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NORWAY Civil Aviation Authority - Norway - P.O. Box 243 NO-8001 BODØ |
AIC-I 05/11 23 MAY |
Volcanic Ash
This AIC replaces AIC-N 10/10 (20 April 2010)
1. Introduction
1.1 1.1 The purpose of this AIC-I is to provide operators, owners and maintenance organisations with new guidance on aircraft operations when volcanic ash may be present. This AIC is made in correspondence with ” Forskrift om prosedyrer ved operasjoner av luftfartøy i luftrom med potensiell forekomst av vulkansk aske(askeforskriften) ” Fastsatt av Luftfartstilsynet 23.mai 2011. The Appendix to this regulation is ICAO`s Draft Guidance Material “ management of flight operations with known or forecast volcanic cloud contamination, draft version 4.0”.
1.2 The operator is responsible for the safety of its operations.
In order to decide whether or not to operate into, or avoid, airspace or aerodromes which may be contaminated by volcanic ash or volcanic clouds, the operator should have in place either a standalone Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) or an identifiable Safety Risk Assessment (SRA) within its Safety Management System (SMS).
Guidance on the production of an SRA is provided in the ICAO Guidance Material
“ Management of flight operations with known or forecast volcanic cloud contamination ”.
In correspondence with the ICAO Guidance Material the Operator is responsible to obtain information from the Original Equipment Manufactures OEM`s regarding the aircraft tolerability for continues operations in area contaminated with volcanic clouds or ash.
1.3 Note that the information below concerning promulgation of volcanic ash information, the establishment of Temporary Danger Areas (TDA`s) and Air Traffic Control procedures applies to the airspace for which Norway is responsible for the provision of air navigation services.
1.4 The operator shall have its SRA accepted by CAA Norway before initiating operations into or avoiding airspace or aerodromes, which may be contaminated by volcanic clouds or ash.
1.5 Operators which have its SRA accepted by its National Aviation Authority and ask for permission to operate in TDA`s the Air Traffic Services will give air traffic services as normal. This also applies to Norwegian operators with SRA accepted by CAA Norway when operating in airspace controlled by other Air Traffic Services.
2. Terminology
The following definitions of contamination correspond to National Regulation 23 may 2011 regarding operation of aircraft in airspace contaminated with volcanic ash.
- Area of Low Contamination: Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations equal to or less than 2 x 10-3 g/m3. (Cyan)
- Area of Medium Contamination: Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations greater than2 x 10-3 g/m3, but less than 4 x 10-3 g/m3. (Grey)
- Area of High Contamination: Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations equal to or greater than 4 x 10-3 g/m3, or areas of contaminated airspace where no ash concentration guidance is available. (Red)
3. Information
3.1 Areas of ash contamination will be displayed on the Volcanic Ash Concentration chart available from the VAAC London. http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/aviation/vaac/vaacuk_vag.html
3.2 Avinor will issue NOTAM`s specifying airspace predicted to contain medium and high contaminations of volcanic ash. Areas of High Contamination will be promulgated as Volcanic Ash Temporary Danger Areas (TDA`s). Avinor will issue ATC clearance to avoid areas of high contamination as published in NOTAM, but the pilot in command may request clearance to penetrate the area based on Operators SRA accepted in accordance with this AIC.
3.3 Avinor will issue NOTAM to determine Areas of Medium Contamination.
Operations in medium contamination airspace shall be based on SRA accepted by National Aviation Authority.
3.4 NOTAM may not be consistent with the VAAC London chart and prognoses provided on the UK Met Office Volcanic Ash Concentration Charts. The most likely potential for inconsistencies are:
a) Smoothing of the contamination area for ease of interpretation in the NOTAM.
b) Observational evidence received since the forecast has been issued and prior to any revised or updated forecast being issued. This may include: old ash that has dispersed more quickly than expected by the model; small areas of high contamination, which may be considered unrealistic; and detached areas of ash from a main plume that are incorrectly modelled.
It should also be noted that on occasions it may be necessary to amend the NOTAM that is in force when updated observations or reports are received.
4. Airworthiness
The aircraft Type Certificate Holder’s (TCH) advice shall be sought prior to any operation in airspace or to and from aerodromes contaminated with volcanic ash. These procedures have to be approved by CAA Norway, reference to “Forskrift om prosedyrer ved operasjoner av luftfartøy i luftrom med potensiell forekomst av vulkansk aske(askeforskriften)” Fastsatt av Luftfartstilsynet 23.mai 2011.
5. Encountering Volcanic Ash
5.1 Airborne weather radar systems are not designed to detect volcanic ash clouds and extra precautions should be taken during flight, particularly during hours of darkness and in Instrument Meteorological Conditions when volcanic ash may be present in the atmosphere. The following are signs that volcanic ash may be present during flight:
- Smoke or dust in the cockpit.
- An acrid or sulphurous odour.
- St Elmo’s Fire and static discharges around the windshield.
- A bright white or orange glow in the engine inlets.
- Sharp, distinct beams from the landing lights.
Any encounter with volcanic ash should be reported to Air Traffic Control (ATC) immediately and the procedures provided in the Operations Manual should be followed. General advice is to execute a 180-degree turn to leave the ash cloud. If possible, the engine thrust should be reduced to flight idle to minimise the build-up of ash in the engines. The report to ATC should as a minimum contain information related to
- Call sign
- Position
- Time
- Flight Level
- Position, bearing
- Time of exposure
- Wind
5.2 A precautionary landing should be made at the nearest suitable airport if it is suspected that the engines have been adversely affected or there is aircraft damage.
6. Reporting
6.1 The Air Traffic Service unit (ATS unit) receiving information from airmen either en-route or after landing related to volcanic ash encounters shall log these reports and make the log available to the CAA Norway on request.
6.2 Any volcanic ash occurrences should be reported through the CAA’s Mandatory Occurrence Reporting Scheme. Use this link to connect to NF-2007.
7. Responsibility of Meteorological Service Provider
7.1 Meteorological Watch Office or Meteorological Office receiving information regarding Volcanic Ash or Ash-clouds shall without delay publish this information and issue SIGMET according to established procedures.
8. Further information
Due to the urgency of the situation this AIC will be issued in English only.
Further information is available from the following sources:
Network Operation Portal (NOP) on http://www.cfmu.eurocontrol.int/PUBPORTAL/gateway/spec/index.html
Airbus Flight Operations Briefing Note – “Volcanic Ash Awareness”