The UK Air Navigation Order, Article 52, says: “The commander of an aircraft registered in the United Kingdom shall take all reasonable steps to satisfy himself before the aircraft takes off that the flight can safely be made, taking into account the latest information available as to the route and aerodrome to be used, the weather reports and forecasts available and any alternative course of action which can be adopted in case the flight cannot be completed as planned.”

To support that requirement, the UK Aeronautical Information Services provides a range of data and on-line services to airlines, pilots and all those involved in flight planning and navigation in the UK and beyond. This is a guide to those services.

INTEGRATED AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION PACKAGE (IAIP)

The IAIP is published with the authority of the State, and contains aeronautical information of lasting character essential to air navigation. It details data regarding the organisation, operation and location of Aerodromes, Airspace, Navigation Aids and facilities as well as any information relevant to the safety of flight within the airspace.

AIS does not originate the information, but collates it on behalf of the sponsor (i.e. the authority responsible for the facility or service) and publishes it in accordance with internationally agreed formats. Specific criteria exist in ICAO Annex 15 and Doc 8126.

AIP Amendments are issued at regular intervals according to a published 28-day cycle.

AIP Supplements (SUP) are used to notify temporary changes of long duration (usually more than three months) or changes requiring extensive text and/or graphics.

Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC) contain information that does not qualify for inclusion into the AIP or a NOTAM. AICs are used to provide information which relates to flight safety, air navigation, technical, administrative or legislative matters and may be used for disseminating information with graphical content.

Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) cover short duration or temporary changes or short notice permanent changes. They contain 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. As part of the service, Trigger NOTAM are used to inform users of operationally significant information due to be incorporated in an AIP amendment or SUP.

The AIS website (www.ais.org.uk) provides free access to all the products above, and although it is primarily intended for flights taking place with, or departing from the United Kingdom Flight Information Region (FIR), it is also possible to access internationally distributed NOTAM issued by Foreign States.

you can navigate around the web site either by selecting the TABS at the top of the page or by selecting the links on the left hand side. The Tabs remain constant while the links to the left are context sensitive and will change according to the page selected.

The left hand side of the Home Page provides access to news items and will be used to notify any significant events or changes to services or products etc.

AIS INFORMATION LINE

The AIS information line is an additional service designed to supplement the information available from the website. It is not intended to replace the need to obtain a full briefing.

Information is recorded by AIS staff the evening before the next day’s activities and is updated during the day should any change or addition be required.

The message provides information on restricted areas [used to notify Red Arrows activities] airspace upgrades [to notify Royal flights operated in fixed wing aircraft] and emergency restrictions of flying [To prohibit flight in the vicinity of an accident or incident].

The AIP itself is divided into three parts; the General, En-route and Aerodrome sections plus the Supplements and Information Circulars. When navigating around the IAIP, the information you see is based on the current permanent aeronautical information, but it is also possible to view the next AIP amendment yet to be incorporated.

The AIP is amended with new or revised information every 28 days. Occasionally, when significant changes may need more notification than the normal 28-day period, an amendment may be produced 56 days before its effective date.

The SRD is designed to assist operators in constructing UK portions of IFR flight plan-able routes. These listings are to be considered as ‘preferred routes’ and are not mandatory. Due to the size of the information available it may take some time to download the complete document.

This item provides a link to the CAA form used by authorised sponsors to submit information to AIS for incorporation into the UK IAIP. This form is not to be used to submit NOTAM proposals, nor is it intended for general use.

NOTAMs are made available in the form of a Pre-flight Information Bulletin (PIB). In order to produce a PIB it is necessary to select the type of brief applicable to your operation. All the templates used to obtain a NOTAM brief have pre-defined parameters which can refine to meet your own requirements.

If you are a new user then it will be necessary to complete the registration details the first time you wish to obtain a NOTAM briefing.

If you are an existing user, you will simply need to re-use your unique username and password. Lost or forgotten passwords can be recovered where required.

WHY DO I HAVE TO REGISTER?

For two reasons:

Firstly, this makes it possible for you to reuse the template that you applied in order to obtain a brief. This is particularly useful for flights operated on a regular or scheduled basis using a complex route structure over long distances.

Secondly, in the unlikely event of an incident, registration helps to prove to investigators that flight planning activity has taken place.