UK NOTAM's on Google Earth

[kevkdg]

http://tinyurl.com/uk-notams

This webpage allows you to see UK NOTAMs visually laid over Google Maps. A side panel allows you to filter out particular types of NOTAM. Notams are displayed as red areas on the map. Clicking a red zone will bring up details of that particular NOTAM, and if there is more than one notam nearby, the dialogue pop up box states 1 of x nearby(click next to advance)...it's as simple as that!

Give it a try.

"48-hour data for Warning and Restriction NOTAMs for the EGTT and EGPX FIRs is extracted at 15 minute intervals from the AIS website and formatted as a KML document suitable for viewing in Google Maps. NOTAMs with a radius of greater than 300nm are shown in outline for clarity."

There is also a link for a dedicated Google Map presentation in the HELP menu on the left hand side.

[david viewing]

Works superbly on iPad except that you can't click on the areas! Any ideas?
Doesn't show the sidebar either. An excellent and sorely needed idea - Thanks.

[BackPacker]

Nice. But you've got to be careful using and interpreting it.

NOTAMS, in addition to the plain text, have a series of Q-lines and one of those lines defines the position where the NOTAM is centered, and a radius.

That's fine if the NOTAM is actually about a more-or-less circular area, but if the NOTAM is a whole-FIR NOTAM, or about an area with a complex shape, the only way the writer can (and has to) write the Q-line is by creating a bounding circle: A circle that encloses the whole area.

Furthermore, it's very easy for the writer of the NOTAM to get the coordinates/radius wrong, since there's not a lot of checking done on this sort of thing. NOTAMs have been known to have a wrongly encoded bounding circle, so that parts, or even all of the NOTAM lies outside the bounding box. And sometimes the radius is set ridiculously large.

As a result, depicting NOTAMs graphically is very, very tricky. It's been discussed in the past here a few times already and so far nobody has come up with a really good solution. Everyone agrees that we really have to wait for XNOTAM, which is (apparently) XML based and can properly encode complex shapes in a formalized manner.

As an example, looking at that map today, there is this notam:

H0523/11* - Dumfries and Galloway

Start : 2011-03-08 11:30:00
End : 2011-03-08 23:30:00
FIR : EGXX
Lower : 0
Upper : 350
Location : Dumfries and Galloway(55.383,-4.0) - Radius 426nm

Code : QWELW Exercises - Will take place
Traffic : IV

E) MET RESEARCH CALLSIGN METMAN (1 BAE 146) ACFT OPR WI AREAS ALPHA
AND CHARLIE (SEE AIP SUP 045/2010). ACFT MAY NOT BE ABLE TO FLY
QUADRANTAL FL. ACTIVITY MAINLY UNDER LONDON ACC (MIL) ATS. LIGHT WT
SONDES WILL BE DROPPED. ALL OPS SUBJ PRIOR ATC CLR. FOR ACFT RTE SEE
Welcome to FAAM (http://WWW.FAAM.AC.UK) (UNDER SECTION ROUTE PLAN TOP R HAND SIDE ON HOME
PAGE). RTE AVBL FM 1600HR 7 MAR 11. 11-03-0192/AS 2.

The Q-line for the position is encoded here so that it is centered on Dumfries and Galloway in Scotland, with a radius of 426 nm. And that suggests that this NOTAM is applicable in a circular area ranging from Normandy, via Brussels, the East of the Netherlands, the western tip of Denmark, a portion of Norway to the Faroe Islands, and incorporating the whole of Ireland plus quite a bit of the Atlantic. Really?

So be very careful about using any graphical application that claims to depict NOTAMs. It's too easy to miss NOTAMs because the Q-line for position is encoded wrong.

Having said that, using NOTAMs as an overlay to Google Earth makes a lot of sense. And this one is nicely done. Shame it only applies to UK NOTAMs.

[eharding]

I'm the author.

I tend to regard the KML presentation as a legacy app, and if your browser has decent JavaScript performance to use the custom map here (http://metutil.appspot.com/static/maps/48HourWarningRestrictionMap.htm).

As noted in the help section, the KML rendering is at the mercy of the performance of Google's servers, and of late the performance has been variable (including response to selection events in the tree view) - I've left it running to support older browsers.

I'm planning some tweaks to the custom map to make it more iPad amenable. To get rid of the warning dialog add ?nosplash=y at the end of the URL.

If you want a map plotted directly from your briefing on the AIS website, a Google Chrome Extension is available (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/foncpdbdcabckbbkiklmilnaomcniphb)

[BackPacker]

eharding, my compliments. Despite the limitations of the NOTAM format, well done anyway.

I noticed that some NOTAMs, the one about danger areas being active, do depict proper airspace boundaries. Did you do something really clever here, or just hard-coded the boundaries of the well-known danger areas into the code?

[eharding]

Furthermore, it's very easy for the writer of the NOTAM to get the coordinates/radius wrong, since there's not a lot of checking done on this sort of thing. NOTAMs have been known to have a wrongly encoded bounding circle, so that parts, or even all of the NOTAM lies outside the bounding box. And sometimes the radius is set ridiculously large.


The Google App Engine backend to the maps scans the E-Line for co-ordinates and compares it the the formal extent in the Q-Line, and if there is a disparity emails various relevant folk reporting the issue. Invariably they are fixed before most people see them. The report generates a Google Map showing the mismatch - for example (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&t=p&q=http://metutil-test.appspot.com/NotamData%3Ftype%3DKML%26pointmarks%3Dy%26ids%3DEGTT-C0190/11)

[BackPacker]

Actually that is really clever. And a benefit to us all, even if we use another method of obtaining NOTAMs. Well done!:ok:

[eharding]

eharding, my compliments. Despite the limitations of the NOTAM format, well done anyway.

I noticed that some NOTAMs, the one about danger areas being active, do depict proper airspace boundaries. Did you do something really clever here, or just hard-coded the boundaries of the well-known danger areas into the code?

I transcribed the relevant section of the AIP to derive the Danger Area boundaries. At some stage, there will also be a set of Google Map overlay tiles showing general airspace features at various zoom levels.

Regarding other FIRs, I've added the following:

France (http://metutil-dev.appspot.com/static/maps/NotamMap_LFXX_2DAY_WR.htm)

Germany (http://metutil-dev.appspot.com/static/maps/NotamMap_EDXX_2DAY_WR.htm)

Italy (http://metutil-dev.appspot.com/static/maps/NotamMap_LIXX_2DAY_WR.htm) (a fiver says those Global Hawk routes are probably going South rather than West)

and, refreshingly NOTAM-free...

Ireland (http://metutil-dev.appspot.com/static/maps/NotamMap_EISN_2DAY_WR.htm)

The caveat is that the data for *all* of the FIRs is derived from the UK AIS NOTAM portal, rather than from sources in each nation (although it all comes from Eurocontrol).

You do need a browser with some Javascript oomph for some of those though. You'll note from the URLs that those are sitting on the development server at the moment, will get moved across to the main site as appropriate (i.e. when I'm sure the extra processing required doesn't kick the load above the free App Engine limit and Google starts debiting my credit card...)

[kevkdg]

cheers eharding,

I stumbled upon this via a link from AV8 on line magazine. But it does not seem well publicised, hence my post.

They say in their downloads section on the AV8 website that they wanted to thank the author as well, but could not trace them.:)

[dublinpilot]

eharding has clearly put a lot of work into all these, for our benefit.

He has looked for no payment for any of this, yet it is extremely useful.

I would like to suggest that any of us who use them regularly, should make a charitable donation on his behalf, as a small way of saying thanks.

I don't know if he would like to nominate a charity (maybe he would if enough of people ask ;) ), but I do know that he's a supporter of the RNLI The RNLI is the charity that saves lives at sea (http://www.rnli.org.uk)

[eharding]

Cheers DublinPilot (and thanks for your generosity :ok:) - I'm just slightly concerned not having read the Pprune small print regarding the management's position on nominating charitable causes in forum postings (I'm a member of another generally easy-going forum which has a blanket policy of donking any post soliciting for charity, regardless of the cause). I am indeed keen on the RNLI, but I'll admit a degree of self-interest in that they may end up hauling my soggy self out of the briney one day!

[BackPacker]

rather than from sources in each nation (although it all comes from Eurocontrol).

Have you ever tried to get an account and talk to the Eurocontrol servers direct? Apparently they've got an XML-based API that allows you to query their NOTAM servers direct and in real-time. That API is of course specifically created for applications such as this.

I just tried to search the EAD website for the reference, but all I got, ironically, was this:

The European AIS Database (EAD): Tomorrow’s AIS Provision Today
[an error occurred while processing this directive]


I remember that Alexandra (from Orbifly Met'Map fame) has done some work on this as well, but I don't really remember if she actually succeeded. They try to depict NOTAMs on a map too, although it looks like they simply ignored the coded position line and tied NOTAMs either to the FIR, or to a specific airport. They also don't limit the NOTAMs to 48 hours in advance.

MET'MAP - ORBIFLY FLIGHT SCHOOL - IFR ET CPL AMERICAIN EN EUROPE - FAA IFR AND CPL IN EUROPE (http://www.orbifly.com/member/metmap.php?region_choose=EUR&mode=notams&icao_choose=EHRD&lang=ENG)

[eharding]

Have you ever tried to get an account and talk to the Eurocontrol servers direct? Apparently they've got an XML-based API that allows you to query their NOTAM servers direct and in real-time. That API is of course specifically created for applications such as this.

I just tried to search the EAD website for the reference, but all I got, ironically, was this:



I remember that Alexandra (from Orbifly Met'Map fame) has done some work on this as well, but I don't really remember if she actually succeeded. They try to depict NOTAMs on a map too, although it looks like they simply ignored the coded position line and tied NOTAMs either to the FIR, or to a specific airport. They also don't limit the NOTAMs to 48 hours in advance.

MET'MAP - ORBIFLY FLIGHT SCHOOL - IFR ET CPL AMERICAIN EN EUROPE - FAA IFR AND CPL IN EUROPE (http://www.orbifly.com/member/metmap.php?region_choose=EUR&mode=notams&icao_choose=EHRD&lang=ENG)

I did open a dialogue with the Eurocontrol people, but I got bounced around between several points of contact, and I got the distinct impression they weren't interested unless I was prepared to part with large quantities of cash, regardless of the fact these aren't commercial applications.

The UK EGTT and EGPX data is refreshed at 15 minute intervals, the others are hourly. When Google first made AppEngine available, there were various performance issues which meant that grabbing a 48-hour window was about the limit - that, and the whole idea of this being a quick overview of the things you *really* need to know about today - in a manageable form (particularly on the iPhone/Android - and Kindle - Web Apps) meant I kept the 48-hour format, although the AppEngine performance limits have largely been lifted. (Today, typically, someone seems to have given the hamsters in the AppEngine servers a nasty case of food poisoning, but that is an increasingly rare occurrence). Hopefully, the Google Chrome extension for the AIS website covers the general case.

[fisbangwollop]

Just out of interest that Met Research Flight quoted earlier does indeed cover a huge area as specified...
http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/current/sup/EG_SUP_2010_45_en.pdf

[trex600]

Eharding, fair play. Looks easier than the narrow route option using Ais etc.
Is this a demo of what we can expect in the future or can we rely on this weblink for flight purposes

[Lister Noble]

Thank you for a really simple,easy to use Notam site and I fully accept it is our own duty to verify all the info.
Lister:)

[eharding]

At the end of the day, the only proof you have - should you need it - that you've checked relevant NOTAMs is by having either a record of an AIS website briefing logged against your AIS user ID, or by a caller ID record from your phone to the AIS info line - hence the reason for the Google Chrome mapping extension for the AIS website.

However, once I started publishing these apps it became quite clear from the feedback that there are whole swathes of airspace users who have only the vaguest concept of what a NOTAM is, and who never in a month of Sundays have gone through the process of registering at the AIS website - I'm not saying it's an acceptable situation, but that's how it is. Hopefully presenting the a distilled summary of the most pressing items in an easily accessed form goes some way to raising awareness in those communities at least. I also check the data even if I'm not flying - you'd be amazed the number of times I've pointed out tempo airspace in the vicinity to folk about the launch into the blue yonder for a local bimble.

I have no idea what NATS or Eurocontrol have in the pipeline regarding future means of NOTAM presentation once the AIXM structured feeds come online. In the meantime I'll just keep tweaking these independent efforts.

I have a plan to add to the AIS website Chrome extension a map pane at the Narrow Route Brief search criteria entry phase, which will populate the waypoint form elements from a route drawn on the map, with lookups for ICAO airfield and navaid identifiers as well as the airway waypoint identifiers, as a mirror of the current support which should unpickle a Narrow Route specification from the generated PIB and plot it on the map - which might come in handy.

[stiknruda]

Jeez, Ed - I just thought that you were an official pie-taster!

Next time we see each other, maybe you could show a boring old fart how it would work on my phone!

Stik

[eharding]

Jeez, Ed - I just thought that you were an official pie-taster!

Next time we see each other, maybe you could show a boring old fart how it would work on my phone!

Stik

If you have a piePhone or an Android handset (not the same since they stopped naming releases after food!) then point the browser at http://i-notam.appspot.com/uk48wr (desktop browsers get redirected to the help page). On the iPhone, saving the URL as a bookmark on the home screen will add an app icon and allow the app to run in full-screen mode (as designed). Follow the blue links on the main page to navigate. There is a help / settings page where you can filter out all those sky lantern launches and so forth if you want. I've fertled with the CSS and added some keyboard accelerators to make it useable on the current Amazon Kindle browser, but the map styles need tweaking for the monochrome screen.

I will now return my attention to some pies.....

[maxbear]

Just a quick one please, I have done as you said regarding the iphone but when the screen opens and the notamed areas are shown when I touch them no information on the area comes in my case.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks,
Max.

[eharding]

Hmm - what model iPhone / version of iOS do you have?

The opening page of the app should look like this:

http://metutil.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/img_00404.png?w=200&h=300

..touching the 'NOTAM Index' link should get you to a top-level index like this..

http://metutil.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/img_00414.png?w=200&h=300

..through which you can navigate to the individual items.