Safety Management
Runway and Aerodrome Safety
Operational and On-board Safety
Accident Investigation
Safety Audits
Monitoring and Assistance Review Board
Training
Regional Safety Coordination
Technical Cooperation and Assistance Projects
Other Safety Initiatives
Air Navigation Capacity and Efficiency
Performance-based Navigation
Air Traffic Management: Airspace
Meteorology
Aviation Frequency Spectrum
Collaborative Arrangement for the Prevention and Management of Public Health Events in Civil Aviation
Emergency Response
Meteorology
New digital data exchange capabilities for operational
meteorological information supporting
the future SWIM environment
In November, through the applicability of Amendment 76 to Annex 3 — Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation, ICAO enabled new digital data exchange capabilities for operational meteorological information.
The new provisions allow States to exchange, on a bilateral basis, routine and special aerodrome reports, aerodrome forecasts and SIGMET information in a digital form. These developments are the first in what will be a series of important steps to appropriately integrate all required aeronautical meteorological information into the future globally interoperable air traffic management system through system-wide information management.
Space weather and radioactive cloud services
The International Airways Volcano Watch Operations Group (IAVWOPSG) developed concepts of operations regarding space weather services and radioactive cloud services to aviation. Space weather events — such as geomagnetic storms, solar radiation storms, solar flares and ionosphere activity — and the release of radioactive material into the atmosphere pose a risk to flight safety as well as the health of aircraft occupants.
The concepts of operation, which are living documents that will evolve as technological and operational requirements evolve, each provide a foundation for the identification of functional and performance requirements and implementation strategies. The concepts of operations will be provided as information to the ICAO Meteorology Divisional Meeting in July 2014.
Regional SIGMET advisory services
The Meteorological Warnings Study Group (METWSG) developed a concept of operations for regional hazardous weather advisory services to aviation. Acknowledging long-standing deficiencies that exist in some ICAO Regions with respect to the provision, or lack thereof, of SIGMET information for en-route hazardous meteorological conditions, and following a successful regional SIGMET advisory trial in 2011, the METWSG has devised a concept of operations to provide a foundation for the identification of functional and performance requirements and implementation strategies of a new regionalized scheme.
The concept of operations is supported by a high-level strategic statement and a plan for the future governance and cost recovery of a regional hazardous weather advisory service that will be considered by the ICAO Meteorology Divisional Meeting in July 2014.
Enhancement of meteorological information used for flight planning
In November, through the applicability of Amendment 76 to Annex 3 — Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation, ICAO enhanced the complement of meteorological information used for flight planning. Within the framework of the world area forecast system (WAFS), gridded global forecasts for icing, turbulence and cumulonimbus clouds became available in a digital form for operational use.
At the same time, the WAFS now provides improved (increased) vertical resolution of upper-air wind and temperature gridded global forecasts in digital form at cruise altitudes. These developments improve the flight planning capabilities of operators and flight crew members, leading to safer and more efficient flight profiles.
