Notam Help

[WorkingHard]

Already posted this on ATC but need a quick answer so please forgive the repetition. Can any one tell me what this is all about please?
"Ref: B2023/04
FIR: EGTT
Code: SELT
Traffic: VFR IFR
Purpose: PIB entry
Scope: Enroute
Lower limit (FL): 000
Upper limit (FL): 095
Centre and radius (nm): 5309N00031W030
Parent ICAO: EGTT
Start date/time: 01/11/2004 00:01 UTC
End date/time: 26/03/2005 23:59 UTC
Activity period: MON-THU 0645-2359, FRI 0645-1800, SAT-SUN 0800-1730


Lower height limit: 000
Upper height limit: 095

WADDINGTON LARS HR OF OPS.


Thanks

[EGBKFLYER]

Looks like one that's been around for a little while. Waddington Lower Airspace Radar Service has obviously changed its hours of operation for some reason (they were H24) and it's either temporary or hasn't been updated in the AIP yet. Any changes like this will be published on a NOTAM. All the rest just refers to the area that Waddington covers or was selected when you entered your requirements on the AIS site.

[WorkingHard]

Thanks. It just seemed too simple and that I was possibly missing something. My excuse is that it late and I really should not be doing flight planning at this time of day. However an early start has been specified so!

[Mike Cross]

That one didn't come from the AIS site.

It's not in the format that AIS use, nor is it in the ICAO format. Looks like it's been formatted by some other software.

The codes SELT breaks down as
SE - Flight Information Service
LT - Limited To

Mike

[ShyTorque]

One recent thing I've noticed is a that a number of UK NOTAMS involving airfields, as published on the AIS website now only give an ICAO code and not the common name.

This slows down the flight planning process. If one doesn't recognise the ICAO one then has to go elsewhere to check which airfield it refers to.

Jolly irritating - some of us don't get much time to read and inwardly digest the NOTAMS (reams of 'em recently, especially since every man and his dog now seems to have a kite or a bird of prey, or a fireworks display, or all three).

[Mike Cross]

Normally if you get aerodrome NOTAM in your brief it is because the a/d has been included as your departure, arrival, or one of your alternates, in which case they do give the common name as well as the ICAO.

You wouldn't normally get an aerodrome NOTAM as part of the en-route info. If you haven't included the AD it is assumed you won't be entering the ATZ.

Occasionally you will get Nav Warnings concerning activity which extends beyond the ATZ. These are in the main originated by the Airspace Utilisation Section of the CAA.

From the FAQ on the AIS site:-
Navigation Warnings: Who Do I Contact If I need more information or have a Complaint?
The CAA Airspace Utilisation Section (AUS) is responsible for the content of Navigation Warning NOTAM.
The contact details are as follows:
Telephone: 020 7453 6599, 6591, 6589,6590,6588: ask for the Assessor
Fax: 020 7453 6593.
E-mail: [email protected]

If you don't ask you don't get;)

[ShyTorque]

The first NOTAM right now on the EGTT VFR brief:


EGSJ
AGA : FROM 04/11/03 14:44 TO PERM L3266/04
E)REF UK AIP EGSJ AD 2.3 LICENSED HOURS.
AMEND AD/ATS/ATZ TO READ:
WINTER 0900-SS SUMMER 0800-SS SATURDAYS ONLY.
NOTE: AD OPERATES OUTSIDE OF NOTIFIED
LICENSED HOURS


See what I mean? ;)

P.S. Have asked nicely on the link you gave, thanks for that.. :ok:

[Mike Cross]

Odd - no idea why it's appearing in the FIR section.

I'll see if I can get an answer for you.
My previous comments related to the Narrow Route Brief rather than the VFR area brief, you will find the names are given on the NRB.

Mike

[IO540]

Does this mean that, for example, an air show which is local to an aerodrome, would not show up on a "narrow route briefing"?

If so, what would be the limitations of such an airshow? Would it have to be confined to the ATZ, i.e. below 2000ft agl, and within the ATZ radius?

[TD&H]

Hello Mike Cross

You responded to one of my questions about using the AIS website by saying there was a good guide to using the website in Flyer earlier this year, Unfortunately I've not been able to find a copy, not even by sending the Mag an email request.

So how about putting that information in the public domain, perhaps by asking for the AIS to give space for your briefing notes on their website?

It seems that agin we have a case of some info not showing up because not quite the right request was entered on the site?

Cheers H

[Mike Cross]

Answers as promised:-

The original one appears as en-route because it covers the LARS service rather than just the aerodrome.

The one Shy Torque quotes appears in the En Route section because its scope is AE. Under ICAO each NOTAM can have one or more of the following scopes:-
A - Aerodrome
E - En-route
W - Nav Warning

More info on the make-up of a NOTAM here. (http://www.telecall.uk.com/ais/More_NOTAM.htm).

In theory ICAO requires one NOTAM per item, which can produce a daft result. One NOTAM to say the a/d is closed, another to say the runway lighting is not available, another to say the threshold lighting is not available, etc. etc.

In practice they combine them so this one tells you:-
1. The licensed hours of the AD are different to what the AIP says
2. The ATZ hours are different to what the AIP says
3. The ATS hours of operation are different to what the AIP says.
Three different items all in one NOTAM.

So why is it in the en-route section as well as in the aerodrome brief?

Because it frees up the airspace outside the ATZ hours, making it uncontrolled. Therefore it's given the scope AE (Aerodrome and En-route) so that it appears in both briefs and anyone passing nearby can see that they are clear to transit the ATZ out of hours.

TD&H
The documentation on the AIS website (FAQ and PIB Help) is good and accurate. In addition AIC 90/2004 (White 105) is useful.

The Flyer article is not really suitable for putting on the site because the printed page with graphics does not readily translate on to a screen, the screen resolution being far inferior. I'll see if I can find my copy and point you at the right issue.

I gather there is some thought being given to producing an HTML guide but bear in mind that this activity is funded by NATS out of aerodrome and en-route charges which we, in the main, do not pay.

I'm indebted to Barry Davidson, Quality Manager at UK AIS for providing me with the info I needed to answer this.:ok:

[IO540]

What about:

Does this mean that, for example, an air show which is local to an aerodrome, would not show up on a "narrow route briefing"?

If so, what would be the limitations of such an airshow? Would it have to be confined to the ATZ, i.e. below 2000ft agl, and within the ATZ radius?

[Mike Cross]

IO540

Whether or not the activity appears in your Narrow Route Brief depends on the scope allocated to it by the author of the NOTAM (Aerodrome, En-Route or Nav Warning or a combination thereof).

If the scope contains A (Aerodrome) it will appear in your brief if the aerodrome concerned is your departure, arrival or one of your alternate aerodromes.

If the scope contains E (En Route) it will appear in your brief if its radius of influence and height band affected cause it to cut your Narrow Route.

If the Scope contains W (Nav Warning) it will appear in your brief if its radius of influence and height band affected cause it to cut your Narrow Route AND you have selected "General + Misc" (the default) in the "Purpose" box. If you have altered it to "General" then the fact that the scope contains W will not cause it to be included. (Under ICAO Nav Warnings are Miscellaneous and so are excluded if you choose this option)

The scope that should be applied to a NOTAM is covered by Eurocontrol's OPADD (Operational Procedures for AIS Dynamic Data) which complement ICAO requirements.

Generally speaking you should not expect activity that takes place entirely within the ATZ to be given a scope other than A (although it might). Stuff that extends beyond the ATZ would normally include a scope of E or W. Anything given W is informational rather than mandatory. The Red Arrows are generally given a TRA which would be scoped E, while something like a BBMF fly-past that does not involve any airspace closure would be scoped W. Hope this helps.

In essence the advice is to trust the author of the NOTAM to scope it properly.

[IO540]

Thank you very much for the clarification Mike.

Basically it means that the narrow route briefing, plus not flying through the ATZ of another airfield, appears to be all that is needed.

This is very important for longer flights, where expanding the briefing beyond the NRB generates a vast amount of data. People moan about how much the NRB generates but I don't find it a problem.

[Mike Cross]

You're welcome.

Another couple of tips for longer flights:-

You get Surface to 4000 ft above your chosen FL for climb and descent legs on the NRB but only 4000 ft above and below your chosen FL for en-route legs (those that don't include your departure or arrival a/ds). Judicious introduction of waypoints and chosen FL can therefore filter out low-level stuff if you want it to.

Secondly, if you are crossing an FIR in which you have no waypoints or ADs you won't get NOTAM for that portion of your route within the FIR in question unless you put the ICAO for the FIR in the "Additional Crossed FIR's" box.

For example if your route included SFD DCT EBCI (Seaford to Chareleroi) you would be crossing the Paris FIR but you wouldn't get the notam for that FIR unless you put LFFF in the additional crossed FIR box. You would get EBBU (Brussels FIR) because the software recognises that EBCI is within EBBU.

Mike