In response to the on-going COVID-19 pandemic and the associated challenges facing the aviation industry, ICAO has delayed the applicability date of the GRF until 4 November 2021 (see State Letter 
073e.pdf.).
ICAO, in partnership with key international organisations will continue to provide support to Member States and stakeholders as they emerge from the current crisis and revise their implementation plans. In particular, training resources will be enhanced and awareness raising activities will be re-launched.
The new ICAO methodology for assessing and reporting runway surface conditions, commonly known as the Global Reporting Format (GRF), enables the harmonized assessment and reporting of runway surface conditions and a correspondingly improved flight crew assessment of take-off and landing performance.
The GRF, applicable on 4 November 2021, is described through amendment 13-B to Annex 14 —
Aerodromes, Volume I — Aerodrome Design and Operations; Annex 3 —
Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation; Annex 6 —
Operation of Aircraft, Part I —
International Commercial Air Transport — Aeroplanes and Part II —
International General Aviation —
Aeroplanes; Annex 8 — Airworthiness of Aircraft; Annex 15 —
Aeronautical Information Services and
Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS) —
Aerodromes (PANS-Aerodromes, Doc 9981), Aeronautical Information Management (PANS-AIM, Doc 10066) and
Air Traffic Management (PANS-ATM, Doc 4444).
In addition, supporting material is available in Circular 355,
Assessment, Measurement and Reporting of Runway Surface Conditions and in the Doc 10064 Aeroplane Performance Manual (in preparation).
All of the above reference documents are available through the
ICAO publications portal.
Various activities are being conducted to raise awareness and support deployment of the GRF such as a global symposium and regional seminars that will take place between June 2019 and November 2020.
Activities
|
Location |
Date | Description |
Website |
|
2019 |
| Montreal, Canada | 26-28 March 2019 | ICAO/ACI Symposium on Implementation of the New Global Reporting Format for Runway Surface Condition (GRF2019) | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| Bangkok, Thailand | 27 - 28 June 2019 | AOP SG3 GRF Seminar | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| Dakar, Senegal | 2-3 July 2019 |
ICAO Regional Seminar on Implementation of the New GRF for Runway Surface Condition | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| Paris, France | 10-11 July 2019 | Workshop on Implementation of the New GRF for Runway Surface Conditions | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| Nairobi, Kenya | 14-15 August 2019 | ICAO Regional workshop on the New GRF for Runway Surface Conditions | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| Lima, Peru | 21-22 August 2019 | ICAO-ACI LAC Regional Seminar on GRF for Runway Conditions | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| Accra, Ghana | 17-18 October 2019 |
ICAO/ACI Regional Seminar on the Implementation of the New GRF for Runway Surface Condition | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| Johannesburg, South Africa | 28-29 November 2019 | Regional Seminar | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| Frankfurt, Germany | 10-11 December 2019 | Regional Seminar | For more information and presentations,
click here |
|
2020 |
| Madrid, Spain | 21-22 January 2020 | IATA Regional Seminar | For more information,
click here to contact the meeting focal point |
| Helsinki, Finland | 28-29 January 2020 | ICAO Regional Seminar | For more information and presentations,
click here |
| COSCAP-SEA Webinar | 30 April 2020 | ICAO/APAC Regional Webinar | Recording
here. |
| Mexico City, Mexico | 17-18 March 2020 | ICAO Regional Seminar | Event postponed |
| Cairo, Egypt | 22-23 March 2020 | ICAO Regional Seminar | Event postponed |
| Nara, Japan | 21 April 2020 | ACI State Workshop | Event cancelled |
| Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan | 28-29 April 2020 | ICAO Regional Seminar | Event postponed |
Training Courses
Relevant courses are being developed with ICAO partners, under the Global Aviation Training (GAT) and TRAINAIR PLUS Programme:
| Course Title | Target Audience | Delivery | Website |
| ICAO-ACI Global Reporting Format (GRF) | Airport operations staff | Online | For more information,
click here |
| ICAO-IATA Global Reporting Format (GRF) for Runway Surface Conditions – Introduction | Flight crew and airline operations staff | Online | For more information,
click here |
ACI-ICAO Global Reporting Format (GRF) for Runway Surface Conditions for Airport Operators
| Airport personnel | Virtual Classroom
(2 Days) | For more information,
click here |
ICAO-IATA-CANSO Introduction to the Global Reporting Format (GRF) for Runway Surface Conditions for ANSPs, Air Traffic Controllers and AIS staff
| ANSPs, Air Traffic Controllers and AIS staff | To be confirmed | For more information, click here |
Note: Other courses for other stakeholders are under development and will be added in due course.
Implementation Checklist
Stemming from the regional seminars, a generic GRF Implementation check list for States has been proposed by some States and is available here:
ACI-World have also develped an implementation check list aimed at the airport operator:
Articles
Looking Beyond the Pandemic: Implementing the GRF (ICAO Uniting Aviation, October 2020)
| Here
|
Runway Surface Conditions: The Global Reporting Format (ICAO Uniting Aviation, February 2019)
| Here
|
The Global Reporting Format for runway surface conditions is ready: are you? (ICAO Uniting Aviation, May 2021)
| Here
|
Presentations
Some useful presentations:
GRF Webinars
Links to recent webinars:
2020 Webinars:
2021 Webinars
Additional Guidance Material
Implementation experience has shown that some additional guidance may be required, addressing specific aspects of the GRF. Such material has been developed by ICAO's EUR office for global use:
EUR Doc.041_SNOWTAM Guidance_V1.1 December 2020_EN.pdf
EUR Doc.041_SNOWTAM Guidance_V1.1 December 2020_RU.pdf
ATIS will be an important means of transmitting RCR-related information to flight crew. It is likely that ATIS messages will be longer and updated more frequently, however this needs to be balalnced against the importance of such data. A flyer providing additional information, clarification and 'best practice' is available:
ATIS Flyer_v2.0.pdf
(Note: this flyer was updated in July 2021 ro refect a clarification on the order of ATIS, which should follow Annex 11).
ACI has developed a short leaflet that provides some useful additional guidance for for airports when conducting visual observations, based upon best practice and feedback from airports, see: ACI Visual Observation Guidance
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
A number of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) have arisen during the webinars and other GRF events. Below is a consolidated list of such questions, which will be updated and augmented on a regular basis:
GRF Frequently Asked Questions_June 2021_1.0.pdf
Communications Material
A GRF e-mail banner can be found and postcard:
GRF E-mail Banner 2021.png
GRF postcard 2021.png
A 'poster' version of the Runway Condition Assessment Matrix (RCAM):
RCAM Poster_v1.0.pdf
Implementation Map
An implemention monitoring process and a new map are under development.
For more information, please contact:
GRF@icao.int
