1.

1 Definitions
When the following terms are used in the Standards and Recommended Practices for
aeronautical information services, they have the following meanings:

Aeronautical Information Service: A service established within the defined area of coverage
responsible for the provision of aeronautical information/data necessary for the safety, regularity
and efficiency of air navigation.

Aeronautical data: A representation of aeronautical facts, concepts or instructions in a

formalized manner suitable for communication, interpretation or processing.

Aeronautical information: Information resulting from the assembly, analysis and formatting of
aeronautical data.

Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC): A notice containing information that does not qualify
for the origination of a NOTAM or for inclusion in the AIP, but which relates to flight safety, air
navigation, technical, administrative or legislative matters.

Aeronautical information service (AIS): A service established within the defined area of
coverage responsible for the provision of aeronautical information/data necessary for the safety,
regularity and efficiency of air navigation.

Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP): A publication issued by or with the authority of a

State and containing aeronautical information of a lasting character essential to air navigation.

AIP Amendment: Permanent changes to the information contained in the AIP.

AIP Supplement: Temporary changes to the information contained in the AIP which are
published by means of special pages.

AIRAC: An acronym (aeronautical information regulation and control) signifying a system aimed
at advance notification based on common effective dates, of circumstances that necessitate
significant changes in operating practices.

AIS product: Aeronautical information provided in the form of the elements of the Integrated
Aeronautical Information Package (except NOTAM and PIB), including aeronautical charts, or in
the form of suitable electronic media.

Danger area: An airspace of defined dimensions within which activities dangerous to the flight of
aircraft may exist at specified times.

Database: One or more files of data so structured that appropriate applications may draw from
the files and update them.

Data quality: A degree or level of confidence that the data provided meets the requirements of
the data user in terms of accuracy, resolution and integrity.

Human Factors principles: Principles which apply to aeronautical design, certification, training,
operations and maintenance and which seek safe interface between the human and other system
components by proper consideration to human performance.

Integrated Aeronautical Information Package: A package which consists of the following

elements:

• AIP, including amendment service;

• Supplements to the AIP;
• NOTAM and PIB;
• AIC; and
• Checklists and lists of valid NOTAM.
Integrity (aeronautical data): A degree of assurance that an aeronautical data and its value has
not been lost or altered since the data origination or authorized amendment.

International airport: Any airport designated by the Contracting State in whose territory it is
situated as an airport of entry and departure for international air traffic, where the formalities
incident to customs, immigration, public health, animal and plant quarantine and similar
procedures are carried out.

International NOTAM office (NOF): An office designated by a State for the exchange of NOTAM
internationally. Logon address.

NOTAM: A notice distributed by means of telecommunication containing information concerning

the establishment, condition or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard,
the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations.

Pre-flight information bulletin (PIB): A presentation of current NOTAM information of

operational significance, prepared prior to flight.

Prohibited area: An airspace of defined dimensions, above the land areas or territorial waters of
a State, within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited.

Restricted area: An airspace of defined dimensions, above the land areas or territorial waters of
a state, within which the flight of aircraft is restricted in accordance with certain specified
conditions.
 1.2 Introduction
1.2-1 Annex 15 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation specifies that each Contracting
State shall provide an “Aeronautical information service”. An aeronautical information service (AIS) is
required to collect and distribute information needed to ensure the safety, regularity and efficiency of air
navigation. Such information, which includes the availability of air navigation facilities and services and
the procedures associated with them, must be provided to flight operations personnel, as well as the air
traffic services unit responsible for flight information service and the services responsible for pre-flight
information.

1.2.2 Purpose of an Aeronautical Information Service (AIS)

1- Needs of the operator: The operator of any type of aircraft must have available a variety of
information concerning the air navigation facilities and services that may be expected to be used. For
example, the operator must know the regulations concerning entry into and transit of the airspace of
each state in which operations will be carried out, as well as what aerodromes, heliports, navigation
aids, meteorological services, communication services and air traffic services are available and the
procedures and regulations associated with them. The operator must also be informed, often on very
short notice, of any change affecting the operation of these facilities and services and must know of
any airspace restrictions or hazards likely to affect flights. While this information can nearly always be
provided before take-off, it must in some instances be provided during flight.

2- Responsibility of the pilot-in-command: The responsibility of the pilot-in-command to become

familiar with all available information appropriate to the intended operation.

3- Responsibility of AIS: Annex 15 specifies that each Contracting State must provide an AIS for the
collection and distribution of aeronautical information for use by all types of aircraft operations. This is
the basic responsibility. A State could also:

a) make arrangements with one or more Contracting States for the provision of a joint AIS; or

b) delegate the authority for the provision of aeronautical information services to a nongovernmental
agency, provided that the Standards and Recommenced Practices of Annex 15 are met.

4- The State concerned remains responsible for the aeronautical information published. When the
aeronautical information is published on behalf of a State it must be clearly indicated that it is published
under the authority of that State.

5- Each state is responsible for making available to civil aviation interests any and all information which
is pertinent to and required for the operation of aircraft engaged in international civil aviation within its
territory, as well as in areas outside its territory in which the state has air traffic control or other
responsibilities.

6- Although the convention and its Annexes are concerned primarily with international air operations, it
should be noted that national aviation has the same need for an AIS.

7- Need for uniformity: In accordance with Article 37 of the convention, Annex 15 is designed to
promote uniformity in the collection and distribution of aeronautical information, in the interest of safety,
efficiency and economy of civil aviation.

8- International exchange of aeronautical information: the exchange of similar information with AIS
of other states enables the provision of the pre-flight information service needed by international
operations which may traverse those STATES and information required by related air traffic service
units for aircraft in flight. It will be apparent that the amount and scope of the information handled by
AIS will vary considerably from state to state.

1.2.3 Information handled by AIS

Aeronautical information is handled differently depending on its urgency, operational
significance, scope, volume and the length of time it will remain valid and relevant to users.
Annex 15 specifies that aeronautical information be published as an Integrated Aeronautical
Information Package. It is composed of the following elements: the Aeronautical Information
Publication (AIP), including amendment service, AIP Supplements, NOTAM, pre-flight
information bulletins (PIB), Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC), checklists and lists of
valid NOTAM. Each element is used to distribute specific types of aeronautical information.

1.3 Provision of raw data

1.3.1 The State’s aviation authority must assign to its technical branches at
headquarters the responsibility of originating the raw data required by the aeronautical
information service (AIS) for promulgation in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP),
AIP Supplements, NOTAM, pre-flight information bulletins (PIB) and Aeronautical Information
Circulars (AIC). Therefore, the technical branches should ensure that they have speedy and
reliable lines of communication with the AIS. On receipt of the raw data, it is the responsibility
of the AIS to check, record and edit it in order to distribute it in a standard format. Raw data
includes both basic and temporary information and should be submitted to the AIS on the
aeronautical information promulgation advice form.

1.3.2 Ideally the aim is for the AIS to be in possession of all information, regularly
amended, that is required or likely to be required by national operators flying from the State
and international operators flying through the State, with due allowance for occasional flights
by charter operators.

1.4 Nature of information

1.4.1 Basic information usually covers the more permanent or static material destined
for inclusion in the AIP and, as such, should preferably be authorized by the policy branches
at headquarters level in order to ensure uniform format and compliance with present or future
policy. All basic information should be supplied well in advance to the AIS to permit enough
time for processing and distribution, thus affording reasonable advance notice to operators.

1.4.2 Information of a temporary nature or of short duration may also be originated by

the technical branches or sections, for example, when temporary changes are made to basic
information, when special short-term procedures are introduced or for certain navigational
warnings.

1.4.3 Responsibility for origination of the majority of such information (which covers, for
example, work in progress at airports/heliports and radio installations, unserviceabilities, or
temporary withdrawal or reinstatement of operational facilities) should, however, be delegated
to the local authority, who must be given the facilities to communicate directly with the AIS in
order to ensure the fastest possible required action.

1.5 Ways of submitting of raw data to the AIS

1.5.1 The modes of communication required for submission of raw data to the AIS
should include:

a) Messenger service: in all cases where such a service exists and time permits (It is
necessary to have such data submitted in typescript on the aeronautical information
promulgation advice form as this provides an authoritative record.);

b) postal service: in all cases where a messenger service is not available;

c) Aeronautical fixed service: in all cases where the messenger or postal service would not
meet the time factor (This should be followed by a completed aeronautical information
promulgation advice form.);

d) telefax;

e) telephonic: in emergency cases only (This must be confirmed by a completed aeronautical

information promulgation advice form.);

f) computer network; and

g) Internet (electronic mail and web sites).

1.6 Organization of AIS

1.6.1 The most obvious user of aeronautical information is the pilot. Another category
of user represents those engaged in airline operational control, chart and document producing
agencies, and air traffic services. The AIS is thus technically oriented in the nature of the
service it provides.

1.6.2 In this connection it must be emphasized that:

a) the State is responsible for the aeronautical information provided by an AIS;
b) the role and the importance of aeronautical information changed significantly with the
implementation of area navigation (RNAV), required navigation performance (RNP) and
airborne computer-based navigation systems; and
c) Corrupt or erroneous aeronautical information can potentially affect the safety of air
navigation.

1.6.3 The AIS headquarters should maintain a record of AIP Amendments, AIP
Supplements and AIC and a record of requests for missing material originated through the AIS
headquarters. AIP Supplements and AIC should be recorded in a register to show, as
appropriate:
(a) State of origin;
(b) serial number and year;
(c) series (if any);
(d) date of receipt;
(e) addresses to which they have been forwarded; and
(f) date of dispatch.

1.6.4 After they have been so recorded, they should be filed by State in series and/or
sequence. Cancelled AIP Supplements and AIC should be crossed out in the register and
removed from the file. The register should carry the initials of the official authorized to make
the entry or deletion, together with the date on which such action was taken. Contrasting
colours may be used for entries and deletions. AIP Amendments should be recorded to show:
(a) State of origin;
(b) number and date;
(c) date of receipt;
(d) addresses to which they have been forwarded; and
(e) date of dispatch.
1.7 Integrated Aeronautical Information Package
1.7.1 The material to be provided by and exchanged between States is published as
an Integrated Aeronautical Information Package (i.e. Aeronautical Information Publication
(AIP), including amendment service, AIP Supplements, NOTAM, pre-flight information
bulletins (PIB), Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC), checklists and list of valid NOTAM).

1.7.2 Each element of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package for international
distribution must include English text for those parts expressed in plain language.

1.7.3 Elements of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package

A package which consists of the following elements:

ƒ AIP, including amendment service;

ƒ Supplements to the AIP;
ƒ NOTAM and PIB;
ƒ AIC; and
ƒ checklists and lists of valid NOTAM.
Elements of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package
 1.8 Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)
1.8.1 The AIP forms the basic element of the Integrated Aeronautical Information
Package. It contains aeronautical information of a permanent nature and temporary changes
to this information of long duration. It is the task of each AIS to provide a comprehensive
document, to maintain it up to date and to make it simple to use.

1.8.2 Some types of information handled by AIS are not subject to frequent change and
can best be provided in the form of a manual. This includes such information as the physical
characteristics of an aerodrome and the facilities associated with it, the types and location of
navigation aids along air routes, the air traffic management, communications and
meteorological services provided and the basic procedures associated with these facilities and
services. Chapter 3 of Annex 15 calls for the production of such a manual, known as an
Aeronautical Information Publication, as the basic element of the Integrated Aeronautical
Information Package. The types of information to be included in it are specified in Chapter 4
and Appendix 1 of Annex 15.

1.8.3 Taking into consideration the increased use of automation in AIS, the information
contained in the AIP was arranged in such a manner that automation could be used, both for
the production of the “paper” AIP as well as for creation of a database for retrieval of that
information. In addition, duplication of information was avoided. To the extent possible, the
AIP was also designed to facilitate its use in flight.

1.8.4 The AIP must contain concise, current information relating to, and arranged
under, the subject headings listed in Annex 15, Appendix 1. This facilitates both the locating of
information under a specific heading and the storage/retrieval of the information using
automated processing. If no facilities or services are provided or no information is available for
publication in respect of one of the categories of information specified in Annex 15, Appendix
1, an indication should be given as to which of these circumstances applies (e.g. “NIL” or “Not
AVBL”).

1.9 Content and format

1.9.1 The AIP must be self-contained and include a table of contents. It should be
published in loose-leaf form, unless the complete publication is re-issued at frequent intervals.

1.9.2 The AIP is divided into three parts :

PART 1 — GENERAL (GEN), consisting of five sections, contains information of an

administrative and explanatory nature which is not of such significance/ importance that
NOTAM need be issued;

PART 2 — EN-ROUTE (ENR), consisting of seven sections, contains information concerning

airspace and its use; and

PART 3 — AERODROMES (AD), consisting of four sections, contains information concerning

aerodromes/ heliports and their use.
 1.9.3 When AIP is produced and made available in more than one volume, each volume must
include a separate amendment and supplement service, and the following separate sections must be
included in each volume:

¾ Preface

¾ Record of AIP Amendments

¾ Record of AIP Supplements

¾ Checklist of AIP pages

¾ List of current hand amendments.

1.9.4 When the AIP is published as one volume, the above-mentioned subsections appear only
in Part 1 — GEN and the annotation “not applicable” must be entered against each of these
subsections in Parts 2 and 3.

1.9.5 When a small number of charts are to be included and chart size is not larger than 210 mm
× 297 mm or allows for folding to these dimensions, they should be contained in the AIP. If, on the
other hand, there are many charts and they are frequently amended, it may be convenient to place
them in a separate volume with a separate subscription service.

1.9.6 The issuing State and publishing authority must be clearly indicated on the cover. When
two or more States publish an AIP jointly, this must also be clearly indicated both on the cover and in
the table of contents.

1.9.7 Each AIP must be dated. In the case of AIP issued in loose-leaf form, each page must be
dated. The date, consisting of the day, month (by name) and year, must be the publication date or the
effective date (AIRAC) of the information.

1.10 Specimen AIP and explanatory notes

1.10.1 A Specimen AIP is provided at the end of DOC 8126 (blue pages). It contains an example
of AIP pages, tables and charts showing the format and the required structure, division and
classification. Explanatory notes associated with each part of the Specimen AIP, given in the appendix
to this chapter, provide guidance on the selection of information to be included and, where appropriate,
on its presentation.

1.10.2 The format and arrangement of an AIP should accord as fully as possible with that of the
Specimen AIP. Besides ensuring the desired uniformity in presentation, such a step would lighten the
workload of units handling large numbers of AIP and in general make it easier and speedier for users
to locate specific information.

1.10.3 Particular care needs to be taken to apply the referencing system shown in the Specimen
AIP in order to facilitate the introduction of electronic retrieval of AIP information.

1.10.4 The headings used in the Specimen AIP are guides to the arrangement and location of
information. When, however, an AIP or a volume of an AIP is designed specifically to facilitate
operational use in flight, the format and arrangement may be varied provided an adequate table of
contents is included.

1.11 Compiling and Editing

1.11.1 The need to use great care in compiling an AIP cannot be over-emphasized. First of all, the
information should be carefully checked to ensure its authenticity. Then, it should be edited and
presented in the simplest form possible, both to restrict the amount of material in the AIP to that
necessary to achieve its purpose and to enable those not thoroughly familiar with the language used to
understand and interpret the information. The AIP must not duplicate information within itself or from
other sources. When information is considered doubtful, a degree of reliability should be assigned to it
and clearly indicated.

1.11.2 The AIP must include English text for those parts expressed in plain language. The
necessity to use local languages is of course recognized. If publication in more than one language is
undertaken, it is usually more economical to produce a bilingual or multilingual edition rather than a
separate edition for each language. It assists in the interpretation of questionable text to have the
possibility of comparing two languages. This is particularly true where the producing State is non-
English speaking and the translation into English may not be perfect.

1.11.3 While the preparation of an AIP will generally conform to the practices established for most
loose-leaf publications, there are some practices peculiar to an aviation publication of this type that
should be taken into consideration:

a) print on both sides of the sheet;

b) do not use a sheet solely for the title page of a section — include any introductory material on the
same page;

c) use dividers sparingly, i.e. only where the parts of the AIP are composed of a significant number of
pages;

d) since most pages will be replaced fairly frequently, do not use fine quality paper;

e) since speed is more important than quality reproduction, do not use printing methods that will
sacrifice speed;

f) when tabulating data, anticipate the space required to accommodate additional material in future, so
that additions can be made without having to reprint/replace a series of pages;

g) choose a binder that is durable, easy to use at a desk and that allows replacement sheets to be
inserted without difficulty.

1.12 Presentation of Information

1.12.1 A system of page numbering adaptable to the addition or deletion of sheets should be
adopted. The page number should include :

¾ an identification of the part of the AIP;

¾ the section; and

¾ subsection, as applicable;

Thus creating a separate set of numbers for each subject (e.g. GEN 2.1-3, ENR 4.1-1 or AD 2.2-3).
This system has been used in the Specimen AIP and should be followed as fully as possible, with
numbering as indicated therein reserved for pages containing the associated information/tabulation.
Any gaps in page sequence would be accounted for by the checklist of pages which should appear at
page GEN 0.4-1 (or ENR 0.4-1 and AD 0.4-1 if the AIP is issued in three separate volumes). Maps and
charts should be paginated in the same manner as other material.

1.12.2 There are a number of practices common to the presentation of information which have
been omitted from the explanatory notes associated with each subject, i.e.:

a) ICAO abbreviations should be used wherever practicable since this will help reduce the amount of
printing and facilitate use of the document by those not familiar with the English language.

b) When listing locations, the city or town should be given in capital letters followed, where the facility is
an aerodrome/heliport or is located at an aerodrome/heliport, by an oblique stroke and the name of the
aerodrome/heliport in smaller capital letters or lower case type. Unless otherwise indicated, the list
should be in alphabetical order.
c) The spelling of place names must conform to local usage, transliterated where necessary into the
Latin alphabet.

d) In the indication of the geographical coordinates of a location:

• the latitude should be given first;

• symbols for degrees, minutes or seconds should be omitted;

• two digits should always be used in expressing values of less than 10 degrees of latitude; and

• three digits should always be used in expressing values of less than 100 degrees of longitude.

For example, 050735N 0652542W means five degrees, seven minutes and thirty-five seconds North,
sixty-five degrees, twenty-five minutes and forty-two seconds West. With effect from 1 January 1998,
the geographical coordinates indicating latitude and longitude must be expressed in terms of the World
Geodetic System — 1984 (WGS-84) geodetic reference datum.

e) Hours of operation of various facilities and services should be given in terms of coordinated
universal time (UTC) or by use of one of the following abbreviations:
HJ Sunrise to sunset
HN Sunset to sunrise
HO Service available to meet operational requirements
HS Service available during hours of scheduled operations
HX No specific working hours
H24 Continuous day and night service
f) When describing periods of activity, availability or operation, use of the term “weekday” should be
avoided and the day or days in question should be specified; where “weekend” is used, this should
always be qualified by specific dates/days and times to remove any possibility of doubt.
g) The units of measurement selected for use in the AIP, e.g. dimensions on aerodromes, distances,
elevations or altitudes, should be consistently followed and should adhere to Annex 5 ( Units of
Measurement to be Used in Air and Ground Operations ).
1.13 Charts to be included in the AIP
The following charts for aerodromes/heliports listed in Part 3 — Aerodromes (AD) — must, when
available, form part of the AIP unless distributed through a separate subscription service. When
included in the AIP, these charts should be in Part 3 — Aerodromes (AD), Section 2,Subsection 24 for
aerodromes, or Section 3, Subsection 23 for heliports, immediately following the tabulations for the
aerodrome or heliport concerned. The charts, as appropriate, should be included in the following
sequence:

¾ Aerodrome/Heliport Chart — ICAO

¾ Aircraft Parking/Docking Chart — ICAO

¾ Aerodrome Ground Movement Chart — ICAO

¾ Aerodrome Obstacle Chart — ICAO Type A (for each runway)

¾ Precision Approach Terrain Chart — ICAO (precision approach Cat II and III runways)

¾ Area Chart — ICAO (departure and transit routes)

 ¾ Radar Minimum Altitude Chart — ICAO

¾ Standard Departure Chart — Instrument (SID) — ICAO

¾ Area Chart — ICAO (arrival and transit routes)

¾ Standard Arrival Chart — Instrument (STAR) — ICAO

¾ Instrument Approach Chart — ICAO (for each runway and procedure type)
¾ Visual Approach Chart — ICAO

¾ Bird concentrations in the vicinity of the aerodrome.

1.14 AIP amendments

1.14.1 Permanent changes and additions to information contained in the AIP are issued as AIP
Amendments. Any information contained in NOTAM or AIP Supplements that renders necessary an
amendment to an AIP must be confirmed by a formal amendment or revision with a minimum of delay.
Each AIP Amendment must be allocated a serial number which must be consecutive. Hand
amendments or annotations must be kept to a minimum. The normal method of amendment must be
by issue of replacement pages. The AIP must be amended or re-issued at such regular intervals as
necessary to ensure the information contained in the AIP is complete and up to date. In this respect, it
should be noted that any operationally significant changes to an AIP must be published in accordance
with the AIRAC procedures and clearly identified as such. The monthly printed plain-language list of
valid NOTAM includes an indication of the latest AIP amendments.

1.15 Establishment of the regular interval between amendments

1.15.1 Each State is free to establish the regular interval between amendments to its AIP,
which should be selected to meet the particular requirements, circumstances and capabilities of the
State, taking into consideration:

a) the area covered by the AIP and the number of facilities and services contained in it;

b) the frequency at which the information is expected to change; and

c) the resources available to the AIS, such as personnel, reproduction and printing facilities.

1.15.2 A State may decide to issue an amendment to its AIP on the first day of each month
while another State may find that issuing one amendment per year will serve its purposes. It should be
kept in mind, however, that the purpose of issuing amendments to the AIP is to keep the information up
to date. An AIP that is not up to date can jeopardize the safety of air navigation.

1.15.3 A NIL notification must be issued when an AIP Amendment will not be published at the
established regular interval or on the publication date. This NIL notification should be included in the
monthly printed plain-language list of valid of NOTAM.

1.15.4 The established regular intervals or publication dates for AIP Amendments should not
prevent the AIS from publishing an additional amendment. However, this should be strictly limited to
cases of urgent necessity.

1.15.5 New or revised information contained in AIP replacement pages must be identified by an
annotation against it in the margin. A thick black vertical line or, where the change incorporated covers
one line only or a part of a line, a thick black horizontal arrow, is sufficient to identify the change.

1.15.6 Each AIP Amendment page, including the cover sheet, must show a publication date.
Each AIRAC AIP Amendment page, including the cover sheet, must show a publication date and an
effective date.

1.15.7 When an AIP Amendment is issued, it must include references to the serial numbers of
those elements, if any, of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package that have been incorporated
into the amendment. A brief indication of the subjects affected by the amendment must be included on
the AIP Amendment cover sheet.
 1.15.8 Each amendment must include a checklist giving the current date of each loose-leaf
page in the AIP, unless there are only two or three replacement sheets involved, and must provide a
recapitulation of any outstanding manuscript corrections. The checklist must carry both the page
number and date.

1.16 Types of AIP amendments

1.16 Types of AIP amendments are as follows:

¾ Regular AIP Amendment, Amendment at established regular intervals and identified by a light
blue cover sheet, incorporates permanent changes into the AIP on the indicated publication date.

¾ AIRAC AIP Amendment, issued in accordance with the AIRAC system and identified by a pink
cover sheet and the acronym AIRAC, incorporates operational significant permanent changes
into the AIP on the indicated AIRAC effective date.

1.16. 1 Regular AIP Amendment

1.16.2.1 Permanent changes to the AIP shall be published as AIP Amendments. Each AIP
Amendment shall be allocated a serial number, which shall be consecutive and based on the calendar
year. The year indicated by two digits.

1.16.2.2 Each AIP Amendment page, including the cover sheet, shall display a publication date.
When an AIP Amendment is issued, it shall include on the cover sheet references to the serial number
of those elements, if any, of the Integrated of Aeronautical Information Package which have been
incorporated into the amendment and are consequently cancelled. A brief indication of the subjects
affected by the amendment shall be given on the AIP Amendment cover sheet. When an AIP
Amendment will not be published at the established interval or publication date, a NIL notification shall
be originated and distributed by monthly printed plain-language list of valid NOTAM.

1.16.1.3 A NIL notification must be issued when an AIP Amendment will not be published at
the established regular interval or on the publication date. This NIL notification should be included in
the monthly printed plain-language list of valid of NOTAM.

1.16.2 AIRAC AIP Amendment

1.16.2.1 The need for control

Information concerning changes in facilities, services or procedures in most cases requires
amendments to be made to airline operations manuals or other documents produced by various
aviation agencies. The organizations responsible for maintaining these publications up to date usually
work to a pre-arranged production programme. If AIP Amendments or AIP Supplements concerning
such information were published indiscriminately with a variety of effective dates, it would be
impossible to keep the manuals and other documents up to date. Alternatively, if a schedule of
predetermined dates on which changes were to become effective were fixed throughout the year, it
would be possible for a production programme to take account of or be based on these predetermined
dates.

1.16.2.2 Information to be notified by AIRAC ( Appendix 4 of Annex 15 )

Part 1
1. The establishment, withdrawal of, and premeditated significant changes (including operational trials)
to:
1.1 Limits (horizontal and vertical), regulations and procedures applicable to:
a) flight information regions;
b) control areas;
c) control zones;
d) advisory areas;
e) ATS routes;
f) permanent danger, prohibited and restricted areas (including type and periods of activity when
known) and ADIZ;
g) permanent areas or routes or portions thereof where the possibility of interception exists.
1.2 Positions, frequencies, call signs, known irregularities and maintenance periods of radio navigation
aids and communication facilities.
1.3 Holding and approach procedures, arrival and departure procedures, noise abatement procedures
and any other pertinent ATS procedures.
1.4 Meteorological facilities (including broadcasts) and procedures.
1.5 Runways and stopways.
Part 2
2. The establishment and withdrawal of, and premeditated significant changes to:
2.1 Position, height and lighting of navigational obstacles.
2.2 Taxiways and aprons.
2.3 Hours of service: aerodromes, facilities and services.
2.4 Customs, immigration and health services.
2.5 Temporary danger, prohibited and restricted areas and navigational hazards, military exercises and
mass movements of aircraft.
2.6 Temporary areas or routes or portions thereof where the possibility of interception exists.

1.16.2.3 Since many of the changes to facilities, services and procedures can be anticipated
and become effective in accordance with a predetermined schedule of effective dates, Annex 15, 6.1
calls for the use of a regulated system designed to ensure, unless operational considerations make it
impracticable, that:

a) information concerning any circumstances listed in Appendix 4 of Annex 15 will be issued as AIP

Amendments or AIP Supplements. These amendments and supplements must be identified by the
acronym “AIRAC” and distributed at least 42 days in advance of the effective date with the objective of
reaching recipients at least 28 days in advance of the same date;

b) the AIRAC effective dates must be in accordance with the predetermined, internationally agreed
schedule of effective dates based on an interval of 28 days, including 29 January 1998; and

c) information so notified must not be changed further for at least another 28 days after the indicated
effective date, unless the circumstance notified is of a temporary nature and would not persist for the
full period.

1.16.2.4 Essentially, implementation dates other than AIRAC effective dates must not be
used for pre-planned, operationally significant changes requiring cartographic work and/or updating of
navigation databases.

1.16.2.5 In addition to the use of a predetermined schedule of effective AIRAC dates,

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) must also be used to indicate the time when the AIRAC information
will become effective. Since Annex 15, paragraph 3.2.3 specifies that the Gregorian calendar and UTC
must be used as the temporal reference system for international civil aviation, in addition to AIRAC
dates, 00:01 UTC must be used to indicate the time when the AIRAC-based information will become
effective.

1.16.2.6 There are three significant dates associated with the AIRAC system:

a) the effective date;

b) the publication date; and

c) the latest date for raw material to reach the AIS.

 1.16.2.7 There must be an interval of 42 days between the distribution date and the effective
date. This allows for a period of up to 14 days’ distribution time, by the most expeditious means, in
order for recipients to receive the information at least 28 days in advance of the effective date.

1.16.2.7 In cases where major changes (i.e. extensive changes to procedures or services
which will impact international air transport) are planned and more advance notice is desirable and
practicable, a distribution date of 56 days (or even longer) in advance of the effective date should be
used. Examples of major changes are:

¾ the introduction of a new aerodrome,

¾ the introduction of new approach and/or departure

¾ procedures at international aerodromes,

¾ the introduction of new ATS routes.

1.16.2.8 When the AIS does not receive AIRAC material from the responsible
authorities/agencies for publication on the next scheduled AIRAC effective date, it must issue a NIL
notification by NOTAM (or other means) at least one cycle (28 days or more) before the AIRAC
effective date concerned.

1.16.2.9 On AIRAC publication date, a trigger NOTAM will be issued giving a brief description of
the contents, effective date and reference number of the AIRAC AIP AMD or SUP will become effective
on that date. Trigger NOTAM should remain in force as reminder on PIB for 14 days after the effective
date.

1.16.10 Late receipt of AIRAC publications

1.16.9 When AIRAC AIP Amendments or Supplements are not received at least 28 days in
advance of the AIRAC effective date, it is the responsibility of the recipient AIS to investigate whether
late receipt is due to local postal, customs or administrative delays, and if so, to take remedial action as
required. Otherwise, the recipient AIS will report this to the originating AIS, whose duty it will be to
investigate and eliminate the cause of the delay.

1.17 AIP Supplements

1.17.1 Temporary changes of long duration (more than three months) or changes requiring
the issuance of extensive text and/or graphics which affect the contents of an AIP are published and
distributed as AIP Supplements.

1.17.2 An AIP Supplement must be allocated a serial number which must be consecutive
and based on the calendar year (e.g. 2/11). The pages should be printed on coloured paper (preferably
yellow) in order to be conspicuous. The pages must be kept in the AIP as long as all or part of their
contents remains valid. Although it is recommended that AIP Supplement pages be retained as the first
item in an AIP binder, it may be more appropriate for States to issue the Supplements divided into
specific parts (e.g. GEN, ENR, AD) for insertion in each AIP part, as necessary. This would eliminate
the need to continuously refer to the front of the AIP for the required information in cases where the
Supplement affects a number of AIP pages. Each AIP Supplement page must show a publication date.
Each AIRAC AIP Supplement page must show a publication date and an effective date.

1.17.3 Temporary changes anticipated to last less than three months are considered to be
information of short duration, which is distributed by NOTAM. When this period is exceeded and
expected to last for an additional three months or more, an AIP Supplement is issued replacing the
NOTAM. Whenever an AIP Supplement is issued as a replacement of a NOTAM, a reference to the
series and number of the NOTAM should be included.

1.17.4 A checklist of all AIP Supplements currently in force must be issued at intervals of not
more than one month. Such information is to be included in the monthly printed plain-language list of
valid NOTAM.
 1.18 Distribution
1.18.1 All AIP, AIP Amendments and AIP Supplements must be distributed to recipients of the
Integrated Aeronautical Information Package by the most expeditious means available.

1.18.2 When an AIP Amendment or an AIP Supplement is published in accordance with

AIRAC procedures, “trigger” NOTAM must be originated and promulgated. The intent of this NOTAM is
to serve as a reminder in the pre-flight information bulletin (PIB) by signaling the coming into effect of
operationally significant permanent or temporary changes to the AIP, thus ensuring that users are
aware of changes that may affect their flights. It also serves as a reminder to AIS officers responsible
for updating AIP to insert a new AIP Amendment or AIP Supplement in the affected AIP on the
amendment or supplement effective date. For guidance on the organization and distribution of trigger
NOTAM, see DOC 8126 Chapter 6, Appendix A.