(1) Director General: A senior person authorized by the ECAA, who has the authority within the applicant’s organization to ensure that each aeronautical information service listed in his exposition is provided in accordance with the requirements prescribed by this Part, This person shall have University degree; Experience in AIS field (AIS-AIS publications-Aeronautical charts) not less than three years experience in the fields of AIS.

(2) A Safety and Quality Assurance Manager: A senior person or group of senior persons who are responsible for ensuring that the applicant’s organization complies with the requirements of this Part and fulfills all the responsibilities listed in EAC 00-10. This person(s) shall have University degree; All AIS courses according the ECAA training standard handbook in (ECATSH).). Experience in AIS field not less than ten years after the first authorization.

(b) Director General shall:

(1) Establish procedures acceptable to the ECAA initially assess the competence of those personnel authorized by the applicant to check, edit, and publish aeronautical information for the aeronautical information services listed in their exposition;

(2) Establish procedures acceptable to the ECAA to maintain the competence of those authorized personnel;

(3) Provide those authorized personnel with written evidence of the scope of their authorization; and

(4) Hire sufficient personnel to collect, collate, check, coordinate, edit, and publish aeronautical information for the aeronautical information services listed in the applicant’s exposition.

173.53 Facilities and equipment

(a) Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate shall establish the following approved facilities that are appropriate to the aeronautical information services listed in the applicant’s exposition:

(1) International NOTAM office;

(2) Air traffic service reporting offices;

(3) AIS aerodrome units;

(4) Aeronautical information publications;

(5) Cartography and lead down procedures; and

(6) Dedicated training and assessment facilities.

(b) To accomplish objectives of AIS, this service being divided in three parts as follows:

(1) Aeronautical information services;

(2) Aeronautical publications; and

(3) Cartography and lead down procedures.

(c) Provision of aeronautical information services. The various departments shall provide the services described above as follows:

(1) Aeronautical information services:

(2) International NOTAM office;

(3) Unit providing briefing services in each aerodrome AIS unit which is limited by coverage zone/geographic coverage which is designated primarily for the provision of briefing service, and where no an aerodrome AIS unit is established the service shall be provided via appropriate ATS unit to enable the provision of information to aircraft in flight (FIS); and

(4) By air traffic service reporting offices.

(5) Aeronautical information publications: By aeronautical information publications departments; and

(6) AIS cartography and lead down procedures: By cartography and lead down procedures departments.

(d) An applicant for an aeronautical information services shall verify that AIS center including AIS aerodrome unit, listed in the applicant’s exposition is:

(1) Constructed and situated to provide:

(i) The maximum efficiency and flow of information internally between NOF department and BOF department as well as AIS AD unit to enable:

(ii) Accepting flight plans and;

(iii) Provide pre-flight information services; and

(iv)Protection from noise.

(2) Safeguarded from any development that would affect the requirements of paragraph (e)(1); and

(3) Provided with equipment linked with the following:

(i) Aerodrome AIS units;

(ii) AIS publications;

(iii) ATS units and communication center; and

(iv) NOF positions and BOF positions.

(4) Provided with the following minimum equipment:

(v) Adequate table/counter space for processing information;

(vi) Adequate filing/card index systems;

(vii) Computer network.;

(viii) Duplicator, for pre-flight bulletin production;

(ix) Telephones and faxes (telefax);

(x) Electronic mail;

(xi) A reliable clock and, for the international NOTAM office, a recording time-stamp clock both showing UTC, where appropriate, a second clock should be provided showing local time;

(xii) Reference charts and documents modified as necessary for the international NOTAM office;

(xiii) a display system for displaying self – briefing; and

(xiv) Logbooks and quality formats.

(e) The applicant for aeronautical information publications shall verify that AIS publications listed in the applicant’s exposition is constructed and situated to provide:

(1) The maximum efficiency and flow of information with International NOTAM office; and

(2) The national and international subscribers of aeronautical information publications.

173. 55 Responsibility and function for providing aeronautical information services

(a) Each applicant for AIS shall provide Egyptian information service. Permanent information shall be approved by ECAA before publication. Urgent temporary information shall be distributed by AIS certificate holder according to the special delegation from ECAA to the certificate holder provided that ECAA to be notified after distribution.

(b) Where 24-hour service is not provided, service shall be available during the whole period an aircraft is in flight in the area of responsibly of an information service, plus a period of at least two hours before and after such a period. The service shall also be available at such other time as may be requested by an appropriate ground organization.

(c) An aeronautical information service shall, in addition, obtain information to enable it to provide pre-flight information service and to meet the need for in-flight information. from the aeronautical information services of other States; and from other sources that may be available.

(d) Aeronautical information/data obtained shall, if possible, be verified before distribution and if not verified shall, when distributed, be clearly identified as such.

(e) An aeronautical information service shall promptly make available to the aeronautical information services of other States any information/data necessary for the safety, regularity or efficiency of air navigation required by them, to enable them to comply with (f) below.

(f) An aeronautical information service shall ensure that aeronautical information/data necessary

for the safety, regularity or efficiency of air navigation is made available in form suitable for the operational requirements of: those involved in flight operations, including flight crews, flight planning, flight simulators; and the air traffic services unit responsible for flight information service and the services responsible for pre-flight information.

(g) An aeronautical information service shall receive and/or originate, collate or assemble, edit, format, publish/store and distribute aeronautical information/data concerning the entire territory of Egypt as well as areas in which Egypt is responsible for air traffic services outside its territory. Aeronautical information shall be published as an Integrated Aeronautical Information Package.

(h) The responsibilities for providing aeronautical information services rested to a single AIS unit are as follows:

(1) The responsibility of flight plans:

(i) The responsibility of accepting flight plans in an AIS aerodrome unit/ARO shall be delegated to other AIS aerodrome unit/ARO in case of sudden circumstances; and

(ii) The responsibility of only transmitting flight plans provided to an AIS aerodrome unit/ARO shall be delegated to other AIS aerodrome unit/ARO or ATS unit of such aerodrome in case of sudden circumstances.

(2) The responsibility for providing briefing services: The responsibility of providing automated briefing services in AIS aerodrome unit/ARO shall be delegated to other AIS aerodrome unit/ARO in case of sudden circumstances;

The responsibility of providing manual PIB services shall be delegated to AIS center in case of all AIS automated systems are out of service.

(3) The responsibility for providing NOTAM service:

(i) The responsibility of editing and issuing NOTAM shall rest only on the international NOTAM offices;

(ii) The responsibility for dealing with foreign NOTAMS (processing, storing and distribution the effected NOTAMS) for achieving the objectives of AIS mentioned in subpart “A” GEN item 173.23 shall rest only on international NOTAM offices.

173.57 Scope of pre-flight information service

Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate for a pre-flight information service shall:

(a) Provide the pre-flight services listed in their exposition, specifically: The geographic area; and the aerodromes and the air routes originating from those aerodromes.

(b) Fulfill the minimum requirements for accommodation as follows:

Office type

Space in square

meters

Headquarters

Large

Small

28 – 93 or more

NOTAM office (24hours)

Large

Small

28 – 37

Aerodrome AIS unit

Major airport (24hours)

Airport ( limited hours )

28 or more

(1) The physical location of aerodrome AIS unit "briefing room":

(i) The AIS units shall be situated in close proximity to other aerodrome flight services and to airline flight operations offices and establish in a group of soundproofed offices located on the ground floor of the terminal building preferably near the apron; and

(ii) A diagram indicating the location of AIS units shall be placed at the apron entrance(s) to the terminal building.

(2) The physical layout of AIS units: These factors are principles for the layout of an AIS unit including:

(i) The space available;

(ii) The extent of the coverage zone; and

(iii) The demand for pre-flight information services (a reflection of the type and volume of traffic using the aerodrome).

173.59 Documentation

(a) Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate shall:

(1) Document the format and standards for the aeronautical information published under the authority of their certificate;

(2) Ensure that the format and standards take into account the circumstances under which the information will be used; and

(3) Hold copies of relevant reference material, standards, practices and procedures, and any other documentation that is necessary for the aeronautical information services listed in their exposition.

(b) The applicant shall establish a procedure to control all the documentation required by paragraph (a), to ensure that:

(1) The documentation is reviewed and authorized by appropriate personnel before issue;

(2) Current issues of relevant documentation are available to staff at all locations where they need access to such documentation for the aeronautical information services listed in their exposition;

(3) All obsolete documentation is promptly removed from all points of issue or use;

(4) Changes to documentation are reviewed and approved by appropriate personnel; and

(5) The current version of each item of documentation can be identified to preclude the use of out-of-date editions

173.61 Collection of information

(a) Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate shall establish procedures acceptable to the ECAA to collect and collate the information required for the aeronautical information services listed in their exposition; and

(b) The procedures shall ensure that:

(1) Applicable information is obtained from organizations" through the proper channels of communications” that provide services in support of the Egyptian air navigation system; and

(2) Applicable information is obtained from organizations "through the proper channels of communications" from the aeronautical information services of other States relevant to the requirements of international aircraft operations on international air routes originating from Egypt.

(3)Arrangements for the timely provision of information are made with the information originators prescribed in paragraph (b)(1) and (2) after ensuring that the information received from the information originators prescribed in paragraph (b) (1) is certified as accurate by a person identified by the originator to be responsible for the accuracy of that information; and

(4) Information received from the information originators prescribed in paragraph (b)(1) is certified as accurate by a person identified by the originator to be responsible for the accuracy of that information.

173.63 Publication of aeronautical information

(a) Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate shall establish procedures to check, co-ordinate, edit, publish and disseminate aeronautical information for the services listed in their exposition; and

(b) The procedures shall ensure that:

(1) The information received fewer than 173.61 is checked against available information to verify its accuracy prior to publication;

(2) The information received under 173.61 is edited, accurately published, and disseminated: In the format applicable to the operational significance of the information;

(3) Where applicable, in accordance with this part; and

(4) In a format in accordance with what takes account its nature and the circumstances under which the information will be used;

(c) Except for Paragraph (b)(4), permanent publications and long-term temporary publications are clearly identified as being published under the authority of the applicant’s aeronautical information service certificate;

(d) When aeronautical information obtained from the aeronautical information services of other States under 173.61 (b)(2) is disseminated, that information is clearly identified as having the authority of A.R.E;

(e) When information that has not been certified as required fewer than 173.61 (b) 4 is disseminated, that information is clearly identified as being unverified;

(f) Any permanent change to published information is coordinated with other applicable information originators before the change is published;

(g) Temporary information that is published with an estimated period is reviewed at an appropriate time to ensure that the originator takes the required action to cancel or reissue the information;

(h) The Aeronautical information publication and aeronautical information circular (Series B) are in the Arabic and English languages and all other aeronautical information is published in the English language only; and

(i) Units of measurement are consistent with those prescribed in the following table:

For measurement of

Units used

Distance used in navigation, position reporting, generally in excess of 2 to 3 nautical miles.

Relatively short distances such as those relating to aerodromes (e.g. runway length).

Altitudes, elevations and heights.

Horizontal speed including wind speed.

Vertical speed.

Wind direction for landing and taking off.

Wind direction (except for landing and taking off)

Visibility including runway visual range.

Altimeter setting.

Temperature.

Weight.

Time.

Nautical miles and tenths.

Meters.

Feet (with the exception of base-clouds in meters)

Knots.

Feet per minute.

Degrees magnetic.

Degrees true.

Kilometers or meters.

Hectopascal.

Degrees Celsius (centigrade).

Metric tons or kilograms.

Hours and minutes, the day of 24 HRS beginning at midnight UTC.

(j) Any of the aeronautical information published is promptly made available to the aeronautical information services of other States, upon request by those States; and

(k) An AIS shall ensure that aeronautical information/data necessary for the safety, regularity, or efficiency of air navigation is available in a form suitable for the operational requirements of: Flight operations personnel including flight crews, flight planning and flight simulator, and

(l) The air traffic services unit responsible for flight information service and the services responsible for pre-flight information

(m) The procedures for the AIP service shall, in addition to Paragraph (b), ensure that:

Aeronautical charts, and operationally significant information published in AIP Amendments and AIP Supplements as mentioned in EAC 173-2, are published in accordance with the AIRAC system;

(n) The information published under the AIRAC system is clearly identified with the acronym AIRAC; The information published under the AIRAC system is distributed so that recipient receives the information at least 28 days before its effective date; The information published under the AIRAC system is not changed for at least 28 days after the effective date, unless the circumstance notified is of a temporary nature and would not persist for the full period;

(o) Where an AIP Supplement is published to replace a NOTAM, the supplement shall include a reference to the serial number of the NOTAM; and where an AIP amendment or AIP supplement is published under the AIRAC system, a NOTAM is originated giving a brief description of the operationally significant contents, the effective date and the reference number of each amendment or supplement. The NOTAM shall:

(1) Come into force on the same effective date as the AIRAC amendment or the AIRAC supplement; and

(2) Remain in force, as a reminder on the pre-flight information bulletin, for a period of fourteen days.

(p) When information has not been submitted by the AIRAC date, a NIL notification shall be originated and distributed by NOTAM ore other suitable means, not later than one cycle before the AIRAC effective date concerned.

(q) Abbreviations, consistent with those prescribed in 173.21 are used in the published aeronautical information when:

(1) Their use is appropriate; and

(2) Their use will facilitate the dissemination of the information;

173.65 Error correction in published information

(a) Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate shall establish procedures to record, investigate, correct, and report any errors that are detected in the aeronautical information published under the authority of their certification;

(b) The procedures shall ensure that:

(1) The error is corrected by the most appropriate means relative to the operational significance of the error;

(2) The correction is clearly identified in the republished information; and

(3) The source of the error is identified and, where possible, eliminated.

173.67 Files

(a) The applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate shall establish procedures acceptable to the ECAA to identify, collect, index, store, maintain and dispose of the files that are necessary for the aeronautical information services listed in their exposition; and

(b) The procedures shall ensure that:

(1) There are files enabling all incoming and outgoing aeronautical information to be readily identified by serial number and date, and that supplementary information can be similarly verified and, where necessary, authenticated;

(2) There is a file of each person who is authorized by the applicant to check, edit, and publish aeronautical information;

(3) There is a file of each occurrence of error correction under the procedures required by 173.65;

(4) There is a file of each internal quality assurance review of the applicant’s organization carried out under the procedures required by 173.69; All files are legible and of a permanent nature;

(5) All electronic files are retained for at least 5-years to include NOTAM, AIP supplements and aeronautical information circulars and FPL shall be retained for at least 3 months;

(6) Backup system always available on request, its responsibility comes under the supervision of electronic department; and

(7) All such files are protected through the password.

173.69 Safety management system

(a) Each certificate holder shall establish, implement, maintain and adhere to a safety management system that is appropriate to the size, nature and complexity of all activities authorized to be conducted under the certificate and in accordance with EAC 00-11.

(b) That system shall as a minimum:

(1) Identify safety hazards;

(2) Ensure that remedial action necessary to maintain an acceptable level of safety is implemented;

(3) Provide for continuous monitoring and regular assessment of the safety level achieved; and

(4) Aim to make continuous improvement to the overall level of safety.

(c) The results of this system and related audits and corrective actions shall be made available to the ECAA upon request.

173.71 Human factor consideration

Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information service certificate shall take into consideration human factor principles which apply to aeronautical design, certificate, training, operations and maintenance and which safe interface between the human and other system components by proper consideration to human performance to facilitate the optimum utilization of aeronautical design, contents, processing and distribution of aeronautical information/data.

173.73 Security

(a) Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information services certification shall prepare AIS security procedures;

(b) Each AIS security procedures shall specify the physical security requirements, practices, and procedures to be followed for the purposes of minimizing the risk of, destruction of, damage to, or interference with the operation of, any AIS unit operated by the applicant where such destruction, damage, or interference is likely to endanger the safety of aircraft; and

(c) Without limiting the generality of Paragraph (b), the security procedures shall specify such physical security requirements, practices, and procedures as may be necessary: To ensure that entrances to permanent AIS facilities operated by the applicant are subject to positive access control at all times, so as to prevent unauthorized entry; To protect personnel on duty; To be followed in the event of a bomb threat or other threats of violence against an AIS unit; and

(d) All AIS staff is aware of the procedures to be followed in case of fire and revocation procedures.

173.75 Coordination

(a) Each applicant for the grant of an aeronautical information services certificate shall establish systems and procedures to ensure, where applicable, coordination between each AIS unit listed in the applicant’s exposition and the following agencies:

(1) The holder of the telecommunications and radio air navigation facilities service certificate issued under Part171;

(2) Any holder of an aeronautical telecommunication service certificate issued under Part174;

(3) The holder of air traffic service certificate issued under Part 172;

(4) The holder of aeronautical charts and instrument procedures certificate issued under Part311;

(5) The holder of Egyptian meteorological services certificate issued under Part303;

(6) The Egyptian defense force;

(7) Aircraft operators;

(8) Search and rescue authorities; and

(b) Where the listed AIS unit is an aerodrome control or aerodrome AIS unit:

(1) The aerodrome operator; and

(2) The apron management service, if the aerodrome control unit does not provide that service.

(c) The applicant shall provide systems and procedures acceptable to ECAA to facilitate communications between those AIS units having an operational requirement to communicate with each other;

(d) The applicant shall provide systems and procedures acceptable to ECAA to ensure that AIS units, aircraft operators, and aviation meteorological service providers, where they require the information, are provided, through the exchange of AIS messages, with details of:

(1) The intended movement of each aircraft for which a flight plan has been filed, and any amendments thereto;

(2) The flight plan; and

(3) Current information on the actual progress of the flight.

(e) The applicant shall establish procedures, acceptable to ECAA, to ensure that AIS messages are prepared and transmitted in accordance with the appropriate documents; and

(f) The applicant shall provide systems and procedures acceptable to ECAA to ensure that differences between the national parts and practices of the A.R.E. and the related ICAO standards, recommended practices and procedures are coordinated between AIS and general manager of legislation to ensure proper notification to ICAO and relevant publication in A.R.E. AIP.

173.77 Exchange of aeronautical information/data

(a) Each applicant for AIS shall designate the office to which all elements of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package originated by other States shall be addressed. Such an office shall be qualified to deal with requests for information originated by other States.

(b) Where A.R.E designates more than one international NOTAM office, it shall define the extent of responsibility and the territory covered by each office.

(c) An aeronautical information service shall arrange, as necessary, to satisfy operational requirements for the issuance and receipt of NOTAM distributed by telecommunication.

(d) Each applicant for AIS shall, wherever practicable, establish direct contact between aeronautical information services in order to facilitate the international exchange of aeronautical information.

(e) One copy of each of the elements of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package, in paper or electronic form or both, that have been requested by the aeronautical information service of an ICAO Contracting State shall be made available by the certificate holder in the mutually-agreed form(s), without charge, even where authority for publication/storage and distribution has been delegated to a commercial agency. The exchange of more than one copy of the elements of the integrated aeronautical information package and other air navigation documents, including those containing air navigation legislation and regulations, whether in paper and/or electronic form, should be subject to bilateral agreement between ICAO Contracting States.

173.79 Reserved

173.81 Cost recovery

The overhead cost of collecting and compiling aeronautical information/data should be included in the cost basis for airport and air navigation services charges, as appropriate, in accordance with the principles contained in ICAO’s Policies on Charges for Airports and Air Navigation Services (Doc 9082).

173.83 General specifications

(a) Each element of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package for international distribution shall include English text for those parts expressed in plain language.

(b) Place names shall be spelt in conformity with local usage, transliterated, when necessary, into the Latin alphabet. Units of measurement used in the distribution of aeronautical information should be consistent with Part 305.

(c) Each applicant shall ensure that ICAO abbreviations shall be used in the aeronautical information services they are and their use will facilitate distribution of information/data.

(d) Automation in AIS should be introduced with the objective of improving the speed, accuracy, efficiency and cost-effectiveness of aeronautical information services.

(e) The applicant shall ensure that each prohibited, restricted or danger area established in Egypt, upon initial establishment, be given identification and full details shall be promulgated (ref EAC 173-1)

(f) The identification so assigned shall be used to identify the area in all subsequent notifications pertaining to that area.

(g) The identification shall be composed of a group of letters and figures as follows:

(1) Nationality letters for location indicators;

(2) A letter P for prohibited area, R for restricted area and D for danger area as appropriate;

(3) A number, unduplicated within Egypt.

(h) To avoid confusion, identification numbers shall not be reused for a period of at least one year after cancellation of the area to which they refer.

(i) When a prohibited, restricted or danger area is established, the area should be as small as practicable and be contained within simple geographic limits so as to permit ease of reference by all concerned.

173.85 Common reference systems for air navigation:

(a) Horizontal reference system

(1) World Geodetic System-1984 (WGS-84) shall be used as the horizontal (geodetic) reference system for international air navigation. Consequently, published aeronautical geographical coordinates (indicating latitude and longitude) shall be expressed in terms of the WGS-84 geodetic reference datum.

(2) In precise geodetic application and some air navigation application, temporal changes in the tectonic plate motion and tidal effects on the crust should be and reflect the temporal effect; an epoch should be included with any set of absolute station coordinates.

(3) Geographical coordinates which have been transformed into WGS-84 coordinates but whose accuracy of original field work does not meet the requirements in Part 139 Subpart (e) be identified by an asterisk.

(4) The order of publication resolution of geographical coordinates shall be that specified in Appendix 1 and Table A7-1 of Appendix 7 while the order of chart resolution of geographical coordinates shall be that specified in Part 311.

(b) Vertical reference system:

(1) Mean sea level (MSL) datum, which gives the relationship of gravity-related height (elevation) to a surface known as the geoid, shall be used as the vertical reference system for international air navigation.

(2) The Earth Gravitational Model–1996(EGM-96), containing long wavelength gravity field data to degree and order 360, shall be used by l air navigation as the global gravity model.

(3) At those geographical positions where the accuracy of EGM-96 does not meet the accuracy requirements for elevation and geoids undulation in ECAR 139 Subpart (e) on basis of EGM-96 data, regional, national or local geoid's model other than the EGM-96 model is used, a description of the model used, including the required for height transformation between the model and EGM-96 shall be provided in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)..

(4) In addition to elevation referenced to the MSL (geoid's), for the specific surveyed ground positions, geoids undulation (referenced to the WGS-84 ellipsoid) for those positions specified in Appendix 1 shall also be published.

(5) The order of publication resolution of elevation and geoids undulation shall be that specified in Appendix 1 and Table A7-2 of Appendix 7 while the order of chart resolution of elevation and geoids undulation shall be that specified in ECAR 311.129; and

(1) For international civil aviation, the Gregorian calendar and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) shall be used as the temporal system.

(2) When a reference system is used for some applications, the feature catalogue, or the meta-data associated with an application schema or a data set, as appropriate, shall include either a description of that system or a citation for a document that describes that temporal reference system.