NAT changes postponed 05OCT Phase 2 of Reduced Separation on the North Atlantic NAT Tracks will not go ahead as planned, slowing down the rate of change in the NAT region. Read the article.

Matthew: Airport Update 05OCT 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/Port-au-Prince … Read the article.

DGAA/Accra, Ghana has a radar outage until Oct 19th in the southern area.

EGKK/London Gatwick has a Runway Occupancy Trial starting on 08OCT, all medium and large aircraft (A319 upwards) should plan to vacate at FR. Smaller aircraft vacate at E.

ENGM/Oslo has a fueler strike – plan to carry return fuel to avoid issues, until 10OCT at least.

OAZZ/Afghanistan Security reminder from Kabul: serious threats to safety and security exist in the city of Kabul and throughout Afghanistan. The threat of kidnapping is high. The potential also exists for protests to occur in Afghan cities at short notice. Militant groups usually plan attacks against locations and individuals with potential American connections, including: Afghan and U.S. government facilities, foreign embassies, military installations, commercial entities, non-governmental organization offices, restaurants, hotels, airports, and educational centers.Travel to all areas of Afghanistan remains unsafe due to the ongoing risk of kidnapping, hostage taking, military combat operations, landmines, banditry, armed rivalry between political and tribal groups, militant attacks, direct and indirect fire, suicide bombings, and insurgent attacks, including attacks using vehicle-borne or other improvised explosive devices.

MYZZ/Bahamas all Airports closed due to Hurricane Matthew with effect today until 1900Z on 07OCT.

YMHB/Hobart is extending the 12/30 runway, see AIC H30/16 for impact information.

FEFF/Bangui has an overnight airport curfew from 2200-0500Z until the end of the year.

DIAP/Ivory Coast It’s now possible to apply for a visa online; after registering and paying online, you can collect the visa on arrival at Abidjan airport.

LTZZ/Turkey The state of emergency will officially be extended until January 2017. The announcement came after a Cabinet meeting; President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has also supported the extension. The state of emergency was put in place on 20 July following the 15 July attempted coup.

Typhoon Chaba While many eyes are on Hurricane Matthew, on the other side of the world Chaba is tracking north towards Japan after strongly impacting South Korea, however the system is weakening.

BIZZ/Iceland Volcano Katla downgraded to colour code Green, after last weeks concerns of elevated activity.

HAAB/Addis Ababa There are reports of anti-government protests taking place on the outskirts of Addis Ababa on Oct 4th. Unconfirmed reports indicate that protesters are attacking government property in the Akaki, Alem Gena, Burayu, Sebeta, Keta and Ayer Tena areas and that police officers have been deployed to the affected locations. Meanwhile, in the city center, shops have reportedly closed and there have been isolated reports of gunfire. Transportation to and from the affected areas has shut down.

LGZZ/Greece Greek trade unions have announced strike action that is expected to cause disruption to a number of domestic flights between 4 October and 8 October.

FVZZ/Zimbabwe The UNIVISA system has been suspended. If travelling between Zimbabwe and Zambia more than once either way, you should get a double entry visa; due to the ongoing cash liquidity crisis, authorities have announced a series of measures designed to stem the flow of US dollars out of the country; take sufficient cash to cover your needs for the duration of your travel.

View full International Bulletin 05OCT2016

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/

Taiwan ADS-B requirement 21SEP Yesterday, Taiwan pushed the requirement for ADS-B above FL290 for all aircraft, back to 2020 – as a fast approaching deadline of December this year was looming. Read the article.

Costa Rica volcano 21SEP MROC/San Jose, Costa Rica has reopened after the eruption of the Turrialba volcano on Monday. A risk of further closures continues. Read the article.

OPZZ/Pakistan Some airspace in the north of the country (Kashmir region) has been closed by the Pakistan CAA. Details are unclear but reports indicate Gilgit, Skardu and Chitral Airports are affected by the closure.

BIKF/Keflavik Departing KEF eastbound? Icelandic ATC would love you to file the following as a standard route: PIXUM PETUX ORTAV ODPEX, or 63N022W CELLO if you’re planning to cross 10W at GOMUP or south of.

EDDL/Dusseldorf has closed 05L/23R for a couple of days to remove a WW2 bomb. Some delays at peak times may result.

HLGT/Ghat, Libya Three foreign nationals were kidnapped along the road that leads to Ghat Airport on 19SEP, located in the Fezzan province along the southwest border with Algeria. The foreigners were construction workers employed by the Italian-owned Conicos company to service Ghat Airport. There are numerous armed militia and terrorist groups active in the area and the foreigners were said to be operating under discretion due to the security risk.

EDHL/Lubeck will closed on Oct 4th for repairs – all day.

ENGM/Oslo will introduce new RNP AR approaches in November, available to all runways. Auth from Norwegian CAA is required to use them.

FKKD/Douala now requires PPR 72 hours prior arrival, for non-scheduled flights, due to upcoming space restrictions as a result of WIP. You can make requests directly to Airport admin at pce.douala@adcsa.aero.

GBZZ/Gambia In a change to procedure, Overflight Permits, and Landing Permits for traffic operating to GBYD/Banjul, are now issued by the Department of Flight Safety Standards at the GCAA.

HCMM/Mogadishu has issued a security reminder to operators: “OPERATORS SHOULD EXER EXTREME CTN AND FULLY ASSESS THE POTENTIAL FOR RISKS TO FLT SAFETY AND SECURITY WHEN PLANNING OR CONDUCTING OPS INTO MOGADISHU AIRPORT DUE TO LACK OF INFORMATION ON ARMED CONFLICT AND LACK OF AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION.”

FAZZ/South Africa The CAA has updated its warnings for operators, with new guidance for two airspace blocks: that affected by the Syrian conflict – namely Baghdad, Damascus, and Tehran FIRs; and that affected by recent concerns over the Northern Sinai – their advice is to overfly at FL260 or higher.

LMML/Malta airshow coming up on 24-25 Sept, multiple restrictions, check before operating or filing as alternate.

FZZZ/DRC Congo Since September 19 large-scale demonstrations have been resulting in violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces in Kinshasa and elsewhere in the country. The situation is particularly tense in Kinshasa where violence has caused casualties. These demonstrations could continue over the next few days and the situation could further degenerate. The sole road to the Kinshasa airport could be blocked and some flights have been cancelled.

OJZZ/Jordan It’s White Stork migration season, and Jordan has issued warnings for all of its airports, for crews to be mindful of the high chance of presence of large flocks of them on arrival and departure.

SKED/Bogota has some comms issues on north/south bound routes to Peru (Lima FIR); 10 minute separation is applied betwen aircraft on these routes until at least Sept 26th.

KZZZ/USA For some good reading, the FAA (thanks Andy for passing this on), have updated their Aviation Weather guidance doc. This is the first revision to the document since 1975.

Input: ATC, Pilots, Dispatchers: Any topical items that you think should be going out to the community? Let us know, and we’ll get your message out there. tellus@opsgroup.co.

View full International Bulletin 21SEP2016

Typhoon for Tokyo 07SEP Tropical Storm Malou is tracking towards Tokyo and expected to intensify. Multiple Japanese airports are likely to be affected … Read the article

New Shanwick / NAT procedure 07SEP Shortly all FANS 1/A flights will get a “CONFIRM ASSIGNED ROUTE” message from Oceanic ATC (Shanwick, Reykjavik, Gander) shortly after entering their OACC, to mitigate against Gross Nav Errors. Read the article

HHZZ/Eritrea The US State Dept has issued a Travel Warning for Eritrea which warns of the risks of travel to Eritrea due to the unpredictable security situation along Eritrea’s borders and restrictions imposed by local authorities on travel within the country. All foreign nationals, including U.S. government employees, must obtain permits to travel outside of the capital Asmara. This restriction limits the ability of the U.S. Embassy to provide consular/emergency services anywhere outside of Asmara. This replaces the Travel Warning dated May 6, 2015. Avoid travel along all border regions. In June 2016, fighting in the Ethiopia-Eritrea border region reportedly caused several deaths. Continued political and military tensions between Eritrea and the neighboring countries of Djibouti and Ethiopia pose the threat of possible renewed conflict. Due to regional sensitivities, the State Department also recommends against travel to the border region with Sudan.

WSSS/Singapore will be super busy during the Grand Prix weekend 14-18SEP. Ask for a slot before operating, if you don’t get one, use Seletar instead.

RPLL/Manila has a couple of new procedures for non-scheduled flights. First, traffic arriving between 2200-0400Z daily – the peak period – should look for a slot from Manila FSS – who are at mfss.staff@gmail.com, or call 2 944 2098/99. Once you have the slot, get your EDCT from Manila ATC. If operating domestically, file the flight plan between 2 and 24 hrs prior departure.

DNBC/Bauchi is a new airport designator in Nigeria for the Tafawa Balewa International Airport.

VLVT/Vientiane, Laos The 28th and 29th ASEAN Annual Heads of State Summit is being held in Vientiane from 5 to 9 September; there will be road closures and delays in arrivals and departures of both international and domestic flights at Wattay International Airport.

FOZZ/Gabon has seen multiple security warnings in the last few days, following a disputed election result. Widespread, violent demonstrations, rioting, looting, and road blocks continue, both in Libreville and other cities throughout Gabon. At this time the airport in Libreville is open and operational and commercial flights are available. The US Embassy recommends U.S. citizens remain in a safe location and avoid non-essential movement.

MMSD/Los Cabos, Mexico Hurricane Newton has passed and Los Cabos airport has officially re-opened its commercial operations, no major damage reported.

EBOS/Ostende Air BP is no longer providing Jet A1 fuel here.

EKOD/Odense will be closed on 22SEP due to an event. Jet fuel not available. You can email twr@hca-airport.dka for further.

HELX/Luxor Radio, which previously operated on HF5859 and 2562, is now off the air.

LZIB/Bratislava will required slots for all operations 15-17SEP, small GA aircraft not welcome on these days. Email slots@bts.aero.

FNZZ/Angola The WHO has provided an update on the yellow fever outbreak in Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The WHO estimates that there have been 6,000 suspected and 1,000 laboratory confirmed cases of yellow fever since the outbreak began in Angola in December 2015. More than 400 people have died from the mosquito-borne disease since that time. However, the last confirmed case in Angola was on 23 June and in the DRC was on 12 July, which the WHO believes is an encouraging sign. Nevertheless, the organization still characterizes the outbreak as “serious” and as requiring “sustained, controlled measures.” Thus far, 22 million people in Angola and 14 million people in the DRC have received vaccinations against yellow fever as part of a large-scale initiative that was prompted by this outbreak.

SARI/Cataratas is permanently downgraded to RFF Category 6.

URRR/Rostov wins the prize this week for clogging up the Notam system; the runway there is closed 29 times between now and October 21st, and they have therefore issued 29 Notams. Perfect.

SPQU/Arequipa, Peru is not allowing overnights until 11SEP due capacity. Non-scheduled flights limited to 3 hours parking.

View full International Bulletin 07SEP2016

Tropical Storm Malou will bring heavy rains and strong winds that will likely cause flooding in Japan this week.

The storm is expected to remain a tropical storm until Friday as it moves along Japan’s eastern coastline. Airports affected: Wakkanai, Rishiri, Kushiro, Nemuro Nakashibetsu, Sapporo Chitose, Aomori.

JMA expects Malou to continue strengthening and have maximum sustained winds of 101.8 km/h (63.3 mph) by 06:00 UTC on September 8. At the time, the center of Malou is expected to be located about 84 km (52.7 miles) south of downtown Tokyo, moving NE at 39 km/h (24 mph). Last week Typhoon Lionrock lashed north-eastern Japan and the northern island of Hokkaido, leaving 18 dead and nine missing.

End of Canada Leniency 31AUG 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 ending in September … Read the article

Two hurricanes inbound Hawaii 31AUG Madeline is first, followed by Lester – both are tracking west towards Hawaii with landfall expected – should it occur – on Wednesday and Thursday. Read the article

LTCC/Diyarbakir, Turkey Kurdish militants fired rockets at Diyarbakir Airport in southeastern Turkey. The militants reportedly targeted a security check-point outside the airport lounge. All personnel were taken inside terminal building for safety reasons. No flights were disrupted, and there were no reports of casualties.

EHAM/Amsterdam It’s that time of year again, watch out for the migrating geese in Amsterdam at sunrise and sunset. They operate between 300 and 700ft without transponder.

VVVV/Hanoi FIR If you’re cutting a line through the Hanoi FIR on the W1 airway, you’ll be held down at FL290 unless you have RNAV5. ATC says so.

DNZZ/Nigeria Members of aviation unions staged rallies at four major airports in Nigeria to protest the planned concession of the facilities to private investors. Protests occurred at Abuja (DNAA/ABV), Kano (DNKN/KAN), Lagos (DNMM/LOS) and Port Harcourt. So far, the protests have not disrupted ops. Lagos has been suffering from some power outages lately as well.

SOCA/Cayenne, French Guyana has staff shortages, and from September 1st will not accept any diversions unless in an emergency. Do not plan SOCA as an enroute alternate. If inbound, with an ETA for SOCA 0200-1100Z, you need to call for an arrival slot. If you need it, ATC phone is +594 594 35 9372 or 9302.

OIZZ/Iran has approved the use of its airbases by Russian fighter aircraft; Russia has notified intention to launch missiles in the direction of Syria from the Caspian Sea fleet. The Russian Air Force has deployed six Tu-23M3 BACKFIRE bomber aircraft and multiple Su-34 FULLBACK strike fighter jets to Hamedan Air Base (OIHS/NUJ).

ORBB/Baghdad FIR/Iraq The Iraqi government has given permission to the Russian MoD to use its airspace in support of air operations in Syria. Russian media outlets are also reporting the Russian MoD has requested use of the FIR for the “passage of cruise missiles” as well, highlighting the potential for such activity to occur in the coming days from the airspace over the Caspian Sea.

LTZZ/Turkey Russia has lifted it’s ban on charter flights to Turkey.

HAZZ/Ethiopia Reports indicate that flights to HAGN/Gondar (GDQ) and HABD/Bahar Dar (BJR) have been indefinitely suspended. The suspension of flights comes amid ongoing unrest in Gondar and Bahir Dar, as well as in other cities in the Amhara and Oromia regions, over the marginalization of ethnic groups by the Tigray-dominated Ethiopian People’s Democratic Front (EPRDF) regime. Ethiopian government officials have not commented on the cancellation of flights to those cities or international flights to Addis Ababa, which has not been largely affected by the unabated unrest occurring in outlying regions.

WSSS/Singapore air quality has deteriorated to a Pollution Standards Index (PSI) of 105, due to the cross-border haze from Indonesian slash-and-burn fires. The agricultural practice, during which farmers burn a patch of land in order to clear land for new crops, creates haze, which then drifts through the region. Experts believe the level of pollution — which in 2015 cost the region more than 700 million US dollars in damage and severely disrupted the aviation sector — will be lower in 2016 due to a rainy dry season.

NFNA/Suva, Fiji is closed during September for runway repairs. Available wirh 30 mins PN in an emergency. Call them on 9906102.

SUEO/Montevidedo Air Traffic Controllers strike until end of September, closures and departure restrictions in place. Info is sketchy, got some updates? Let us know … bulletin@fsbureau.org.

View full International Bulletin 31AUG2016

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 

Where is Zika? 24AUG With the again-increasing levels of Zika infection worldwide, this updated map will be useful to operators. Check Zika Map.

North Korean Risk Elevated 24AUG We’ve published an updated Unsafe Airspace Summary today, which elevates North Korea to Level 2 in our warning list. In 2016, there have been increased instances of medium-range ballistic missile (MRBM) launches without prior warning. Read the article

DIAP/Ivory Coast issued a Notam last Friday advising of ‘serious risks to safety’ when operating through the Tripoli FIR. Not many operators are entering this airspace, but it’s unusual for a non-adjoining country to issue advice like this, so we’ll mention it.

SPZO/Cuzco, Peru is busy at the moment; non-scheduled and GA flights cannot park overnight, and there are Traffic Management procedures inbound. Don’t forget if operating to Cuzco that special crew training is required.

WADD/Bali Authorities have stepped up security measures at all the entry points on the island, following recent reports of an alleged plot to carry out attacks.

HKNW/Nairobi WIlson is operating normally again after a Police helicopter crashed on take off on Monday, near the control tower.

LLZZ/Israel Israeli aircraft attacked mortar positions in southwestern Syria near the border with the Golan Heights on 22AUG. The airstrikes were apparently in response to mortar fire from the Syrian side of the border.

RJAA/Tokyo Narita is open again after the passage of Typhoon Mindulle. The control tower at Narita was evacuated due to strong winds, the first time this has happened since the 9.0 earthquake in March 2011.

WIZZ/Indonesia has warned its neighbours that haze from forest fires is beginning to cross the Malacca Strait. In 2015 the smog affected Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, causing disruptions throughout the region, closing airports and delaying flights.

EDDT/Berlin Tegel Aircraft larger than ICAO Code D, and parking longer than 3 hours, approval of Traffic Management is required. Contact verkehrsplanung-txl@berlin-airport.de, in place until 30Sep.

VEZZ/India Couple of new ICAO codes here, VASD is Shirdi Airport, and VEPY is Pakyong Airport. AFTN connections not yet set up.

LBPD/Plovdiv Reports of lasers directed at departing aircraft. Notify ATC with any details if experienced.

FOZZ/Gabon If you’re arriving into Libreville International Airport you can submit an online visa application at least 72 hours before the date of travel and collect your visa on arrival

BGTL/Thule Updated hours for Radar service – 1100-1900Z Mon-Fri only.

NTAA/Tahiti has a bunch of night-time closures until 03SEP; this is an isolated aerodrome so check carefully in advance of ops.

NWWW/Noumea has ongoing staff shortages in ATC, and therefore interruptions in opening hours for the airport. Check before operating.

VDZZ/Cambodia has introduced a new tourism and business multiple-entry visa, which will allow foreigners to stay in the country for up to three years. The visa will become available on 1 September. The current visa grants visitors a 14-to-31-day stay.

LCLK/Larnaca New ATC Controllers being trained (under supervision)—be nice to them!

FMMM/Antananarivo has a new disinsection procedure for flights arriving from Mauritius; also, all flights from Mauritius must operate to FMMM first before other airports in Madagascar.

HCSM/Mogadishu Due to HF Difficulties, all aircraft in Mogadishu FIR with Satcom are requested to contact Mogadishu FIC on Satcom.  Inmarsat 46601, phones +251-20-762274 or +254-20-2365679.

View the full International Bulletin 24AUG2016

We just came across this – and it’s a very useful, current map, of where the Zika virus has been  found. A few weeks back, we reported that Zika was on the decline, thanks to winter in South America and a declining mosquito population. Turns out, that optimism was premature.

This map shows where Zika is, as of 19 August 2016.

 Sporadic transmission: No more than 10 locally transmitted cases have been reported in a single area within this time period.

 Increasing or widespread transmission: More than 10 locally transmitted cases of Zika virus are reported in a single area, OR at least two separate areas report locally transmitted cases of Zika virus, OR Zika virus transmission is ongoing in an area for more than 3 months.

 Past transmission: Local Zika virus transmission has been reported since 2007 – but not in the past three months. –

References:

• European CDC Map
• http://www.cdc.gov/zika/

Aden Airport in Yemen (OYAA) is open to traffic once again following a closure caused by intensified Saudi Coalition activity. The airport has been intermittently closed during the conflict, which began in March 2015.

Except for some specific agencies – the UN, Red Cross, and MSF, any flights operating to Yemen must first land at Bisha (OEBH) in Saudi Arabia for an inspection – in accordance with the UN arms embargo in place. Further, all flights must coordinate with the Saudi Coalition before operating.

In the past, when the DPRK (North Korea) has planned a missile launch, airlines and aircraft operators have, as a rule, been informed of the details through a warning from the DPRK to ICAO. Of concern to airspace users now, is the fact that the most recent launches this month were not notified in advance.

The two most common airways through DPRK airspace, G711 and B467, as depicted on the chart below, are in regular use by International Operators.  The increased frequency of ballistic launches of late, coupled with the failure to notify, has created heightened concern.

Further, GPS signal jamming close to the South Korean border, has led to over 1000 individual reports from operators in 14 different countries since May.

A number of airlines and operators have already made a blanket decision not to enter the Pyongyang FIR, even for that overwater portion on G711 and B467.

One of our OPSGROUP members, James Albright, has kindly provided us with this informative piece on Intercept Avoidance and Missile Evasion. James will be familiar to many of you as the author of the amazing Code7700.com – an endless archive of useful information for the International Pilot. James has also published several books, which are available on Amazon.

AVOIDING INTERCEPTION

• Intelligence. The best way to avoid being intercepted, fired upon, and shot down is to avoid areas where they do that sort of thing in the first place. Unfortunately, the list of “bad actors” is increasing and ever changing. It really pays to have someone on your payroll who keeps track of this in real time. I use the Flight Service Bureau (www.fsbureau.org). They send emails, almost on a daily basis, letting you know where the trouble spots are (subscribe via OPSGROUP). ( The “trouble” can be more than just a country throwing missiles into air routes, it can include volcano eruptions, ATC strikes, or anything else that would ruin your flight in international airspace.)
• Fly Common Well-Traveled Routings. There are some countries in the world where flying off airways can get you in big trouble. Just because a country’s ATC gives you direct to your destination doesn’t mean the country’s air force will be informed that you mean no offense to anyone. Consult your aeronautical information publications to be sure. But when in doubt, stick to the roads most frequently travelled.
• Stay on Course. Once en route, keep the navigation needles centered. There is a school of thought that preaches using a Strategic Lateral Offset Procedure (SLOP) in domestic airspace in countries where some of the air traffic may not always be at the correct altitude. Very few countries permit SLOP in non-oceanic or remote airspace.
• Light Up, Squawk, Transmit. Let everyone know you are a civilian, unarmed, passenger or cargo carrying aircraft – not a spy plane. Fly with as many lights as your aircraft permits without performance limitations. Squawk the appropriate ATC code. Clearly annunciate your call sign to make it clear you are a civilian aircraft. If you have a company assigned call sign that sounds hostile (Killer 21, for example), change it to your registration number. (Make sure your Mode-S and data link agree.)
• Monitor Guard. Very few countries require you to monitor a guard frequency except when flying oceanic. An interceptor, however, is taught to try that frequency first. It is a good idea to monitor guard frequency anywhere in the world where there is even the slightest chance you might be intercepted.
  • 121.5 MHz – this frequency is ‘guarded’ by many ATC stations and many military aircraft, in some countries it can be given other names, such as the “Distress and Diversion” frequency.
  • 243.0 MHz – this frequency is ‘guarded’ by many ATC stations and many military aircraft

MISSILE EVASION
It has been said that firing an AIM 9 Sidewinder missile at an airplane is the same thing as saying “I wish you were dead” because it was almost a certain kill. But nothing is 100% certain and if you find yourself with a missile headed your way, you do have a few options.

A fighter pilot friend of mine elaborates . . .

Interesting Q regarding a missile defense on a transport jet. To be blunt, there’s very little a pilot can do flying a limited maneuvering jet against a Mach 3+ missile that can make 22G+ turns. With that said, there are 2 schools of thought, try to out run/out maneuver or take the hit from a stable platform. First some academics . . .

Missiles from the surface or aerial adversary are generally one of two types, radar or optical guided. Optical can be of various sorts but most are tracking a heat source (engine exhaust if behind, skin friction if in front). Heat seeking missiles are typically smaller, accelerate faster and are harder to see. Radar guided missiles are typically larger leaving a larger smoke trail and many have booster section that jettisons just before a 2nd stage motor fires.

Time of Flight (TOF) for heat seeking missiles are usually shorter than radar guided. Unless a pilot can recognize the missile trajectory, booted phases, smoke trail, etc, it is common practice to be in idle to minimize heat signature (assume the missile is heat seeking). Otherwise, keep the power at max to minimize airspeed loss if maneuvering to avoid a stall.

Back to the 2 schools of thought, maneuvering can possibly generate an acceptable miss distance to reduce the missile’s selective probability of kill (Pk). Downsides are overspending or overstressing your aircraft (over-G). If the missile does impact causing damage, having excessive speeds or G-loading may exacerbate aircra damage from the missile. A slower and stable (wings level) platform would likely absorb the e ects of damage better from the missile impact. Ultimately, it comes down to the pilot’s assessment of the situation. Basically, if a missile is fired with a short TOF (<10 sec) and it appears out maneuvering is very unlikely, it would be best to stay stable, in idle power and ~5 degrees nose down.

Otherwise . . . A pilot attempting to out-maneuver a missile must respect the aircraft’s limits, mostly airspeed and G-loading (i.e. take it to the edge but not past). When an air-to-air missile is fired from a great distance, the easiest way to recognize it are contrails that appear to be arcing in the horizon. All missile shots at range typically loft and will make contrails. Surface-to-air missiles tend to be shot inside their max range to reduce TOF and detection. The first thought a crew member may have is “Holy cow, is this country launching a rocket into space?”

To me, the SA-2/SA-3 looked just like a Space Shuttle launch (seen both in person). The good news is there is time; their TOFs can range from 30-90 seconds. There are several types of guidance modes for radar missiles. Most common are command guided, proportional or semi-proportional and appear to track differently on your windscreen. To keep it simple, lets describe a trajectory like skeet or trap shooting. Most guided missiles will initially aim for where you are flying and “meet halfway.” In all cases, how a pilot maneuvers can greatly reduce the missile’s energy.

Lets describe a scenario. If you see a missile fired at you from RIGHT 2 o’clock, position, it will be aiming for an intercept ahead of you of your nose.

To deplete the missile’s energy, make a hard RIGHT turn past it and put it at your LEFT 9:00-10:00, roll out then descend ~15 deg with idle power. It will force the missile to turn harder (b/c it’s going so damn fast), correct it’s intercept point and deplete energy (watch out for your overspeed). After you see the missile correct it’s course, reverse hard LEFT turn to put the missile back at your RIGHT 2:00-3:00 position and roll out with full power and ~5-deg climb (watch out for over-G).

Again the missile must make a correction. These maneuvers can be accomplished at level flight but adding the 3rd dimension of alternating descent and climbs (at any +/- pitch) will add to the missile intercept problem.

Maneuvering properly and assuming a long missile TOF, you may see the missile stall before impact (best case) or the missile avoiding impact during its final turn correction (less than best case). Keep in mind, most missiles have proximity fusing. They are smart enough to detonate at the closest point of intercept if the missile determines impact is impossible. So if you feel impact (or near miss) is imminent, strive to return to wings level and ~5-deg nose low.

Turning into the missile will be a hard thing to do if you’ve never done this for a living (like Chris) and you are likely to be frozen with shock for a while. But you need to do it. Using the maximum G your airplane has available will do two things for you: it will force the missile to make the largest correction and it will bleed o your cruise speed. Once the missile is on your opposite side reverse the turn.

Because you will have lost some speed your turn radius will be tighter but the missile will be closer, so once again apply maximum G. For this turn, keep an eye on your angle of attack. Most aircraft will have a maximum lift-to-drag ratio at 0.30 angle of attack and this is a good number to shoot for. You can also look at airspeed (if you have a instantaneous VREF readout, use that) but keep in mind your stall speed goes up with G-force. Your objective is to end this maneuver as slow as the airplane can fly with adequate controllability. So if all this maneuvering failed to shake the missile, you will be in the best condition to survive a missile impact and/or detonation.
[Chris Didier, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF – Retired F-15E Instructor Pilot, interview 6 August 2016]

Resources:

• Code7700.com
• Books by James Albright on Amazon.
• World Overflight Security Map 
• OPSGROUP Membership

We have changed our guidance for Kenya from Level 3 – Caution; to Level 2 – Assessed Risk. Flight Service Bureau publishes a regularly updated guide to Unsafe Airspace for Airlines and Aircraft Operators.

Until today, the only Airspace warning for Kenya had been the FAA KCIZ NOTAM 05/2016, but a NOTAM issued today by the UK Department for Transport has now added Kenya to the list of countries with guidance. Coupled with Al Shabaab airstrikes by the Kenyan Air Force 2 days ago, and increasing numbers of attacks by the group, the situation may be growing increasingly unstable.

We recommend all operators to monitor events closely.

Updated guidance material August 12th:

• FSB Unsafe Airspace Summary (PDF Download)
• World Overflight Map (link)

EASA: New Cockpit Rules 10AUG EASA has published a new SIB with guidance for operators on, well, how best to arrange the swap of pilot-taking-a-pee and flight-attendant-now-up-front … Read the article

Ukraine extends Russia ban 10AUG Ukraine has extended the ban on Russian registered operators overflying or landing, until November 10th, 2016. In an operational notice.. Read the article

UUZZ/The Moscow Area will get busy between 26AUG and 04SEP (we’re not entirely sure why), but … The Main Air Traffic Management Centre (MATMC) has issued notice that there will be increased regulation for flights to UUWW, UUDD, and UUEE. Permission to depart will expire 30 mins after planned off blocks time, after which the Operator (that’s you) must call MATMC for a completely new permit.

MWCR/Cayman recorded its first local transmission of the Zika virus on 08AUG. Several other people on the Cayman Islands have reported symptoms of the virus; however, authorities stated that in these cases the patients contracted Zika during travel abroad.

MKJK/Kingston, Jamaica is carrying out work on its Comms lines until the end of the week, and is expecting to lose some Flight Plans. The outage is 0415-1100Z daily. If you are operating to Jamaica, or through the FIR, it’s worth sending your FPL early, and not during that time. Maybe send it a few times to be sure, should minimise delays due to missing FPL’s.

VIZZ/India Independence Day on 15AUG. Multiple restrictions. No overflights within 150nm of Delhi. VIDP/Delhi will not allow non-scheduled flights 0030-0430Z, and 1030-1330Z. Check with your handler for specific restrictions on 15AUG.

LIRA/Rome Ciampino will be completely closed from 14-29OCT for runway maintenance and upgrades. According to CIA, maintenance work will be carried out on a 24/7 basis on parts of runway 15/33, at various junctions and taxiways.

EVVA/Ventspils is closed for the week from today, due to repairs to the main runway. One of the three main airports in Latvia, it reopens on 15AUG.

GUCY/Gbessia, Guinea Opposition leaders have announced the postponement of opposition demonstrations planned for 10-16AUG. Marchers will reportedly demonstrate on the Autoroute Fidèle Castro, between Aéroport International de Gbéssia (GUCY/CKY) and the Palais du Peuple. The demonstration was originally slated to occur on 4 August but was later postponed until 10 August.

WIZZ/Indonesia Travel advice updated: Political tensions have given rise to occasional mass demonstrations in cities in Papua; take extra care and seek local advice on your travel plans.

SOCA/Cayenne FIR has broken it’s SITA system and has no CPDLC or ADS-C until, they think, at least 14AUG. Revert to HF and use 8855/5526; failing that try 3023.

RJZZ/Japan On 08AUG, Japanese military officials placed the country’s armed forces on alert for the potential of a North Korean missile launch. According to an official statement, the Japanese military will be ready to strike any North Korean missile that threatens Japan. Because some North Korean missile tests are difficult to detect, the current state of alert will last for three months. Previously, Japanese defense officials issued a series of temporary orders in response to imminent North Korean missile launches.

LWKS/Skopje Flooding on 6-7AUG2016 in Skopje and neighbouring areas has resulted in over 20 deaths. Some roads, including part of the Skopje ring-road, are closed. Alternative routes are available, but traffic may be slow moving. You should travel with extreme care.

LTZZ/Turkey Per new dictat from the DGAC in Turkey, all Ambulance flights entering Turkish airspace are to report “ACTIVE AMBULANCE FLIGHT” on first contact with Turkish ATC.

DIZZ/Cote D’Ivoire Effective 15SEP2016 Ivory Coast will withdraw the following HF frequencies: BOUAKE 5710KHz, 1578KHz; DALOA 5701KHz, KHOROGO 6673KHz; Man 5710.5 KHz; ODIENNE 6673 KHz; SAN PEDRO 6012KHz

EDDV/Hannover has special runway configurations on 14AUG due to (yet another) bomb from WW2 being removed. Between 1100-1400Z all approaches to 27L/09R are suspended.

VVZZ/Hanoi ACC reports that a lot of flights operating through the Hanoi ACC area of responsibility have not been submitting flight plan messages to VVHNZRZX or VVHNZQZX. In order to avoid missing / delay of FPL messages, copy these AFTN addresses when submitting your FPL’s.

EGZZ/United Kingdom 8AUG Rail staff in southern England, including London, began a five-day strike, which will reduce rail services by 40 percent. Travellers should expect major delays and large-scale traffic disruptions

BGSF/Kangerlussuaq Daily Closures between 09AUG and 30AUG for runway work. Double check NOTAMR A0295/16 for complete list of timings. Only Medivac, Search and Rescue and PPR confirmed operations allowed.

KTEB/Teterboro Landing Fees here are to increase by about 25% on September 1st. Comments regarding the fee changes can be submitted to The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and must be received by 10AUG2016.

Measles Myanmar/Taiwan On August 6th health officials confirmed a measles outbreak in the Sagaing region, a mountainous area located in northern Myanmar, bordering eastern India. We have also received report from Taiwanese health officials confirming a link between two cases of measles and Taipei’s Songshan International Airport (RCSS/TSA). The two cases, which were first detected on 15JUL, involved an airline ground crew worker and a passenger who traveled to the airport.

SECU/Cuenca, Ecuador Operations at Cuenca airport will be suspended from mid-August 2016 for 3 weeks to 1 month due to the need for additional runway works.

OMDB/United Arab Emirates On 04AUG both runways at Dubai International Airport (OMDB/DXB) resumed full operations following the 03AUG 777 accident. Expect delays and some cancellations as the airport is still struggling to catch up.

UTZZ/Turkmenistan and UAZZ/Kazakhstan On 04AUG Turkmenistan temporarily closed its border with Kazakhstan, citing security concerns. Officials stated that the closure will last for five days. Turkmenistan instituted a similar border closing on 20JUL. Authorities did not release details on the purported security concerns that prompted 04AUG closure.

UZZZ/Russia 03AUG Polish officials stated that they did not have a specific date to reopen visa-free border traffic between Poland and the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Security concerns associated with the NATO Summit and Roman Catholic Church’s World Youth Day led officials to temporarily restart border checks at Poland’s borders. Residents of border areas, however, will be able to travel across the border for cultural, social or family reasons.

UNKL/Yemelyanovo Runway11/29 is closed for all types of aircraft THU 0600-0700, WED FRI 0610-0710, MON TUE SAT SUN 0500-0700, 01SEP until 29OCT

View the full International Bulletin 10AUG2016

August 2016: EASA has published a new Safety Information Bulletin with recommendations on Minimum Cockpit Occupancy – or, essentially, how best to arrange the swap of pilot-taking-a-pee and flight-attendant-now-up-front.

It offers some guidance in this, but is kind of loose, leaving it to the Operator to decide if and how they want to implement the rule; you can read the full text below, copied from the SIB.

Some points we noted:

• It suggests that “only suitably qualified flight crew members are allowed to sit at the controls“. Presumably, they mean that should only be a pilot, and so the FA should occupy the jumpseat, but only some commercial aircraft have easily accessible jumpseats. Many have to be folded out, in a cross between Origami and Twister, by which time the other person is back anyhow.
• The flight attendant’s “main task should be to open the secure door“. It’s worth remembering that often times opening the cockpit door is something shown to the FA in a 5 minute exercise during training, and often forgotten. A good question to ask is “How would you open the door” ?

The guidance in the new SIB stems from the crash of Germanwings 9525 in the French Alps in 2015, where the downside of very secure flight deck doors became obvious. EASA issued a one page SIB (2015-04) in the days following the accident. A similar incident occurred in 2013 with Mozambique Airline (LAM) Embraer 190.

The new SIB 09/2016 has these official recommendations:

CAT.OP.MPA.210 of Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 stipulates that flight crew members required to be on duty in the flight crew compartment shall remain at the assigned station, unless absence is necessary for the performance of duties in connection with the operations or for physiological needs, provided at least one suitably qualified pilot remains at the controls of the aircraft at all times.

In such cases, the Agency recommends operators to assess the safety and security risks associated with a flight crew member remaining alone in the flight crew compartment.

This assessment should take the following elements into account:

1. the operator’s psychological and security screening policy of flight crews;
2. employment stability and turnover rate of flight crews;
3. access to a support programme, providing psychological support and relief to flight crew when needed; and
4. ability of the operator’s management system to mitigate psychological and social risks.

If the assessment leads the operator to require two authorised persons in accordance with CAT.GEN.MPA.135 to be in the flight crew compartment at all times, operators should ensure that:

(a) the role of the authorised person, other than the operating pilot, in the flight crew compartment is clearly defined, considering that his/her main task should be to open the secure door when the flight crew member who left the compartment returns;

(b) only suitably qualified flight crew members are allowed to sit at the controls;

(c) safety and security procedures are established for his/her presence in the flight crew compartment (e.g. operation of the flight deck, specific procedure for entry, use of observer seat and oxygen masks, avoidance of distractions etc.);

(d) training needs are addressed and identified as appropriate;

(e) safety risks stemming from the authorised person leaving the passenger cabin are assessed and mitigated, if necessary; and

(f) resulting procedures are detailed in the Operations Manual and, when relevant, the related security reference documents.

National Authorities should ensure that the content of this SIB is taken into account by operators under their oversight.

For further information contact the Safety Information Section, E-mail: ADs@easa.europa.eu.

Resources

• New EASA SIB 09 of 2016 – Minimum Cockpit Occupancy

Ukraine has extended the ban on Russian registered operators until November 10th, 2016. In an operational notice issued by each of the countries Flight Information Regions on August 9th, Ukraine has extended the closure of it’s airspace to Russian airlines and commercial operators.

The original ban was issued in November 2015, when  Ukraine’s Prime Minister Arseny Yatsenyuk declared during a cabinet meeting that “Russian airlines and Russian aircraft are not entitled to use Ukrainian airspace anymore”

The ban is in response to a similar edict by the Russian State authorities, banning Ukrainian flights from operating to and through Russian airspace.

The Turkish DGCA has issued a notice relevant to Air Ambulance Operators planning to operate in Turkish Airspace.

All active ambulance flights  should, on first contact with Air Traffic Control (Istanbul/Ankara), both landing and overflying Turkey, specifically declare that they are operating as an “Active Ambulance Flight“.

This procedure is implemented with effect 09AUG2016, and in place permanently.

An unfortunate naming conflict has been discovered by ATC Authorities in the Caribbean, where the waypoint LOMPA is the approach fix for RWY07 into St.Kitts, but also the approach fix for RWY30 into nearby Guadeloupe.

The first LOMPA is the IAF for the RNAV Approach to RWY 07 at TKPK/St. Kitts.

The second LOMPA is the IAF for the RNAV Approach to RWY30 at TFFR/Le Raizet – Guadeloupe.

St. Kitts are going to back down and change theirs to a different name, but in the meantime, watch out!

TSA/eAPIS increase in US fines 03AUG Fines and penalties for getting your CBP Arrival/Departure manifest wrong will increase from 01AUG. That means, screw up the eAPIS and you are looking at a potential fine of $1,312. Read the article.

Vanuatu Runway concerns 03AUG Following interim repairs to the runway in Port Vila (NVVV/VLI) earlier this year, concerns have been raised once again about the condition of the runway, with diversions on Monday. Read the article.

LFPZ/Paris Airports Couple of upgrades in progress, LFPO has 06/24 closed until 29AUG, and LFPG is installing a new ILS until 03OCT; both will cause some delays.

YZZZ/Australia The Australian Border Force have announced a strike for Friday, 12 August. This marks a resumption of Industrial Action in Australia after a 3 month ‘ceasefire’ was agreed. The strike period is 24 hours, precise impact not yet clear, but AQIS/Biosecurity/Quarantine will also take part to some degree.

OMDB/Dubai is reopening with a single runway following a full airport closure early on 03AUG due to 777 crash.

UIII/Irkutstk has no air starter available for large aircraft until the end of August.Irkutsk is a common enroute diversion airport.

ZKZZ/North Korea is back in action with the missile launches again, on 03AUG they fired two ballistic missiles, one of which landed in Japanese waters inside the country’s economic exclusion zone. Another missile reportedly exploded immediately after the launch. The missiles were fired at 2250 UTC on 2 August from a region southwest of the North Korean capital city of Pyongyang.

MZZZ/Caribbean Tropical Storm Earl, multiple weather warnings for Jamaica, Caymans, Belize, Guatemala, Mexico.

VABB/Mumbai continues their Continuous Descent Approach trials in the TMA. Interestingly, part of the procedure calls for pilots to call in on 121.9 after landing and report the total amount of fuel saved (how do you work that out?), and then send a detailed brief by email to cdomumbai@aai.aero. We forecast a relatively empty inbox.

AGGH/Honiara has some surface damage on the International Apron, taxi slowly.

SBZZ/Brazil On 02AUG, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro declared 4 August a new public holiday for the Olympic Games. The extra holiday comes after the mayor has already designated 5, 18 and 22 August as public holidays in Rio de Janeiro, and after the city experienced severe traffic congestion with the implementation of Olympic-designated lanes. On 1 August, the Olympic tracks caused more than 60 mi/100 km of traffic jams, with the worst traffic taking place on the Linha Amarela.

DZZZ/Lome UTA Following changes last year to the airspace over Benin and Togo (the two long thin countries squeezed between Ghana and Nigeria) – there’s still some confusion over who does what. In simple: Low Level (FL240 and below) is controlled by Cotonou Approach. High Level (FL250 and above) is controlled by Lome ACC.

EGGW/London Luton will close overnight weekends in November for some big repair work.

HLLL/Tripoli FIR Airstrikes this week by the USAF

LHPP/Pecs has no Jet A1 at the moment, back on 05AUG.

HEZZ/Egypt On 01AUG, reports announced that a semi-private company would take over responsibility for passenger and luggage screening at Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport (HESH/SSH). The same company, which is a joint public-private entity, will take over security at Terminal 2 of Cairo International Airport (HECA/CAI) beginning in October 2016 when the terminal is scheduled to reopen. The company will later take over screening procedures at Hurghada (HEGN/HRG), Borg el-Arab (HEBA/HBE), Marsa Alam (HEMA/RMF), Aswan (HESN/ASW) and Luxor (HELX/LXR) airports. Egyptian police will continue to be responsible for perimeter security around Egyptian airports, including the terminal and the tarmac.

LOWS/Salzburg starts a multilateration (MLAT) trial on 05SEP. Keep your Mode S on, they ask.

SBBZ/Brazil Olympic Games kick off in a few days, if you are operating to Brazil read through the current NOTAMS carefully, there are a bunch of flow restrictions, special routes, and procedures.

FABL/Bloemfontein is carrying out major works during August. Diversions not accepted. Jet A1 is supplied by bowser during this time, and not hydrant as this is also being worked on.

LTZZ/Turkey – post Coup. As of 01AUG, the situation in Turkey continues to stabilize, as the government continues to step up security measures and conduct operations to detain alleged coup plotters. Turkey remains under a state of emergency, which allows the government to drastically restrict civil liberties, and will likely remain so for the next three months. Raids and security operations are continuing throughout the country. Travellers should note that Turkish authorities have reportedly been conducting ID checks in the busier areas of Istanbul. 

 Demonstrations have continued over the past several days. While the threat of violence remains a concern at demonstrations throughout Turkey, most have been conducted peacefully. Travellers should nevertheless take care to avoid such gatherings as a precaution, because violence can occur with little notice. Additionally, terrorists have targeted major demonstrations in the past.

FLFI/Lusaka ACC have called out some AFTN addressing issues, if you are operating to land in Zamabia, then file to FLKKZAZX and FLHNZAZX respectively. OMMM/Muscat ACC has a radar-less day on 18th August, 0600-1700Z. Turn that TCAS up.

WADL/Lombok, Bali has reopened after a closure on Monday 01AUG due to the eruption of Mt. Rinjani. The last closure was in OCT2015.

View the full International Bulletin 03AUG2016

Following interim repairs to the runway in Port Vila (NVVV/VLI) earlier this year, concerns have been raised once again about the condition of the runway. On Monday, the Airport Authority notified an issue with some loose pieces on the runway, and repaired those – but some operators have chosen not to operate. Inbound flights were diverted. Currently, Air NZ is not flying to Vanuatu and awaiting a comprehensive upgrade to the runway.

Iceland Strike Over 27JUL It’s been promised a few times over the last few months but then closures continued – but what we can tell you is that: There was an agreement on July 18,  that appears to be holding. Read the article.

Brazil Olympic Ops Update 27JUL The opening ceremony of the 2016 Olympics in Brazil is on 5AUG, in Rio de Janeiro. There are a ton of airspace restrictions, slot controlled airports, and changes from 19JUL-23SEP. Here is a summary.

LRBB/Bucharest FIR Crews have experienced several ‘fake’ calls on 121.5 within the Bucharest ACC airspace. No reports of control instructions being issued, but operators should be aware of the situation.

SKZZ/Colombia On 25 July, the Colombian health ministry declared the Zika epidemic to be over in the country. The epidemic began in September 2015 and peaked in March of this year. A total of approximately 100,000 Colombians were infected. While authorities believe outbreaks will continue, the number of cases reported is expected to continue to decline.

LTBA/Istanbul has issued a long list of restrictions to discourage additional flights from operating to LTBA. New requests for charter flights are denied. LTBA cannot be carried as an alternate on your FPL.

TNCC/Curacao has daily work on the main runway throughout August. Some closures and shortened lengths. Check for latest with Airport operations on CAP OPS(+5999) 8391030/31/32.

To view the full International Bulletin 27JUL2016 Join OPSGROUP

We say the words with trepidation, because it’s been promised a few times over the last few months but then closures continued – but what we can tell you is that:

• There was an agreement on July 18,  that appears to be holding
• There have been no closures of BIKF, BIRK, or BIRD in the last week or so.

With that in mind we think it’s safe to say that the strike is over, and it should be Ops normal through Iceland from now on.

Runway damage at Manila 20JUL The main runway at RPLL/Manila, RWY 06/24, was closed on Monday 18JUL after heavy rain caused large chunks of asphalt to disintegrate. Read the article.

Africa Hajj routes take effect Starting tomorrow, the Africa Hajj routes for 2016 will take effect in the Algiers, Accra, Brazzaville, Dakar, Kano, Khartoum, N’Djamena, Niamey, Roberts, and Tripoli FIR’s. Read the article.

LTZZ/Turkey The FAA has cancelled KICZ Notam A0015/16, thereby lifting all the restrictions that were put in place on Friday night last. There are now no restrictions on US operators or FAA licensed crews operating to Turkey. Read full article

LIZZ/Italy The Italian ATC Strike that we’ve been listing for the last few weeks is now confirmed for Saturday 23JUL. The times vary a little for each unit – AIS and MET are out for the day, 0800-1600Z, other units are similar but some are just 1100-1500Z. As with previous strikes, overflights are unaffected, as are international arrivals. Some international departures are approved for exemption. If you are planning a flight to Italy on Saturday, expect some disruption, and check with handler/local airport in advance for specific situation for your flight.

GUZZ/Guinea has updated contact information for overflight and landing permit requests through the Air Navigation Agency (ANA) of Guinea. Primary email is now ana-dg@ana-guinee.com, and we suggest to copy diante223@yahoo.fr. Telephone is +224 622 68 44 52

LBPD/Plovdiv has fuel issues. If you need a large uplift, contact them in advance to confirm availability: operations@plovdivairport.com, or SITA PDVAPXH.

VTBB/Bangkok have an agreement with the Singapore ATFMU/Flow management unit. If operating BKK-SIN on a Saturday, then you’ll get a CTOT and must contact Bangkok ground/clearance 20 mins in advance to confirm you can make it.

To view the full International Bulletin 20JUL2016 Join OPSGROUP