CHAPTER 22

The Provision of Airport Data

 

22.1 General

22.1.1 All aerodrome operational data which are relevant to the safe and efficient operation of aircraft at an aerodrome must be promulgated in the appropriate Aeronautical Information Publications of each State. This data will range from permanent descriptive material of the aerodrome to information of a short term and temporary nature.

 

22.1.2 The responsibility for the provision of aerodrome data rests with the Aerodrome Operating Authority. In some States, this may include data on air Traffic Control Services as well as the basic airport descriptive data.

 

22.2 The Types of Information

22.2.1 Data can be divided into three broad groups as follows:

 

22.2.1.1 Permanent data: This comprises basic descriptive material for the aerodrome which rarely, if ever, changes. The data which would fall into this category would include airport reference points, runway strength, runway dimensions and layout, elevations, and permanent obstacles. ECAR 139 Subpart E describes most of the data in this category.

 

22.2.1.2 Variable data: Data in this category are of a semi‑permanent nature but are liable to change, and provision must be made for such changes to be promulgated promptly. Data in this category would include such items as runway declared distances, obstacles, hours of operation, visual aids, and such facilities as rescue, fire fighting, and salvage. It is doubtful whether data in the category would change more frequently than once per year.

 

22.2.1.3 Temporary data: Data in this category are subject to short‑term variations. These include limitations and warnings such as temporary runway or taxiway closures, temporary obstacles, runway surface condition reports, system failures, and bird hazards.

 

22.3 Procedures

22.3.1 The Airport Authority must ensure that all data are published in the appropriate Aeronautical Information Publications and that such data are kept up to date by timely amendment action.

22.3.2 If the amendment process is too slow for the publication of changes then the Class II NOTAM should be used to promulgate information.

 

22.3.3 Short notice changes which occur within variable or temporary data categories must be promulgated promptly using the NOTAM Class I.

22.3.4 The Aerodrome Air Traffic Control Unit must be informed immediately when such changes occur so that they may advise flight crew by R\T where appropriate.

 

22.3.5 Procedures must be established to forward any new data or variations of existing data to the Aeronautical Information Service of the State concerned, as indicated in Annex 15.

 

22.3.6 Any variations which affect the accuracy of the charts described in Annex 4 must be submitted to the authority responsible for the publication of such charts.

 

22.4 Responsibility for Notification of Changes

22.4.1 Each aerodrome must establish a system for the prompt notification of changes to the variable data and the immediate notification of any temporary data throughout the aerodrome’s published hours of operation.

 

22.4.2 Aerodrome which close at night should establish a system for the notification of circumstances which may occur during the hours of closure and which will be very significant as soon as the airport opens.

 

22.4.3 A senior aerodrome official, normally the manager responsible for aerodrome operations, should be made responsible for the provision of airport data and any changes.