IAVWOPSG-Memo/5

4/08/04

MEMORANDUM

Ref.: AN 10/18.2

To:	Members, International Airways Volcano Watch Operations Group (IAVWOPSG)
From:	IAVWOPSG Secretary
Subject:	Follow-up action of the IAVWOPSG/1 Meeting
Action:	a)	note the information; and

b)	reply not later than 31 August 2004.

As you will recall, IAVWOPSG/1 agreed (Conclusion 1/17 ) that ASHTAMs and NOTAMs for volcanic ash be required for uplink on the ISCS and SADIS and instructed the Secretariat to develop the corresponding proposal for inclusion in a draft amendment to Annex 15 — Aeronautical Information Services, for consideration by the IAVWOPSG/2 Meeting.

According to the ICAO cycle of Annex amendments, the next amendment to Annex 15 will be Amendment 34 in 2006 and the following amendment will be in 2009. If the draft amendment referred to in Conclusion 1/17 to Annex 15 were to be considered by the second meeting of the IAVWOPSG in October 2005, it would miss Amendment 34 and, therefore, it would have to be included in the next amendment in 2009. As you may agree, five years is too long a wait for a relatively small and straight forward amendment.

In order to meet the applicability date of 2006, the proposed amendment to Annex 15 would have to be reviewed by the Air Navigation Commission during its fall Session. Therefore, I am sending the attached draft amendment to Annex 15 for your review and comments by correspondence.

Your comments at your earliest convenience but not later than 31 August 2004 would be much appreciated.

Best regards,

(signed by)

Raul Romero
Enclosure:

Draft amendment to Annex 15

5.3 Distribution

. . .

5.3.3.1 Recommendation.— Selective distribution lists should be used when practicable.

Note.— These lists are intended to obviate superfluous distribution of information. Guidance material relating to this is contained in the Aeronautical Information Services Manual (Doc 8126).

5.3.4 International exchange of NOTAM shall take place only as mutually agreed between the international NOTAM offices concerned. The international exchange of ASHTAM (see 5.2.4), and NOTAM where States continue to use NOTAM for distribution of information on volcanic activity, shall include volcanic ash advisory centres and the centres designated by regional air navigation agreement for the operation of aeronautical fixed service satellite distribution systems, and shall take account of the requirements of long-range operations.

Note.— Arrangements may be made for direct exchange of SNOWTAM (see Appendix 2) between aerodromes/heliports.

5.3.4.1 These exchanges of NOTAM between international NOTAM offices shall, as far as practicable, be limited to the requirements of the receiving States concerned by means of separate series providing for at least international and domestic flights.

. . .

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