The Thirtieth-First Meeting of the Meteorology Group (METG/31) of the European Region Aviation System Planning Group (EASPG) was held virtually from 21 to 24 September 2021.
The meeting reviewed the implementation of the World Area Forecast System (WAFS) and Secure Aviation Data Information Service (SADIS). The WAFS data hazard data sets for icing, turbulence and cumulonimbus are now provided at an increased horizontal resolution of 0.25 degrees (compared to the legacy 1.25 degrees) in accordance to Amendment 79 to Annex 3. Furthermore, the SADIS Provider confirmed that four States have acquired SADIS, which remedies the deficiencies related to WAFS forecasts needed for briefing and flight documentation.
Development of requirements and testing the dissemination of tropical cyclone information in some parts of the EUR Region was completed this past year and will become part of the annual monitoring programme of the Data Management Group of the METG.
Near full implementation of the ICAO Meteorological Information Exchange Model (IWXXM) has been achieved in the ICAO EUR Region in part due to the current translation services provided by the Regional OPMET Centres at no cost. This service may be extended for one more year due to the impacts of the pandemic on the air navigation service providers. Nevertheless, the implementation efforts have now shifted to assist States to implement IWXXM on their own and preferable at source. In addition, inter-regional exchange of OPMET data in IWXXM format will also become a priority during the next year.
Near full implementation of Regional OPMET Centre Moscow for 7 States in the eastern part of the EUR Region has also been achieved this past year.
Guidance material such as the EUR SIGMET and AIRMET Guide (EUR Doc 014) and the EUR OPMET Data Management Handbook (EUR Doc 018) were also updated to reflect regional best practices on the production of SIGMET and AIRMET as well as reflect best practices on the exchange of OPMET data and updating the annual monitoring of OPMET data to include space weather advisories and tropical cyclone information.
Proposed updates the EUR Air Navigation Plan Volume III tables (measurement of implementation related to the MET field) will be provided to EUROCONTROL for inclusion in the ASBU Implementation Monitoring Report for the ICAO EUR Region. The Meeting was attended by a total of 173 registered participants from 49 States, and 5 International Organizations.
METG/32 will be held from 20 to 23 September 2022.
