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IAVWOPSG/4-WP/17/
International Civil Aviation Organization
WORKING PAPER / IAVWOPSG/4-WP/17
17/6/08
INTERNATIONAL AIRWAYS VOLCANO WATCH OPERATIONS GROUP (IAVWOPSG)
FOURTH MEETING
Paris, France, 15 to 19 September 2008
Agenda Item / 5: / Operation of the IAVWOPSG5.2: / Improvement of the format and content of all volcanic ash related messages
TEMPLATES OF TEST VAA AND VA SIGMET
(Presented by France)
SUMMARYThis paper reviews the possibilities offered by the VSA and SIGMET templates in annex 3 to indicate that some VAA and VA SIGMET are test messages and not operational ones. Proposed formats are given in the Annex of this paper.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Due to the fact that volcanic eruptions are a very infrequent event, it is difficult but essential to maintain efficiency and awareness of procedures that are rarely used. The only way to keep MET, ATS and airline operators aware and prepared to react quickly and efficiently is to train regularly.
1.2 As previous exercises have shown, regular and specific tests are necessary to insure that the whole system is efficient and that each participant has a clear view of his role and responsibilities.
1.3 It seems therefore sensible to practise tests within each community prior to organizing larger and multi-organisation exercises in order to avoid consuming time and money without insurance of any real benefit. Consequently, for the MET community, the first step is to check the capacity to issue, disseminate and receive properly the volcanic ash advisory information through the dedicated networks.
2. Discussion
2.1 An agreement on a standardized relevant test message format (VAA and VASIGMET) should be obtained in order to avoid endless discussions on the format and to focus on operational matters, to facilitate monitoring capabilities, to assure that test messages would not be considered as an operational one related to a real eruption, and to avoid rejection from MSS (message switch system) and databases for non compliance with ICAO Annex3 templates.
2.2 Such a standardized format is proposed in Annex1 of this paper. It has been successfully tested in different international exercises played in the EUR region and has been adopted by the EUR METG/BMG. It has been agreed as a basis for exercises to come in AFI region during the AFI SIGMET Workshop (Dakar, May 2008). It will have been discussed in MIDANPIRG/MET/SG1 (Cairo, June 2008).
3. CONCLUSION
3.1 In this regard the group is invited to formulate the following conclusion:
Conclusion 4/.. — Test VAA & VA SIGMET formatThat the Secretariat be tasked to introduce in Doc 9766, Handbook on the International Airways Volcano Watch(IAVW) the proposed guidance material given in the Appendix[1] for testing VAA and VA SIGMET.
4. ACTION BY THE IAVWOPSG
4.1 The IAVWOPSG is invited to:
a) note the information in this paper; and
b) decide on the draft conclusion proposed for the group’s consideration.
— — — — — — — —
A-5 / IAVWOPSG/4-WP/17Appendix
IAVWOPSG/4-WP/17
Appendix
APPENDIX
Proposed Format for VAA
FVXXii CCCC YYGGgg
VA ADVISORY
DTG: YYYYMMDD/HHmmZ
VAAC: VAAC_Name
VOLCANO: Volcano_NAME_N°
PSN: Lat Lon
AREA: State_Region
SUMMIT ELEV: highM
ADVISORY NR: YYYY/Nr
INFO SOURCE: free_text1
AVIATION COLOUR CODE: UNKNOWN or NIL
ERUPTION DETAILS: UNKNOWN or free_text2
EST VA DTG: nn/nnnnZ
OBS|EST VA CLD: VA NOT IDENTIFIABLE FROM SATELLITE DATA Winds|text
FCST VA CLD +6 HR: NO VA EXP|text
FCST VA CLD +12 HR: NO VA EXP|text
FCST VA CLD +18 HR: NO VA EXP|text
RMK: free_text3
TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST
NXT ADVISORY: YYYYMMDD/HHmmZ|NO LATER THAN YYYYMMDD/HHmmZ|NO FURTHER ADVISORIES=
Where
Text1| Text2 means Text1 OR Text2
Example: OBS|EST means OBS(for observed) OR EST(for estimated)
ii = 01 to 39
YYGGgg = Date time Group of the MWO heading ( ex: 270616 meaning
the 27th day of the month at 06h 16mn UTC)
CCCC = LFPW (the VAA being produced by VAAC Toulouse)
YYYY = year (ex: 2007 meaning the year 2007 )
MM = Month (ex: 09 meaning September)
DD = Day (ex: 27 meaning the 27th day of the month)
HHmm = Hour of redaction (ex: 0616 meaning 06h 16mn UTC)
VAAC_Name= Name of the VAAC (TOULOUSE)
Volcano_Name_N°= Name and N° of the Volcano
UNKNOWN or the real name and N° (ex: ES SAFA 0300-05)
Lat Lon= Latitude & longitude of the Volcano
UNKNOWN or the latitude and longitude of the volcano (ex: N3318 E03718)
State_Region = State or region Name (ex: SYRIA)
highM = Summit elevation (ex: 979M)
YYYY/Nr = VAA Numero Nr for this very Volcano for the year YYYY (ex: 2008/06)
Free_text1 = free text (up to 32 alphanumeric characters)
Free_text2 = free text (up to 64 alphanumeric characters)
nn/nnnnZ = day/hour of the observation or estimation of the current location of the VA CLOUD (ex: 27/0600Z meaning the 27th day of the month at 06h 00mn UTC)
Winds = WINDS + average forecasted winds at selected layers
text = lat/lon points delineating boundaries of VA cloud at selected layers
Free_text3 = free text up to 256 alphanumeric characters but finishing by “TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST”
NB : the free text zones should be used to indicate that the VAA is a test VAA and other information relative to the test.
Examples:
When no met content is required
FVXX01 LFPW 240602
VA ADVISORY
DTG:20080624/0600
VAAC: TOULOUSE
VOLCANO: UNKNOWN
PSN: UNKNOWN
AREA: ICAO MID REGION
SUMMIT ELEV: UNKNOWN
ADVISORY NR: 2008/10
INFO SOURCE: TEST VOLCMID
AVIATION COLOUR CODE: UNKNOWN
ERUPTION DETAILS: TEST VOLCMID
OBS VA DTG: 24/0600Z
OBS VA CLD: VA NOT IDENTIFIABLE FROM SATELLITE DATA
FCST VA CLD +6 HR: 24/1200Z NO VA EXP
FCST VA CLD +12 HR: 24/1800Z NO VA EXP
FCST VA CLD +18 HR: 25/0000Z NO VA EXP
RMK: THIS TEST IS DESIGNATED TO TEST VA DISSEMINATION IN THE
MID REGION. ALL ACC/FIC WITHIN THE MID REGION HAVE TO SEND AN
ACK TO THE TOULOUSE OPMET DATA BANK LFPWYZYX AND ALL MWO
WITHIN THE MID REGION HAVE TO SEND A VA SIGMET AS SHOWN
IN THE TEST PROTOCOL VOLCMID DESCRIBED IN THE MID ICAO WEBSITE.
TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST
NEXT ADVISORY: NO FURTHER ADVISORIES=
When a met content is required
FVXX01 LFPW 250950
VA ADVISORY
DTG: 20080625/0945
VAAC: TOULOUSE
VOLCANO: JEBEL ZUBAIR 0201-02
PSN: N1503 E04211
AREA: RED-SEA
SUMMIT ELEV: 191M
ADVISORY NR: 2008/01
INFO SOURCE: TEST VOLCMID
AVIATION COLOUR CODE: UNKNOWN
ERUPTION DETAILS: EXERCISE VOLCMID
OBS VA DTG: 25/0900Z
OBS VA CLD: SFC/FL150 N1530 E04210 - N1455 E02745 - N2000 E03330 - N1530 E04210 FL150/300 N1725 E04135 - N2755 E05510 - N2245 E06140 - N1725 E04135
FCST VA CLD +6 HR: 25/1500Z SFC/FL150 N1710 E03335 - N2305 E02250 - N1900 E01735 - N1710 E03335 FL150/300 N2220 E04455 - N3030 E05705 - N2740 E06520 - N2220 E04455
FCST VA CLD +12 HR: 25/2100Z SFC/FL150 N1950 E02810 - N2755 E01825 - N2450 E01035 - N1950 E02810 FL150/300 N2505 E05235 - N3500 E06605 - N2855 E07310 - N2505 E05235
FCST VA CLD +18 HR: 26/0300Z SFC/FL150 N2515 E01910 - N3435 E00920 - N2855 E00630 - N2515 E01910 FL150/300 N4310 E05915 - N3720 E06725 - N3200 E05215 - N4310 E05915
RMK: THIS TEST IS DESIGNATED TO TEST VA DISSEMINATION IN THE
MIDREGION. ALL ACC/FIC WITHIN THE MID REGION HAVE TO SEND AN
ACK TO THE TOULOUSE OPMET DATA BANK LFPWYZYX AND ALL MWO
WITHIN THE EUR REGION HAVE TO SEND A VA SIGMET AS SHOWN IN
THE TEST PROTOCOL VOLCMID DESCRIBED IN THE MID ICAO WEBSITE.
TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST
NEXT ADVISORY: NO FURTHER ADVISORIES=
Proposed Format for VA SIGMET
WVAAii CCCC YYGGgg
CCCC_FIC SIGMET nnn VALID J1J1H1H1M1M1/J2J2H2H2M2M2 CCCC_MWO-
CCCC_FIR FIR_Name {FIR/UIR | FIR | CTA } TEST TEST TEST TEST
{met | ack }
TEST VA SIGMET PLEASE DISREGARD
TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST =
where :
CODE in blue: key word (example: SIGMET)
CODE in green: variable (example: CCCC_FIC=‘LFFF’, ‘EBBU’ …)
{A|B} A OR B
AA zone code (see WMO publication N°386)
ii example: 31 (see WMO publication N°386)
CCCC location indicator of the centre producing the bulletin
YYGGgg Date time Group of the MWO heading ( ex: 270616 meaning
the 27th day of the month at 06h 16mn UTC)
CCCC_FIC ICAO location indicator of the ATS unit serving the FIR or CTA
nnn Sequence number
J1J1H1H1M1M1/J2J2H2H2M2M2 Day-time groups indicating the period of validity in UTC
CCCC_MWO Location indicator of MWO originating the message
CCCC_FIR Location indicator and name of the FIR/CTA
FIR_Name Location indicator and name of the FIR/CTA
MET or ack See hereafter
a) If a MET content is required
MET should be replaced by the met content by the MWO
b) If no MET content is required
ack should be replaced by:
“ACK RECEP TEST VAA FROM VAAC VAAC_Name
VOLCANO Volcano_Name_N° AREA State_Region
INFO SOURCE free_text1
DTG YYYYMMDD/HHmmZ RECEIVED AT day_hour “
VAAC_Name: Name of the VAAC as described in the received VAA
Volcano_Name_N°: Name & N° of the Volcano as described in the received
VAA
YYYYMMDD/HHmmZ: Year, month, day and hour of the VAA redaction, as
described in the received VAA
day_hour: Day and hour of reception of the VAA by the MWO
Examples:
If an ACK and no MET content is required :
WVEG31 HECA 080200
HECC SIGMET 1 VALID 080400/081000 HECA-
HECC CAIRO FIR TEST TEST TEST
ACK RECEP TEST VAA FROM VAAC TOULOUSE
VOLCANO UNKNOWN AREA ICAO MID REGION
INFO SOURCE TEST VOLCMID
DTG 20071127/0615Z RECEIVED AT 20071127-0621Z
TEST VA SIGMET PLEASE DISREGARD
1.1.1 TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST=
If a MET content is required
WVEG31 HECA 161008
HECC SIGMET 1 VALID 162000/170200 HECA-
HECC CAIRO FIR TEST TEST TEST
VA ERUPTION MT JEBEL ZUBAIR LOC N1503 E04211
VA CLD FCST SFC/FL250 APRX 60 BY 60 KM N OF N30 MOV S 50 KT INTSF
FCST 170200Z VA CLD FCST SFC/FL250 APRX 90 BY 90 KM N OF n26
TEST VA SIGMET PLEASE DISREGARD
1.1.2 TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST TEST=
— END —
[1] At the appendix to this paper