Class 9 dangerous goods label specifically for lithium batteries, to be phased in over two years, with a deadline of December 2018 (Figure 7.3.X)
• Many new and modified special provisions
• Allowing shippers to assign a substance to a class or division different to that shown in the List of Dangerous Goods (IATA DGR 4.2), subject to approval by the appropriate national authority
• Adding classification criteria for polymerizing substances into Division 4.1
• Adding new UN numbers and Proper Shipping Names for “polymerizing substances,
• liquid and solid, stabilized” (PI 459) and “polymerizing substances, liquid and solid requiring temperature
• Updating Special Provision A104 for UN1230, Methanol that requires all packages containing methanol to bear a Division 6.1 toxic hazard label (in addition to the Class 3 flammable label)
• Changing the documentation requirements for hazmat air shipments

Reference:

IATA DGR Changes from 1st Jan, 2017.

You’ll see lots of new acronyms being bandied about, like ERATO, EEE, a new DSNA ATM system in LFBB in accordance with SESAR … but in simple terms (our favourite words): France is changing from using paper strips to electronic strips for separating enroute aircraft, from November 17th, 2016.

Since more or less day one of Air Traffic Control, paper has been used to record where the airplane is, and then placed somewhat geographically in relation to the other airplanes that might affect it. Changes are written on the strip by hand, with a pen.

Like the picture above.

Because getting rid of any paper whatsoever is the most important thing in the world right now, there is a new electronic version of the same thing (and France is calling theirs ‘ERATO‘). Which looks a little like this:

So, Bordeaux (LFBB) Center is first … starting today, November 17th. And because nobody is entirely sure how well this is all going to work, a whole bunch of traffic has to be rerouted away from Bordeaux, so that there aren’t too many aircraft per controller – both to allow them to learn, and in case it goes feet up.

Which means mass reroutes, and delays. There are contingency routes – which have become very familiar to operators after this years “Summer of Strikes” – the Tango Routes will be popular again.

Looking ahead, the plan calls for two weeks of fairly heavy reroutes, and then another two weeks of lower impact restrictions. They have said though, that normalisation won’t occur until after Christmas.

So, if you want some different options for getting around the Bordeaux FIR:

• For north-south flights The Tango Routes – via Shanwick
• For east-west flights try to file further north, into Belgian/Eurocontrol/German airspace, or come south into Barcelona/Marseilles
• Read the Eurocontrol NOP – especially on the Tactical page on the ATFCM Measures (Scenarios) portlet -and selecting the link Scenario List: ID RR*ERA
• And, here’s a map – the red part is LFBB/Bordeaux FIR – don’t file through here:

The transition from paper to paperless has been going on for a while: Shanwick went ‘electronic’ in the mid 1980’s: this is what the enroute controllers’ screen looked like.

Finally, here’s the ‘official version’:

DSNA, France’s air navigation service provider, is carrying out an in-depth modernisation of its en-route air traffic management system to cope with the increase of air traffic in France.

From November 17, 280 air traffic controllers at the Bordeaux Area Control Centre (ACC) will handle flights with a new-generation, stripless ATC system called ERATO Electronic Environment (EEE).

The EEE programme based on a SESAR solution has been co-financed by the European Union. EEE provides a modern work environment and innovative control assistance tools.

Nevertheless, as a prelude to any major ATC system implementation, capacities have to be temporarily reduced to allow each air traffic controller to master in real time operations all the new capabilities.

Delays in the south-west of France are therefore to be expected during two weeks. No flight cancellations have been requested by DSNA.

To minimise the impact on flight punctuality, DSNA, has developed a transitioning plan in close cooperation with the Network Manager (Eurocontrol), neighbouring air navigation service providers, and the most affected airlines and airport operators.

Eurocontrol traffic simulations shown that for this transition period, up to 500 flights will need to be rerouted each day to avoid the airspace under the responsibility of Bordeaux ACC.

Moreover, military activities in high altitude training areas will be limited. Regional airports will be impacted along with all flights from or to Paris from the south.

ERATO2Maurice Georges, CEO of DSNA, said: “DSNA staff is totally mobilised with the implementation of this major project. I appreciate the efforts made by the entire aviation community to ensure a successful commissioning of the Electronic Environment ERATO in Bordeaux.

“The transitioning phase ahead of us relies on high predictability for all flights and trustworthy collaborative processes with our customers and partners”.
This major technological step will enable DSNA to deliver a high level of performance. Within the framework of the FABEC and in line with our Single European Sky commitments, DSNA will thus meet new challenges ahead for safe and sustainable air transport.”

This is not going to be a short story.

But here’s the summary. In June 2016, ICAO updated Doc 4444 (the Air Traffic Control bible) with Amendment 7.

One of the main things this new bit does, is to change what the controller will say to the pilot, on a Standard Instrument Departure (SID), and on a Standard Instrument Arrival (STAR).

The new phraseology headline is “CLIMB VIA” and “DESCEND VIA”, but there are many more new parts to it.

So, here’s the problem. Doc 4444 is the master document, but each country has to implement the changes. And many are not – because they haven’t had time to train the controllers, or because they haven’t done a safety case (ie. figured out if anything in the new phraseologies might be dangerous), or … other reasons.

Some states have even published AIC’s to say that they won’t be implementing the changes (Australia, Switzerland). Others have already published the changes (Iceland, for example).

Confusing? You bet. For now, do two things:

1. Read the new rules, because you’ll hear them from November 10th, but we’re not exactly sure where yet.
2. Comment below and tell us any additional info you have.

The new rules are here:

1. ICAO State Letter (the official version, with the verbatim changes to Doc 4444)
2. A summary leaflet from ICAO – the highlights.
3. SID/STAR Scenarios and Example Phraseologies from ICAO (a longer document).

We’ll keep this page updated as we hear more …

Will be implementing the change
Iceland
Latvia
Sweden (if we read AIP Supp 89 correctly)

Won’t be implementing the change – yet

Finland
Singapore
Australia
Switzerland
United Kingdom (not until late 2017, earliest)

The NBAA has posted useful updated information on flying to Canada with previous convictions, which may affect your passengers, or crew. Canada is known for refusing entry to the country if you have a DUI charge on your record.

Here are the highlights:

If denied admission because of a DUI, a traveler’s options depend on the time elapsed from the completion of the sentence or probation period, not the arrest date.

• If it has been 10 years or more, you’re automatically deemed rehabilitated, and the border agent welcomes you to Canada.
• Between 5 and 10 years from the completion of a sentence or probation, travellers can apply for “criminal rehabilitation,” which documents that someone is “no longer a public safety threat in Canada and costs up to $1,000, said Healy.
• For those whose sentence or probation ended less than 5 years ago, Canadian border officials can offer a one-time free temporary resident permit. The permit, which costs $200, is good for up to a year, and you can enter and leave Canada as needed during the approved period. A traveler can apply for a permit at a consulate or at the border, but a traveler’s ability to use this option at the border is at the discretion of the border official involved.

Also, from tomorrow, November 10, 2016 – most people will need an eTA to enter Canada. More on that here.

Earlier this year Canada introduced a requirement for an eTA – like the US Esta.

For a while, it was OK to travel without one. That’s now over – you need one.

As of November 10, 2016, travellers with passports from eTA-required countries who enter Canada by air will need an eTA.

The leniency period ended on November 9, 2016: during this period you could have boarded your flight without an eTA, as long as you had appropriate travel documents such as a valid passport. During the leniency period, border services officers can let you enter the country as long as you meet the other requirements to enter Canada.

The authorization is electronically linked to your passport and is valid for five years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first.

Applying for an eTA is a simple and inexpensive ($7 Canadian) online process that will take just a few minutes. Most eTA-eligible applicants will get their authorization within minutes of submitting the online form.

If you need an eTA, you should:
⁃ get it when you plan your trip – do not wait for the last minute to apply and
⁃ travel to Canada with the passport you used to get your eTA.

References:

• Apply for a Canada eTA online

“Well, we have a question for you.” The New York Center controller seemed amused.

“Go ahead,” I replied, my voice made uneven by the moderate turbulence we were bouncing around in. As I answered, I cast another look over my shoulder at the ice on the wings. The Dash-8 boots were doing their job, at least for now. The aircraft took on a bit of shudder as the props flung ice unevenly off of the blades.

The Center controller delivered the news with a mixture of ironic humor and pity. “Williamsport wants to know if you want them to plow the runway. They say they are closed currently. They have four inches of snow on the runway, but there is a hard crust of ice on top.”

I quickly retrieved the flight release and rifled through the six foot paper scroll to find the NOTAMs. Nothing about the airport being closed, thank Zeus. At least I didn’t miss something big like that. Dispatch should have known—but here we were, halfway between Philadelphia and Williamsport, in and out of freezing rain. I eyed the fuel gauges critically. Plenty left to get there and fly back, if need be. At least there was that.

“Well yeah,” I told the controller. “Plowing the runway would be helpful.”

That night ended with a circling approach to minimums through a narrow valley in light freezing rain mixed with snow. The First Officer flew the approach perfectly, and thanks to the superior stopping power of the Dash 8 we had plenty of slick runway left to play with. Just another Northeast U.S. winter night—par for the course from November until March.

Winter is coming. In some parts of the world, winter is already here and people are insistent on staying inside on top of their twin mattress. However, for pilots, they still have to brave the weather. Flying always brings challenges, but winter supplies extra problems that separates mere pilots from imaginative problem solvers. Problem solving must always be wrapped in a healthy rind of risk analysis. When things go bad in winter weather, they often go bad in a big way.

The accident record is filled with examples of the problems that ice and snow can cause. The American Eagle ATR in Indiana in 1994 was brought down by the crew’s lack of appreciation for the extreme effects of super-cooled large droplets (SLD). In 2005, Southwest Airlines slid off of the end of a slick runway at Chicago Midway. There have been icing induced loss of control events the world over and a few aircraft seem to slip off of the taxiway every winter. Sometimes, simply the additional worry and workload posed by extreme winter weather can add risk. A crew can find themselves rapidly being overcome by events, leaving little time to make decisions in a highly dynamic environment.

Technology has come a long way in helping to mitigate the risks that winter can pose. There are now predictive charts for SLD that pilots can examine prior to flight. Deice and Anti-ice fluid technology has improved in past years; there are now three different types of fluid available for use, each tailored for a specific application. The holdover times (the amount of time that fluids remain effective) are revised on a yearly basis as formulations change and the science improves. Some airports are even experimenting with large heaters and infrared deicing technology. Predictive weather tools are much better as well, leading to proactive cancellations that allow aircraft to be positioned for relatively rapid system recovery once a major winter storm has passed.

But there are still problems … Even the best anti-icing fluids can rapidly lose effectiveness in the right conditions; temperatures near freezing with high humidity makes for large, wet flakes that can quickly saturate even the most robust Type 4 fluids and render them useless. Weather systems can capriciously change course with little warning, meaning the difference between a snow apocalypse and a mild dusting of white. Winter is expensive too, with deicing and anti-icing fluids costing more per gallon than jet fuel. Duty days get longer, crews get fatigued, schedules lag and dispatchers become swamped with work. There is nothing more expensive than operating a late airline, and late is often the rule rather than the exception when it comes to winter operations.

So, what is the key to safe winter operations? Planning is essential, but so is flexibility. Many airports have instituted gate hold programs for deicing operations, which helps prevent needless burning of jet fuel on the taxiway. Proactive assessment is key. Knowing the conditions at the destination prior to departure can mean the difference between a successful outcome and tens of thousands to dollars of expense for a divert to an alternate. Caution is the most important concept. Aircraft performance numbers are important, but takeoff and landing distance data should be taken with a grain of salt: it is not uncommon for conditions to vary significantly along the runway length, especially at smaller airports with limited snow removal capabilities.

Planning and caution can mean the difference between a successful, safe operation and having to have a crew have to get creative in the middle of the night. Winter is coming. Time to get ready.

HESH/Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt has reopened to international traffic, with a large number of airlines starting services again on 01NOV.

Before the bombing of Metrojet 9268 one year ago, Sharm was the 3rd busiest airport in Egypt.

However, there are conflicting views on security at the airport, depending on your state of registry. Operators from Germany, Poland, Russia have now started operations, but UK government policy keeps HESH on the ban list.

Our overflight advice for the Sinai Peninsula remains in place, on the basis of FAA Notam KICZ 6/16, and EASA SIB 2014-30R2 (UK and Germany) . View safeairspace.net for the current map.

At the same time, Egyptian newspapers are carrying stories that Tourism levels will return to pre-2011 levels within the next few months. Now that’s optimistic.

“Don’t assume.  Verify, verify, verify.”  That’s good advice from James, an experienced dispatcher working for one of the largest passenger and cargo airlines in the Middle East.

The job of dispatching, on its face, seems straightforward and simple:  Prepare legal releases, make sure they are sent to the crews, follow the flights along their journey, and coordinate with the crews on any unexpected issues that pop up.  The reality, however, is that the dispatch center for an airline of this size is a complicated beehive of activity.  They work to safely dispatch flights to and from 6 continents 24 hours a day.

From the time James arrives at work for his morning shift at 0300z, the unexpected is the rule rather than the exception.  The workload is high: during a twelve hour shift, James might dispatch between 22 and 27 flights, three or four of which might be Ultra Long Range (ULR) operations.  The goal is to have the releases ready six hours in advance.  That seems like a lot of time, but for ULR operations it can take between one-and-a-half and two hours to plan a flight.  The aviation business is dynamic—this is especially true in the Middle East.  As departure time approaches, James might have to revise the release five times due to changes in aircraft loading.  The goal is to order enough fuel to complete the flight successfully, but not so much as to detrimentally impact the economic viability of the flight.  It is a constant juggling act where one has to always be flexible.  “You try to stay organized and pace yourself,” James says.

But the clock is always running, and delays can cost money—big money.  Operations from Europe and the Middle East to India and Southeast Asia can prove especially challenging in this regard.  There is an enormous amount of traffic on these routes and every aircraft must transit the Muscat FIR.  Muscat doesn’t have radar coverage over much of its area of responsibility, so air traffic control is done the old fashioned way: position reports and time estimates.  This isn’t like flying through radar controlled airspace; separation between aircraft must be increased to ensure safety.  To accommodate all of the flights, every day at 1500z until 0000z Muscat institutes strict flow control through its FIR.  Missing a departure time by even a few minutes can result in your planned altitude being unavailable, resulting in an increase in fuel burn.  “Missing a slot time means getting stuck at FL270 all the way across the Indian Ocean,” James says.

The African continent offers particular dispatching challenges not seen elsewhere in the world.  Africa is a morass of differing rules and regulations that can change whenever an aircraft crosses an international border.  Overflight privileges  must be obtained well in advance and prescribed company routes must be rigidly adhered to.  If an aircraft unexpectedly wanders into the wrong county’s airspace, “you might find yourself in a spot of bother,” James says.

NOTAM communication in Africa is notoriously poor.  James tells the story of a recent flight where the crew was advised that the airport in Nairobi was closed after they were airborne; in fact, they were less than two hours out.  James quickly began coordinating with the Kenyan authorities and planning viable divert alternatives.  The Kenyan voice on the other end of the phone insisted that, although the airport was technically closed, it would be no problem for the aircraft to land.  “This really isn’t the way we should be doing business,” James says.

While Africa presents challenges, flights over China experience route rigidity unequaled throughout the world.  When an aircraft needs to change course for weather avoidance, the common response from Chinese air traffic control is, “maintain the airway.”

How do dispatchers plan safe routes through such extensively controlled airspace?  Preflight planning must include a very careful look at the weather and NOTAMS for active restricted airspace and incorporate routing that give dangerous areas a wide berth.  “You plan as conservatively as you can, but you have a limited selection of routes that are approved six months in advance,” James says.

Dispatching for a global airline presents many challenges.  Professionals like James have become outstanding information gatherers, meteorology gurus, and consummate diplomats negotiating a wide range of cultures and national regulations.  For a dispatcher, curiosity is an important risk management tool.  Nothing is left to chance.

Last week, we updated OpsGroup members with the changes on the NAT in the last 12 months with a special briefing. There have been many – MNPS being renamed HLA, new requirement for RNP4/10, new waypoints, airspace changes, the addition of Bodo to MNPS/HLA, and the introduction of RLAT – Reduced lateral separation: that is, half-track spacing for the first time.

The initial Phase of RLAT was introduced in December last year. Since then, there has been the option for suitably equipped aircraft (ADS, CPDLC and RNP4) to use one of the three new daily RLAT tracks, where aircraft are operating 30nm apart instead of 60nm.

The NAT plan at large called for Phase 2 to  follow this coming November, where the NAT Tracks would be ‘squashed together’ and all tracks would be RLAT above FL350, leaving only a couple of available tracks – spaced at 60nm, for everyone else.

However, we have been advised this week by the NAT working groups that this implementation in November will not go ahead as planned. There are some issues that Gander, Shanwick, and Iceland have to work through before their systems are ready to handle the next stage – meaning that the implementation of “RLAT only” is pushed out until, most likely, sometime next year.

So, for now, RLAT will stay on a maximum of three tracks – thereby slowing down the rate of change on the NAT, which probably comes as good news to operators. We’ll keep you posted.

A constantly evolving airspace: It’s been busy on the NAT! And not just traffic wise – there have been a record number of procedural and regulatory changes in the last 12 months. Here they are, in order of significance:

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The next 24 hours will dictate the impact that Hurricane Matthew will have on Florida, as it leaves Cuba and begins to track north through the Bahamas.

Airports Update: for Haiti,  MTPP/Toussaint L”Ouverture International and MTCH/Hugo Chávez International are confirmed reopened and operating normally, by the National Airport Authority Haiti (as of 1200ET).

For the Bahamas – the hurricane will severely impact operations at all Bahamas airports. As of 1100LT Wednesday (this morning), ALL Airports in the Bahamas are closed, by order of the Department of Civil Aviation and the Airport Authority.

For the USA – the first state to be affected will be Florida. Tracking of the hurricane will determine by how much. A slight turn to the left, and hurricane force winds will impact the entire coast, hardest hit will be the area from KPBI/Palm Beach north to KJAX/Jacksonville.  KMCO, KMIA, KFLL are among the large airports that will be affected.

Projected timings for eye of Matthew:

0800LT Thursday: Abaco, Bahamas
0800LT Friday: Palm Bay, Florida
0800LT Saturday: Savannah, Georgia –

Monitor:

• National Hurricane Centre
• NBC Hurricane Tracker
• OPSGROUP for current alerts

Icelandic volcano Katla has been raised to colour code Yellow by the Icelandic met office.

Katla lives beside Eyjafjallajökull, the volcano that closed much of Europe’s airspace for a week or so in 2010.

Colour code yellow means that there is increased activity, but no eruption … as of yet. 

It doesn’t mean that an eruption is ‘expected’ either, but given the proximity of Katla to the site of the major eruption in 2010, there may be correlation. Icelandic scientists have also said that an eruption of Katla is overdue.

For now, keep an eye on updates at http://en.vedur.is/weather/aviation/volcanic-hazards/

TZZZ/Caribbean Tropical Storm Matthew is expected to increase to Hurricane strength as it tracks across the Caribbean. Today, Barbados, Martinique and a number of other airports in the Windward islands have notified closures.

Monitor http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Pakistan has closed part of its northern airspace (within the Karachi FIR) below FL330, amid tensions between India and Pakistan.

Overflying international traffic on the ATS routes A325, A454, A791, B505, G208, G210/214/216, M504, P518, and T385 will be restricted to a minimum enroute altitude of FL330. The full NOTAM is below.

A0938/16 – I) FOLLOWING ROUTE SEGMENTS OF INT’L ATS ROUTES WITHIN KARACHI FIR WILL NOT BE AVBL FROM SFC TO FL330 DUE OPERATIONAL REASONS: INTERNATIONAL ATS ROUTE ROUTE SEGMENT ======================= ============= A325 KC-JIWANI A454 KC-TAPDO A791/R462 JIWANI-KA B505 APELO-PI G208 KC-BINUR G210/M638 PG-KC G214 PG-IDEBA G216 ALPOR-KA M504 ALPOR-GOGUM N894 LATEM-DALDA P518 PAXUR-BINUR T385 ADGUL-TAPDO

II) ALTERNATE ROUTE FL330 AND BELOW: ================================ I. JI-PG-272000N 0650000E-IDEBA-SK-RK-TIGER/MOLTA/MULTAN VICE VERSA. II. JI-ASVIB/KEBUD-PG-272000N 0650000E-IDEBA-NH-KC/SAPNA VICE VERSA. III. ASVIB/KEBUD-PG 272000N 0650000E-IDEBA – NH-TELEM. IV. TASOP/RAMSA-KE-NH-IDEBA-272000N 0650000E-PG-KEBUD/ASVIB/JI. V. SAPNA/KC-NH-IDEBA-272000N 0650000E-PG-KEBUD-ASVIB/JI.

III) EXPECT CLIMB/ DESCEND TO / FROM FL340 REMAINING SOUTH AND SOUTH EAST OF KC UNDER ATC CLEARANCE. SFC – FL330, FM SEPT 26-29 AND 01-03 OCT BTN 0100-1130 AND 1400-1800, 26 SEP 01:00 2016 UNTIL 03 OCT 18:00 2016. CREATED: 22 SEP 13:30 2016

Today Flight Service Bureau has published ION05/16 – an updated Unsafe Airspace Summary, with new warnings for Turkey, and Iran, and a new map at safeairspace.net. This replaces 04/16 issued in August.

Turkey: 23SEP16 Germany B1289/16 Do not plan flights to LTAJ due potential ground to ground firing in the vicinity of LTAJ/Gaziantep Airport.

Iran: 09SEP16 FAA Notam KICZ 19/16 Exercise caution within Tehran FIR due military activity.

New information in the PDF is marked with a   I   beside it. Please distribute the PDF to anyone you like, we are keen to make sure as many operators as possible are aware of the risks.

• Download the new Unsafe Airspace Summary
• View the current map at safeairspace.net

One of the greatest gifts of having this wonderful group of people is the ability for any one of us to report something important, and let the rest of the group know. And for us, there is no more important area than Overflight Risk. Since MH17, there has been a constant stream of additional territories that need to be carefully watched – most recently, Kenya and North Korea. 

We’ve played around with a risk map for the group in various forms over the last few months, and out of that has come our safe airspace initiative (together with The Airline Cooperative).

OPSGROUP members have been instrumental in figuring out just how to gather this information, and present it in a really understandable form. Often, Airlines and Governments have more information than the private sector, and it can be really tough if you’re the lone dispatcher or single Chief Pilot in a GA/Charter/Business Jet operation. Thankfully, in the group, we have a Noah’s Ark of ops people – and so we get to see it from every perspective.

To join OPSGROUP, visit opsgroup.co/#Join.

Three of the most recent headlines are:

• Rough Runway, Cash Only
• Don’t go here unless you want to be robbed by the CAA
• Inbound ATC was frightening

Tempting to joke that this sound like Miami, or Nice – but these are reviews of FZAA/Kinshasa, in the DRC – rated at 2.5, one of the lowest Airports on Aireport.

One report reads: “Don’t go here unless you like to be robbed by the CAA. I was told I was in big trouble for not having an MEL on a private airplane. 500 USD would [apparently] solve everything”

Continuing: “ATC is terrible, they wanted us to hold right over the airport in the middle of the T’storm we wanted to wait for to pass. I ended up telling him we would hold 15 miles out on the 090 radial. He wasn’t very happy about being over-ruled, but it worked”

And:  “People mill around the airplane looking for fuel drips to collect in their cans. Some guy told me he was a fueling assistant and wanted cash for his kind assistance. The handler is pretty much worthless, he just wants to collect the cash = $2700 USD for a fuel stop in a Falcon 900.”

There are some other horror stories in the database. SVMI/Caracas, Venezuela (“Handler demanded $9000 in Cash“);  VECC/Calcutta (“Immigration was a nightmare“); HEAX/Alexandria (“Handler tried the shakedown“)

There are also plenty of good reports – EGSS/London Stansted is “As easy as it gets in Europe“, EINN/Shannon, Ireland is “Absolutely outstanding“, and NFFN/Nadi, Fiji is given “Quick Turn, Inexpensive Fuel, and Perfect”

NZAA/Auckland, New Zealand stands out as getting consistently good reviews: “Very knowledgeable and helpful staff”, “Air Centre One is superb”, “Flawless from Gordy” … the crew at Air Centre One is clearly keeping their customers very happy. Nice work guys.

For all the ones in between – read for yourself: Aireport.co/reviews.

The fast approaching deadline of December 2016 for all aircraft within the Taipei FIR above FL290 to be ADS-B equipped, has been given a new date of implementation – 2020. Clearly, the amount of operators not so equipped has rendered the ADS-B plan unachievable.

Yesterday, Taiwan issued AIC 06/16 confirming the new date, and also adds that aircraft are no longer required to have ADS-B Out operational approvals by the State of Registry.

As things stand, then, you technically need ADS-B to operate on B576 and B591 – but if ATC radar is functioning normally, that rule is also waived. So, in effect, check back in 2020.

References:

• Taiwan AIC 06/16 

MROC/San Jose, Costa Rica has reopened after a two day closure following the eruption of Turrialba.

As of 1100 a.m.Tuesday , the Civil Aviation Directorate reported that approximately 12,000 passengers had been affected, and that 120 flights had been cancelled during that lapse. The SJO airport was closed from early Monday afternoon due to intense volcanic eruptions of the Turrialba Volcano located some 50 km southeast of Alajuela.

The only other airport affected was Pavas, a smaller domestic airport.

We’ve been notified of an ATC strike planned for France on 14 and 15 September – that is, Wednesday and Thursday this coming week. This follows the normal pattern, where ATC and Area Control Centres and Airports will see union members striking, thereby preventing most flights from arriving and overflying in France during this period.

This is shorter notice than usual for a French ATC Strike, and no confirmation is likely until Monday, but we’d put the likelihood of this going ahead at around 50% at present.

Madeline is first, followed by Lester – both are tracking west towards Hawaii with landfall expected – should it occur – on Wednesday and Thursday.

Monitor :

• Central Pacific Hurricane Center and the
• JTWC 

24AUG: We’ve published an updated Unsafe Airspace Summary today, No. 04/16, which elevates North Korea to Level 2 in our warning list. In 2016, there have been increased instances of No Dong and No Dong-2 medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) launches without prior warning.

On 18th August, France published AIC 20/16 updating their picture of overflight risk worldwide – and for the first time, included North Korea.

Flight Service Bureau’s updated Unsafe Airspace Summary is valid 24AUG16. Future updates will be made through OPSGROUP.