Aeronautical information

AIP, NOTAM, supplements and circulars

Choose the publication by permanence, urgency and amount of detail.

The information chain

AIS makes the aeronautical data/information necessary for safe, regular and efficient navigation available for the State’s territory and the areas for which it has responsibility. Where service is not continuous, availability must cover the period when an aircraft is in flight in the responsibility area plus at least two hours before and after as specified. AIM manages quality-assured digital information across its lifecycle.

AIP contains lasting information essential to navigation. GEN covers administration, entry requirements, services, units and differences; ENR covers rules, airspace, routes and warnings; AD covers aerodromes, physical data, facilities and charts. GEN 1.7 lists differences; ENR 1 rules/altimetry/interception, ENR 2 airspace, ENR 3 routes and ENR 5 warnings; AD 2 contains individual aerodrome declared distances, lights, aids and charts.

Match the product

AIP Amendments publish permanent changes. Supplements carry temporary changes of long duration, normally three months or longer, or short-duration information needing extensive text/graphics. NOTAM carries timely establishment, condition or change of facilities, services, procedures or hazards whose knowledge is essential. AIC gives explanatory, advisory, administrative or forecast information not qualifying for AIP/NOTAM. Circulars are organised by serial numbering/year and their designated series.

The integrated information set includes AIP/amendments, supplements, AIC, NOTAM and pre-flight information. An international NOTAM office (NOF) exchanges NOTAM internationally through the prescribed telecommunications/digital distribution; pilots normally access a briefing service rather than a raw messaging circuit. A PIB recapitulates current NOTAM and urgent relevant information for the planned flight.

Decode time and scope before acting

Publication date, effective date and validity are different.

NOTAM and AIRAC

A NOTAM’s identifier, type and year establish its identity; Q-line encodes scope, traffic, purpose, levels and geographical reference. A) identifies location, B) start, C) end or estimated/permanent status, D) schedule where present, E) operational text and F/G) vertical limits where applicable. NOTAMN introduces, NOTAMR replaces and NOTAMC cancels a specified notice. Read the full text and UTC schedule, not only the map circle.

AIRAC uses common 28-day effective dates for operationally significant planned changes such as routes, airspace and instrument procedures. Distribution normally aims for receipt at least 28 days before effective date, using advance distribution normally at least 42 days, and longer notice for major changes. A publication issued today can be effective next cycle; a database must be valid for the operation’s date.

Surface and volcanic reports

SNOWTAM is a special-format notice for runway surface conditions under the global reporting format, including RWYCC, contaminant coverage/depth and other relevant movement-area conditions; its maximum validity is eight hours, with a new report when conditions materially change as prescribed. ASHTAM provides volcanic activity/eruption/ash-cloud information affecting operations, including location, time, extent and relevant routes/levels, with its prescribed validity and updates.

Danger areas contain activities dangerous to flight at specified times; restricted areas impose specified restrictions; prohibited areas prohibit flight except as permitted under the applicable rule. Before flight obtain current departure, route, destination and alternate information, including hazards/facility failures not yet on permanent charts. After flight report newly observed operationally significant hazards to AIS/ATS for assessment and distribution.

Who must maintain the information?

Data quality is a provider obligation as well as a pilot’s currency check.

Regulation 2017/373

The Regulation establishes common requirements for ATM/ANS providers and oversight, with specific Parts for ATS, meteorology, AIS, data, CNS, flow management and airspace management as applicable. Part-AIS addresses the information service and aeronautical data quality processes; a portal displaying the data is not necessarily the originating authority.

Information needs traceable origin, accuracy, resolution, integrity, timeliness and controlled updates appropriate to its use. A visually polished unofficial map does not replace an authoritative AIP/NOTAM briefing. Compare the origin, validity and geographic/vertical scope before reconciling apparently conflicting displays.

A practical briefing sequence

Identify the flight’s UTC period and route/alternates. Read the relevant AIP rules and chart revisions, then current supplements and NOTAM. Resolve restrictions, runway/aid unserviceability and procedure changes against aircraft capability and the plan. Preserve the briefing and communicate relevant changes to the crew.

The model uses fictional notices and highlights fields individually. It teaches reading and decision-making without presenting a synthetic notice as a live operational briefing.

Can you apply the rules?

Four original questions. Choose from the facts, then review the explanation.