SUBPART A
General
This Part prescribes
(a)
Rules governing the certification and
operation of organizations providing an aeronautical information service in
(b)
The requirements for the Egyptian
integrated aeronautical information package, which consists of the following
elements:
(1)
AIP, including amendment services;
(2)
Supplements to the AIP;
(3)
NOTAM and pre- flight information
bulletins (PIB);
(4)
Aeronautical information circular (AIC);
(5)
Checklists and lists of valid NOTAM
(c)
Rules for dealing with various types of
flight plans; and
(d)
The copyright of any AIS product which
shall be granted by ECAA.
173.3 Requirements for certificate
(a)
No AIS activity shall commence without
a ministerial authorization is granted; and
(b)
As of the end of 2006, no person shall
provide an aeronautical information service for the Egyptian FIR except under
the authority of, and in accordance with the provisions of, an aeronautical
information service certificate issued under this Part.
173.5 Application for certificate
Each applicant
for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate
shall complete ECAA appropriate application and submit it to the ECAA with:
(a)
The exposition required by 173.29; and
(b)
A payment of the appropriate application
fees.
An applicant is
entitled to an aeronautical information service certificate
if the ECAA is satisfied that:
(a)
The applicant meets the requirements of
this Part;
(b)
The applicant, and the applicant’s
senior person or persons required by 173.51(a)(1) and (2) are fit and properly
qualified persons; and
(c)
The granting of the certificates not
contrary to the interests of aviation safety.
173.9 Privileges of certificate
The certificate holder is authorized to provide
aeronautical information services under the terms of authorization granted.
173.11 Duration of certificate
(a)
An aeronautical information service certificate may be issued or renewed for a period up
to 2-years;
(b)
An aeronautical information service certificate remains in force until it expires or is
suspended or revoked;
(c)
The holder of an aeronautical
information service certificate that expires
or is revoked shall forthwith surrender the certificate
to the ECAA; and
(d)
The holder of an aeronautical
information service certificate that is
suspended shall forthwith produce the certificate to
the ECAA for appropriate endorsement.
(a)
The renewal application shall be
submitted to the ECAA, not less than 30 days before the certificate expires;
and
(b)
Where the certificate has been in force
for the full 2 years period, the application will be subjected to a full
entry-level assessment by the ECAA.
173.15 Authorization and obligation
(a)
The applicant for the grant of AIS
shall meet the minimum requirements for:
(1) The provision of qualified personnel;
(2) Applying the approved Safety and quality
assurance management system measures according to item 173.69 (b), EAC 00-11;
and
(3) Being equipped with all necessary facilities
sufficient to fulfill the obligation requested by applicant.
(b)
The applicant for the grant of an AIS
shall take the necessary measures to arrange for the timely provision of
required information to the aeronautical information services;
(c)
The ECAA has the right to inspect the
applicant facilities, records and system to ensure that aeronautical
information data it provides are adequate, conforming to the required quality
and provided in a timely manner; and
(d)
For applicant requiring delegated
authority for provision of AIS, they shall fulfill the following:
(1)
Provide highly qualified personnel to
be delegated on behalf of ECAA according to ECAR Part 183;
(2)
Provide procedures acceptable for the
ECAA to ensure the adequacy and accuracy of data/information; and
(3)
Aeronautical information published for
and on behalf of the ECAA shall clearly indicate that it is published under the
delegation of authorization granted by the ECAA.
This Part was
developed using:
(a)
Annex 15 aeronautical information
services as the base document to establish the requirements and standards.
Additionally, ICAO documents 8126 aeronautical information services manual,
ICAO document 8400 ICAO abbreviation and codes; and
(b)
Annex 2 rules of the air and annex 11
air traffic services. Additionally, ICAO documents 4444 PANS – Air traffic
management.
When the following terms are used in this Part, they have
the following meaning:
Accuracy: A degree of
conformance between the estimated or measured value and the true value;
Aeronautical Information Publication
(AIP):
A publication issued by or with the authority of the ECAA and containing
aeronautical information of a lasting character essential to air navigation.
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.
Air defiance identification zone
(ADIZ): Special
designated airspace of defined dimensions within which aircraft are required to
comply with special identification and/or reporting procedures additional to
those related to the provision of air traffic services (ATS).
Application: Manipulation
and processing of data in support of user requirements (ISO 19104*)
Bare Earth: Surface of
the Earth including bodies of water and permanent ice and snow, and excluding
vegetation and man-made objects.
Calendar: Direct temporal
reference system that provides the basis for defining temporal position to a
resolution of one day (ISO 19108*)
Canopy: Bare Earth
supplement by vegetation height.
Culture: All man-made
features constructed on the surface of the earth, such as cities, railways and
canals.
Cyclic redundancy check (CRC): A
mathematical algorithm applied to the digital expression of data that provides
a level of assurance against loss or alteration of data.
Danger area:
An airspace of defined dimensions within which activities dangerous to the
flight of aircraft may exist at specified times;
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.
Datum:
Any quantity or set of quantities that may serve as a reference or basis for
the calculation of other quantities (ISO 19104*)
Ellipsoid height (Geodetic
height): The height related to the reference ellipsoid, measured along the
ellipsoidal outer normal through the point in question.
Feature:
Abstraction of real world phenomena (ISO 19101*)
Geodetic distance:
The shortest distance between any two points on a mathematically defined
ellipsoidal surface.
Geodetic datum: A
minimum set of parameters required to define location and orientation of the
local reference system with respect to the global reference system/frame.
Geoid:
The equipotential surface in the gravity field of the Earth, which coincides
with the undisturbed mean sea level (MSL) extended continuously through the continents.
Geoid undulation:
The distance of the geoid above (positive) or below (negative) the mathematical
reference ellipsoid.
Gregorian calendar:
Calendar in general use; first introduced in 1582 to define a year that more
closely approximates the tropical year than the Julian calendar (ISO 19108*)
Height:
The vertical distance of a level, point or an object considered as a point,
measured from a specific datum.
Heliport:
An aerodrome or a defined area on a structure intended to be used wholly or in
part for the arrival, departure and surface movement of helicopters.
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.
Integrity
(aeronautical data): A degree of assurance that an aeronautical data and its
value has not been lost nor altered since the data origination or authorized
amendment.
International
NOTAM office (NOF): An office designated by A.R.E for exchange of NOTAM
internationally.
Maneuvering
area:
That part of an aerodrome to be used for take-off, landing and taxiing of
aircraft, excluding aprons
Movement area: That part of
an aerodrome to be used for take-off, landing and taxiing of aircraft,
consisting of the maneuvering area and the apron(s).
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.
Obstacle: All fixed
(whether temporary or permanent) and mobile objects, or parts thereof that are
located on an area intended for the surface movement of aircraft or that extend
above a defined surface intended to protect aircraft in flight.
Orthometric
height:
Height of a point related to the geoid, generally presented as an MSL
elevation.
Position
(geographical): Set of coordinates (latitude and longitude) referenced to
the mathematical reference ellipsoid which define the position of a point on
the surface of the earth
Prohibited area: An airspace
of defined dimensions, above the land areas or territorial waters of a A.R.E,
within which the flight of aircraft is prohibited.
Relief: The
inequalities in elevation of the surface of the Earth represented on an
aeronautical chart by contours, hypsometric tints, shading or spot elevations.
Resolution: A number of
units or digits to which a measured or calculated value is expressed and used.
Restricted area: An airspace
of defined dimensions, above the land areas or territorial waters of a A.R.E,
within which the flight of aircraft is restricted in accordance with certain
specified conditions.
SNOWTAM: A special
series NOTAM notifying the presence or removal of hazardous conditions due to
snow, ice or standing water associated with snow, slush and ice on the movement
area, by means of a specific format.
Station
declination:
An alignment variation between the zero degree radial of a VOR and true north,
determined at the time the VOR station is calibrated.
Terrain:
The surface of the earth containing naturally occurring features such as
mountains, hills, ridges, valleys, bodies of water, permanent ice and snow and
excluding obstacles;
Verification:
Confirmation by examination and provision of objective evidence that specified
requirements has been fulfilled (ISO 8402*).
AD :
Aerodrome
AFS :
Aeronautical fixed service
AFTN :
Aeronautical fixed telecommunication network
AIC : Aeronautical information circular
AIP : Aeronautical information
Publication
AIS : Aeronautical information service
AMD : Amendment
ARO : ATS reporting office
ATFM : Air traffic flow management
ATM : Air traffic management
BOF : Briefing office
COM : Communication
ECAA : Egyptian civil aviation authority
ECAR : Egyptian civil aviation regulation
ECATSH : Egyptian civil aviation training standard
handbook
ENR : Enroute
FIR : Flight information region.
GEN : General
MET : Meteorology
NOF : International NOTAM office
NOTAM : Notice to airmen
SAR : Search and rescue
SUP : Supplement
(a) Penalties:
(1)
ECAA may
impose a penalty (according to
the Civil aviation
Law NO 28 item. 157), or reduce some privileges to the certificate holder if:
(i)
It finds
that the certificate holder does not comply with the requirements of this Part
and such holder failed to remedy such non‑compliance within 60‑days
after receiving notice in writing from ECAA to do so;
(ii)
Such
action is necessary in the interest of safety;
(iii)
Its
inspector is prevented by the provider from carrying out a safety inspection
when his report recommends such action;
(iv)
The
certificate holder failed to provide the service in the required standard
level, which is confirmed to ECAA by receiving reports from the users of the
service and proved by a legal investigation; and
(2)
When
proposing a penalty, ECAA will state the reasons for such action and will
furnish them to the certificate holder.
(b) Suspension of certificate this is a subsequent
procedure to impose a penalty:
(1)
ECAA may
suspend for a defined period, an AIS
certificate issued under this Part if:
(i)
Subject
to item 173.25 (b)(1), the ECAA is satisfied that the certificate holder still
unable to remedy any of these non‑compliant areas with the specified time
frame of 60‑days;
(ii)
The
investigation, in case of an accident, proves that it was caused due to the
faulty procedures and/or the malfunction or failure of AIS equipment or system;
(iii)
The
certificate holder failed to perform the action plan stated in the certificate
in the exact period of time if so stated; and
(iv)
Such actions still necessary in the interest
of aviation safety.
(2)
When
proposing a suspension, the ECAA will state the reasons for such action and
furnish them to the certificate holder;
(3)
The
certificate holder may appeal against such notice within 30‑days of
receipt;
(4)
The
applicant shall furnish to ECAA any documents, records, or other pertinent
information supporting the appeal; and
(5)
ECAA may
confirm, modify, or set aside the proposed suspension based on the appeal.
(c)
Revocation
of certificate. This is a subsequent procedure to suspension:
(1)
The ECAA
may permanently revoke an AIS certificates issue under this Part if:
(i)
It is
verified that the certificate holder will not be able to overcome non‑compliant
areas; and
(ii)
The
certificate holder stops providing the service concerned without a convincing
argument.
(2)
The ECAA
has decided for the interest of safety to terminate services provided at this
aerodrome.
(3)
The
Ministerial Order issued for the certificate holder is revoked.
(4)
The revoked certificate cannot be renewed, it has to be
reissued not less than one year after the revocation date
173.25 Change in level or withdrawal of service
(a)
Change
in level of service:
(1)
Each
holder of an aeronautical information service certificate who intends to reduce
the hours of operation of an AIS shall provide to the ECAA at least 90‑days
in advance a notice stating the reason for the proposed reduction;
(2)
A new
schedule of the proposed hours of services for the next 12‑months of
operation; and
(3)
A prior
written approval from the ECAA must be received before the certificate holder
starts his reduction.
(b)
Withdrawal
of service:
(1)
Each
holder of an AIS certificate who wishes to permanently withdraw an AIS
certificate shall give the ECAA at least 90‑days notice of the proposal
and included in that notice a summary of factors considered in arriving at this
decision; and
(2)
This
outgoing provider of an AIS certificate shall not hinder the preparations and
execution of transitional arrangements.
(a) An
applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate
shall provide the ECAA with an exposition containing:
(1) A statement signed by the senior person who
has the authority within the applicant’s organization confirming that the
exposition and any included manuals:
(i)
Define the organization and demonstrate
its means and methods for ensuring ongoing compliance with this and any other
applicable Part; and
(ii) Are
required to be complied with its personnel at all times;
(2) The
titles, names, duties and responsibilities of the senior person or persons,
including matters for which they have responsibility to deal directly with the
ECAA on behalf of the organization;
(3) An
organization chart showing lines of responsibility of the senior persons, and
extending to each location listed under paragraph (a)(5); and
(4) In
the case of an organization providing aeronautical information service from
more than one AIS unit, a table listing:
(i)
Locations of AIS units; and
(ii) The
aerodrome and the geographical coverage zone designated being serviced; and
(iii) The
services provided (ARO and AIS AD unit); and
(5) Details
of the applicant’s staffing structure for each AIS unit; and
(6) Details
of the systems, policies, plan, procedures, and programs required in Subparts
B, C, D, and F.
(b) The
applicant’s exposition must be acceptable to the ECAA.
173.31 Objectives of aeronautical information services
The objectives of the aeronautical information services are to ensure the flow of information necessary/data for the safety, regularity and efficiency of international air navigation.
(a) The
specification requirements of this revised Part that include the operative
verb "shall" or
"must" are considered mandatory as of the date of effectiveness of
this revised Part;
(b) In the
event of non compliance with a requirement of this revised Part that include
the operative verb "should", the All AIS provider shall submit a
relevant compliance plan with all the those requirements, that include the
operative verb "should”, at the date of effectiveness of this revised
Part, to be reviewed and approved by ECAA prior to certification;
(c) An applicant or a certificate holder may
petition the ECAA for an exemption from complying with any requirement of this
Part if deemed for a compelling reason (i.e. emergency, burdensome or
impractical).
(d) Each petition filed under this section must be
submitted in duplicate to the ECAA.
(e) The ECAA may exempt, in writing, an AIS
provider from complying with specific provisions of this Part only and where
permitted by those provisions after carrying out aeronautical studies, and
determining the conditions and procedures that are necessary and shall be
adopted by the AIS provider to ensure a level of safety equivalent to that
established by the relevant standard or practice and taking into account all
safety related aspects.
(f) An exemption is subject to the AIS provider complying
with the conditions and procedures specified by the ECAA in the AIS certificate
as being necessary in the interest of safety;
(g) The ECAA may exempt any person from any
requirement in this Part following the procedures prescribed in the appropriate
Egyptian civil aviation authority’s policy and procedures manuals;
(h) Requirements can include duration of
employment or successful completion of the appropriate examinations; the
exemption could occur for such reason as war time situations; and
(i) The
requirements of this Part regarding AIS are derived from the standards
prescribed in ICAO Annex 15. If any
exemption against the Part creates a difference with Annex 15 standards then
the ECAA will notify ICAO of the difference.
(a)
After ECAR Part
173 comes into force, any organization that currently provides an aeronautical
information service and which is required under ECAR Part 173 to hold an
aeronautical information service certification may continue to provide the
service under existing delegations, where delegation is defined as: Permitting
the appropriate ATC unit or air traffic controller to handle AIS if no AIS
personnel is available or no AIS office has been established until the
expiration of a period of 12-months from the date that ECAR Part 173 commences.
(b)
At the expiration
of 12-months, all such organizations must be operating under an ECAR Part 173
certification.
173.37 Trough 173.49 Reserved