ACP-WGM21/WP-05

International Civil Aviation Organization 23 June 2014

WORKING PAPER

AERONAUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS PANEL (ACP)

21st MEETING OF WORKING GROUP M (Maintenance)

Montréal, Canada, 17-18 July 2014

Agenda Item 3: ATN/OSI Document 9880 Update Status

Amendment Proposal to Doc 9880 Part II (AMHS) Updated SVC Processing

in AFTN/AMHS Gateway MTCU

(Presented by Michel Solery, France)

SUMMARY
Operational issues were observed in Europe in a mixed AFTN/AMHS
environment, in relation with the processing of AFTN SVC messages received
at AFTN/AMHS gateways, in situations where traffic diversion had been
applied.

The ICAO EUR AFSG/18 meeting agreed to submit a Doc 9880 Part II
(AMHS) AP to ACP WGM, because the identified issue and the required
change to resolve it are both of global relevance.

The goal of the amendment is to modify the Doc 9880 clauses in a way such
that some AFTN SVC messages (for example “SVC QTA RPT ABC123” and
“SVC QTA MIS ___”) received at an AFTN/AMHS gateway, and not
addressed to the gateway, are converted into IPMs and forwarded in AMHS,
to be delivered to their destination, if this is needed based on active routing
tables.

IThe current specification prevents these messages from being converted to

AMHS. This is valid in most cases but in exceptional situations with traffic
diversion, it may eventually result in a loss of messages.

ACTION
The working group is invited to perform the actions recommended in section 4
of the paper.

(6 pages)
761161934.doc
 2
ACP-WGM21/WP-05

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 As a result of operational issues observed in a mixed AFTN/AMHS environment, in

relation with the processing of AFTN SVC messages received at AFTN/AMHS gateways, the ICAO EUR
AFSG/18 meeting agreed that an Amendment Proposal (AP) to ICAO Doc 9880, Part II, regarding such
processing should be submitted to ICAO ACP WGM.

1.2 The goal of this paper is to provide the meeting with the Amendment Proposal. The paper
contains some background information and the AP itself is provided as an attachment.

1.3 It should be noted that this Amendment Proposal comes in addition to an earlier AP,
approved by WG-M/20 and related to a similar subject, which is the conversion of a specific category
AFTN service messages, SVC “ADS ___ UNKNOWN” messages (see ref. [2]). The present Amendment
Proposal deals with other categories of service messages, and it does not contradict that already agreed
AP.

2. REFERENCES

[1] ICAO Document 9880 AN/466 Part II – Ground-ground communications – Air Traffic
Services Message Handling Services (ATSMHS)

[2] ACP WG-M/20 WP11: AP to Doc 9880 Part II: AFTN Service message processing in
AFTN/AMHS Gateway

3. DISCUSSION

3.1 Operational issues were observed in a mixed AFTN/AMHS environment, in relation with
the processing of AFTN SVC messages received at AFTN/AMHS gateways, in situations where traffic
diversion had been applied.

3.2 These situations were reported to the AFSG subgroups (Operations Group and Planning
Group), which analysed the reported information and together agreed about the way to resolve the
identifies issues. This was endorsed by the ICAO EUR AFSG in its 18 th meeting (Paris, April 2014),
where it was agreed that the AP should be submitted to ACP/WG-M.

3.3 The identified issue and the required change to resolve it are both of global relevance,
hence the need for the AP provided as Attachment to this paper.

3.4 In the current Doc 9880 Edition, AFTN SVC messages with no end-to-end significance
are not supposed to be converted to AMHS by the MTCU. This relates mainly to SVQ QTA MIS and
SVC QTA RPT messages. The current specification is based on the assumption that such messages are
always directed to the receiving gateway, because they are used on a point-to-point basis in AFTN. This
is true in most cases, but in exceptional situations where traffic diversion has been performed, it may
happen that this assumption is wrong. Such a case is not adequately treated in the current Doc 9880,
because it relies upon purely manual handling at the gateway control position, whilst these service
 3
ACP-WGM21/WP-05

messages should be forwarded since they have not reached their destination. This missing case is a bug in
the AMHS specification, which may eventually result in the loss of messages.

3.5 The goal of the amendment is to modify the relevant clauses in a way such that AFTN
SVC messages received at an AFTN/AMHS gateway and not addressed to the gateway are converted into
IPMs and forwarded in AMHS, to be delivered to their destination, if this is needed based on active
routing tables. In this way such messages are properly transferred until the intended addressee. The
detailed rationale for this change may be found in the attached draft AP.

4. ACTION BY THE MEETING

4.1 The working group is invited to comment the attached Amendment Proposal, and to take
appropriate action for approval and integration of the AP in Doc 9880 Part II.
 4
ACP-WGM21/WP-05

Title: PROCESSING OF AFTN SERVICE MESSAGES

IN THE AFTN/AMHS GATEWAY

AP working paper number and date: To be defined by ACP WG-M

Document(s) affected: Doc 9880, Manual on detailed technical specifications

for the Aeronautical Telecommunication Network
(ATN) using ISO/OSI standards and protocols

Sections of Documents affected: 4.2.1.4,

4.2.1.12

Submitted by: (EUR) AFSG/Planning Group

Coordinators: DSNA/DTI - Jean-Marc Jürgen Fischer (initial

Vacher (ON-X Contractor development of AP)
in support to DSNA)

Coordinators address: DSNA/DTI Avitech GmbH,

1 Avenue du Dr Grynfogel Bahnhofplatz 1,
BP 53584 88045 Friedrichshafen,
31035 Toulouse Cedex 1 Germany
France

Coordinators Phone: +33 5 6214 5474 +49.7541.282-387

Coordinators Fax: +33 5 6214 5401 +49.7541.282-199

Coordinators e-mail address: jean-marc.vacher@regis- Juergen.Fischer@avitech-

dgac.net ag.com

Category: BUG

Problem description: An issue which became apparent in operation of an

AFTN/AMHS gateway and a further potential issue,
both related to the processing of AFTN service messages
by an AFTN/AMHS gateway, are the reasons for this
AP.
AFTN service messages SVC QTA MIS and SVC QTA
RPT (referring to transmission identification), originated
by the Moscow COM Centre UUUU and addressed to
the Riga COM Centre EVRR were deviated through the
Warsaw COM Centre EPWW. In the Warsaw COM
Centre these messages were not routed towards EVRR
via the Warsaw AFTN/AMHS gateway and the Vilnius
COM Centre EYVC as configured in the routing tables,
but forwarded to the operator’s working position
 5
ACP-WGM21/WP-05

because the messages referred to in the service messages

could not be repeated as they had not passed the Warsaw
COM Centre. Modifying the message text so that the
message was no longer automatically identified as a
service message was the only possibility for the operator
in Warsaw to forward the message to Riga.
The implementation of the AFTN/AMHS gateway in
Warsaw strictly follows ICAO Doc 9880, Part II, section
4.2.1.4 and therefore did not switch the service messages
via AMHS. Investigations undertaken by the ICAO EUR
AFSG Operations Group revealed that the gateway
implementations of at least two manufacturers follow
this rule and would not pass AFTN service messages to
the MTCU.
Apart from this issue which really occurred in
operations, the following potential issue should also be
considered: An AFTN/AMHS gateway shall process a
service message of the type “SVC QTA RPT <origin>”
according to ICAO Doc 9880, Part II, section 4.2.1.4 c)
and section 4.2.1.12. If the message referred to by the
origin has not passed the gateway, 4.2.1.12 a) applies
and an error is reported to the control position. However,
no additional provisions are made to ensure that the
message can be repeated by its originator.
When service messages indicating missed messages or
requesting the repetition of messages are not switched to
their destinations, the referred messages will not be
repeated. Such issue has to be considered as a message
loss.
An Amendment to Doc 9880, Part II as described below
is proposed to overcome this operational lack and to
ensure that all AFTN/AMHS gateway implementations
which do forward service messages via the MTCU are
compliant to Doc 9880, Part II.

Background: ICAO Doc 9880, Part II, section 4.2.1.4 specifies the
processing of AFTN service messages by the AFTN
component of an AFTN/AMHS gateway. Four mutually
exclusive manners of processing, depending on the
category of the service messages are defined. Whilst
4.2.1.4 items a), b) and c) specify the handling of SS
acknowledgement messages, service messages caused
by an unknown AFTN addressee indicator (SVC ADS
… UNKNOWN …) and service messages requesting the
repetition of a message from its originator (SVC QTA
RPT <origin>), item d) specifies that any other service
messages shall be processed in compliance with the
 6
ACP-WGM21/WP-05

provisions of Annex 10, Vol. II, without being passed to

the MTCU.

Backwards compatibility: The solution is fully backwards compatible, as

AFTN/AMHS gateways and User Agents are capable of
receiving AFTN service messages conveyed as
Interpersonal Messages.

Amendment Proposal: 1) Modify the text of 4.2.1.4 d) as follows:

d) processing in compliance with the provisions of Annex 10,
Volume II, if the service message belongs to any other
category of AFTN service message and is addressed to
the AFTN/AMHS gateway; or

2) To 4.2.1.4 append:
e) forwarding the service message to the message
transfer and control unit in any other case.

3) Modify the text of 4.2.1.12 a) as follows:

a) terminate the procedure and report an error situation to a
control position forward the service message to the
message transfer and control unit if the referenced
subject AFTN message did not pass through the gateway
or if the AFTN component is not in possession of an
unmutilated copy of the subject AFTN message; or

WG-M status: PROPOSED | APPROVED | PENDING | REJECTED