Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012Show full title

SECTION 9 Flight information service

SERA.9001 Application

(a) Flight information service shall be provided by the appropriate air traffic services units to all aircraft which are likely to be affected by the information and which are:

(1)

provided with air traffic control service; or

(2)

otherwise known to the relevant air traffic services units.

(b) The reception of flight information service does not relieve the pilot-in-command of an aircraft of any responsibilities and the pilot-in-command shall make the final decision regarding any suggested alteration of flight plan.

(c) Where air traffic services units provide both flight information service and air traffic control service, the provision of air traffic control service shall have precedence over the provision of flight information service whenever the provision of air traffic control service so requires.

SERA.9005 Scope of flight information service

(a) Flight information service shall include the provision of pertinent:

(1)

SIGMET and AIRMET information;

(2)

information concerning pre-eruption volcanic activity, volcanic eruptions and volcanic ash clouds;

(3)

information concerning the release into the atmosphere of radioactive materials or toxic chemicals;

(4)

information on changes in the availability of radio navigation services;

(5)

information on changes in condition of aerodromes and associated facilities, including information on the state of the aerodrome movement areas when they are affected by snow, ice or significant depth of water;

(6)

information on unmanned free balloons;

and of any other information likely to affect safety.

(b) Flight information service provided to flights shall include, in addition to that outlined in (a), the provision of information concerning:

(1)

weather conditions reported or forecast at departure, destination and alternate aerodromes;

(2)

collision hazards, to aircraft operating in airspace Classes C, D, E, F and G;

(3)

for flight over water areas, in so far as practicable and when requested by a pilot, any available information such as radio call sign, position, true track, speed, etc., of surface vessels in the area.

(c) Flight information service provided to VFR flights shall include, in addition to that outlined in (a), the provision of available information concerning traffic and weather conditions along the route of flight that are likely to make operation under the visual flight rules impracticable.

SERA.9010 Automatic terminal information service (ATIS)

(a) Use of the ATIS messages in directed request/reply transmissions

(1) When requested by the pilot, the applicable ATIS message(s) shall be transmitted by the appropriate air traffic services unit.

(2) Whenever Voice-ATIS and/or D-ATIS is provided:

(i)

aircraft shall acknowledge receipt of the information upon establishing communication with the ATS unit providing approach control service, the aerodrome control tower or Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS), as appropriate; and

(ii)

the appropriate air traffic services unit shall, when replying to an aircraft acknowledging receipt of an ATIS message or, in the case of arriving aircraft, at such other time as may be prescribed by the competent authority, provide the aircraft with the current altimeter setting.

(3) Information contained in a current ATIS, the receipt of which has been acknowledged by the aircraft concerned, need not be included in a directed transmission to the aircraft, with the exception of the altimeter setting, which shall be provided in accordance with (2).

(4) If an aircraft acknowledges receipt of an ATIS that is no longer current, any element of information that needs updating shall be transmitted to the aircraft without delay.

(b) ATIS for arriving and departing aircraft

ATIS messages containing both arrival and departure information shall contain the following elements of information in the order listed:

(1)

name of aerodrome;

(2)

arrival and/or departure indicator;

(3)

contract type, if communication is via D-ATIS;

(4)

designator;

(5)

time of observation, if appropriate;

(6)

type of approach(es) to be expected;

(7)

the runway(s) in use; status of arresting system constituting a potential hazard, if any;

(8)

significant runway surface conditions and, if appropriate, braking action;

(9)

holding delay, if appropriate;

(10)

transition level, if applicable;

(11)

other essential operational information;

(12)

surface wind direction and speed, including significant variations and, if surface wind sensors related specifically to the sections of runway(s) in use are available and the information is required by aircraft operators, the indication of the runway and the section of the runway to which the information refers;

(13)

visibility and, when applicable, RVR(1);

(14)

present weather(2);

(15)

cloud below 1 500 m (5 000 ft) or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater; cumulonimbus; if the sky is obscured, vertical visibility when available(2);

(16)

air temperature;

(17)

dew point temperature;

(18)

altimeter setting(s);

(19)

any available information on significant meteorological phenomena in the approach and climb-out areas including wind shear, and information on recent weather of operational significance;

(20)

trend forecast, when available; and

(21)

specific ATIS instructions.

(c) ATIS for arriving aircraft

ATIS messages containing arrival information only shall contain the following elements of information in the order listed:

(1)

name of aerodrome;

(2)

arrival indicator;

(3)

contract type, if communication is via D-ATIS;

(4)

designator;

(5)

time of observation, if appropriate;

(6)

type of approach(es) to be expected;

(7)

main landing runway(s); status of arresting system constituting a potential hazard, if any;

(8)

significant runway surface conditions and, if appropriate, braking action;

(9)

holding delay, if appropriate;

(10)

transition level, if applicable;

(11)

other essential operational information;

(12)

surface wind direction and speed, including significant variations and, if surface wind sensors related specifically to the sections of runway(s) in use are available and the information is required by aircraft operators, the indication of the runway and the section of the runway to which the information refers;

(13)

visibility and, when applicable, RVR(2);

(14)

present weather(2);

(15)

cloud below 1 500 m (5 000 ft) or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater; cumulonimbus; if the sky is obscured, vertical visibility when available(2);

(16)

air temperature;

(17)

dew point temperature;

(18)

altimeter setting(s);

(19)

any available information on significant meteorological phenomena in the approach area including wind shear, and information on recent weather of operational significance;

(20)

trend forecast, when available; and

(21)

specific ATIS instructions.

(d) ATIS for departing aircraft

ATIS messages containing departure information only shall contain the following elements of information in the order listed:

(1)

name of aerodrome;

(2)

departure indicator;

(3)

contract type, if communication is via D-ATIS;

(4)

designator;

(5)

time of observation, if appropriate;

(6)

runway(s) to be used for take-off; status of arresting system constituting a potential hazard, if any;

(7)

significant surface conditions of runway(s) to be used for take-off and, if appropriate, braking action;

(8)

departure delay, if appropriate;

(9)

transition level, if applicable;

(10)

other essential operational information;

(11)

surface wind direction and speed, including significant variations and, if surface wind sensors related specifically to the sections of runway(s) in use are available and the information is required by aircraft operators, the indication of the runway and the section of the runway to which the information refers;

(12)

visibility and, when applicable, RVR(3);

(13)

present weather(3);

(14)

cloud below 1 500 m (5 000 ft) or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater; cumulonimbus; if the sky is obscured, vertical visibility when available(3);

(15)

air temperature;

(16)

dew point temperature;

(17)

altimeter setting(s);

(18)

any available information on significant meteorological phenomena in the climb-out area including wind shear;

(19)

trend forecast, when available; and

(20)

specific ATIS instructions.

(1)

These elements are replaced by the term ‘CAVOK’ when the following conditions occur simultaneously at the time of observation: (a) visibility, 10 km or more, and the lowest visibility not reported; (b) no cloud of operational significance; and (c) no weather of significance to aviation.

(2)

These elements are replaced by the term ‘CAVOK’ when the following conditions occur simultaneously at the time of observation: (a) visibility, 10 km or more, and the lowest visibility not reported; (b) no cloud of operational significance; and (c) no weather of significance to aviation.

(3)

These elements are replaced by the term ‘CAVOK’ when the following conditions occur simultaneously at the time of observation: (a) visibility, 10 km or more, and the lowest visibility not reported; (b) no cloud of operational significance; and (c) no weather of significance to aviation.