MET.TR.215 Forecasts and other information

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION FOR OPERATORS AND FLIGHT CREW Meteorological information provided to operators and flight crew members should be provided by means of one or more of the following:

(a)written or printed material, including specified charts and forms;

(b)data in a digital form;

(c)briefing;

(d)consultation;

(e)display; or

(f)an automated pre-flight information system providing self-briefing and flight documentation facilities while retaining access by operators and aircrew members to consultation, as necessary, with the aerodrome meteorological office.

SPECIFIC INFORMATION FOR HELICOPTER OPERATIONS

(a)Meteorological information for pre-flight planning and in-flight replanning by operators of helicopters flying to offshore structures should include data covering the layers from sea level to flight level 100.

(b)Particular mention should be made of the expected surface visibility, the amount, type, where available, base and tops of cloud below flight level 100, sea state and sea-surface temperature, mean sea-level pressure, and the occurrence and expected occurrence of turbulence and icing.

AUTOMATED PRE-FLIGHT INFORMATION SYSTEMS Automated pre-flight information systems for the supply of meteorological information for self-briefing, pre-flight planning and flight documentation should:

(a)provide for the continuous and timely updating of the system database and monitoring of the validity and integrity of the meteorological information stored;

(b)permit access to the system by operators and flight crew members and also by other aeronautical users concerned through suitable telecommunications means;

(c)use access and interrogation procedures based on abbreviated plain language and, as appropriate, ICAO location indicators, and aeronautical meteorological code data-type designators prescribed by WMO, or based on a menu-driven user interface, or other appropriate mechanisms as agreed between the meteorological services provider and the operators concerned; and

(d)provide for rapid response to a user request for information.

AUTOMATED PRE-FLIGHT INFORMATION SYSTEMS

(a)ICAO abbreviations and codes and location indicators are given respectively in ICAO Doc 8400 'Procedures for Air Navigation Services — ICAO Abbreviations and Codes (PANS-ABC)' and ICAO Doc 7910 'Location Indicators'.

(b)Aeronautical meteorological code data-type designators are given in the WMO Publication No 386 'Manual on the Global Telecommunication System'.

RESCUE COORDINATION CENTRES

(a)The elements which are not distributed routinely are:

(1)state of ground, and in particular any snow cover or flooding;

(2)sea-surface temperature, state of the sea, ice cover (if any) and ocean currents, if relevant to the search area; and

(3)sea-level pressure data.

(b)On request from the rescue coordination centre, the designated aerodrome meteorological office or meteorological watch office should arrange to obtain details of the flight documentation which was supplied to the missing aircraft, together with any amendments to the forecast which were transmitted to the aircraft in flight.

RESCUE COORDINATION CENTRES Information to be supplied to rescue coordination centres includes:

(a)significant en-route weather phenomena;

(b)cloud amount and type, particularly cumulonimbus; height indications of bases and tops;

(c)visibility and phenomena reducing visibility;

(d)surface wind and upper wind;

(e)state of ground, in particular, any snow cover or flooding;

(f)sea-surface temperature, state of the sea, ice cover if any and ocean currents, if relevant to the search area; and

(g)sea-level pressure data.

HEIGHT INDICATIONS REFERENCES TO EN-ROUTE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS All references to en-route meteorological conditions, such as height indications of upper winds, turbulence or bases and tops of clouds, should be expressed in flight levels. Height indications referred to en-route meteorological conditions may also be expressed in pressure, altitude or, for low-level flights, in height above ground level.

FLIGHT DOCUMENTATION

(a)Where the forecasts are supplied in chart form, flight documentation for low-level flights, including those in accordance with the visual flight rules, operating up to flight level 100 or up to flight level 150 in mountainous areas or higher, where necessary, should contain the following as appropriate to the flight:

(1)information from relevant SIGMET and AIRMET;

(2)upper wind and upper-air temperature charts; and

(3)significant weather charts.

(b)Where the forecasts are not supplied in chart form, flight documentation for low-level flights, including those in accordance with the visual flight rules, operating up to flight level 100 or up to flight level 150 in mountainous areas or higher, where necessary, should contain the following information as appropriate to the flight: SIGMET and AIRMET information.

FLIGHT DOCUMENTATION — LEGEND FOR THE CHARTS When the flight documentation related to forecasts of upper wind and upper-air temperature and SIGWX phenomena is presented in the form of charts, it should be in accordance with the below sheet of notations used in flight documentation. [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.]

MODEL CHARTS This guidance provides examples of model charts.

(a)UPPER WIND AND TEMPERATURE CHART FOR STANDARD ISOBARIC SURFACE

MODEL IS Example 1. Arrows, feathers and pennants (Mercator projection) [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.]

(b)UPPER WIND AND TEMPERATURE CHART FOR STANDARD ISOBARIC SURFACE

MODEL IS Example 2. Arrows, feathers and pennants (Polar stereographic projection) [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.]

(c)SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHART (HIGH LEVEL)

MODEL SWH Example. Polar stereographic projection (showing the jet stream vertical extent) [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.]

(d)SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHART (MEDIUM LEVEL)

MODEL SWM [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.]

(e)SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHART (LOW LEVEL)

MODEL SWL Example 1 [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.]

(f)SIGNIFICANT WEATHER CHART (LOW LEVEL)

MODEL SWL Example 2 [Figure or form omitted from this preview — available in the Avioverse workspace library.]

FORMAT OF FLIGHT DOCUMENTATION The location indicators and the abbreviations used should be explained in the flight documentation.

CHARTS Charts included in flight documentation should have a high standard of clarity and legibility and should have the following physical characteristics:

(a)For convenience, the largest size of charts should be about 42 × 30 cm (standard A3 size) and the smallest size should be about 21 × 30 cm (standard A4 size). The choice between these sizes should depend on the route lengths and the amount of detail that needs to be given in the charts as agreed between the aerodrome meteorological office and the users concerned;

(b)Major geographical features, such as coastlines, major rivers and lakes, should be depicted in a way that makes them easily recognisable;

(c)For charts prepared by computer, meteorological data should take preference over basic chart information, the former cancelling the latter wherever they overlap;

(d)Major aerodromes should be shown as a dot and identified by the first letter of the name of the city the aerodrome serves as given in Table AOP of the EUR air navigation plan;

(e)A geographical grid should be shown with meridians and parallels represented by dotted lines at each 10°-latitude and longitude; dots should be spaced one degree apart;

(f)Latitude and longitude values should be indicated at various points throughout the charts; and

(g)Labels on the charts for flight documentation should be clear and simple and should present the name of the world area forecast centre or, for non-WAFS products, the originating centre, the type of chart, date and valid time and, if necessary, the types of units used in an unambiguous way.

CHARTS

(a)The minimum number of charts for flights between flight level 250 and flight level 630 should include a high-level SIGWX chart (flight level 250 to flight level 630) or a medium-level SIGWX chart (flight level 100 to flight level 450), if appropriate, and a forecast flight level 340 wind and temperature chart.

(b)The actual charts provided for pre-flight and in-flight planning and for flight documentation should be agreed between the meteorological providers and the users concerned.

CHARTS — SHORT-HAUL FLIGHTS For short-haul flights, charts should be prepared covering limited areas at a scale of 1:15 × 10⁶ as required.

MAP PROJECTIONS — CORRECT CONVERSION BETWEEN DIFFERENT MAP PROJECTIONS When plotting shapes, particularly polygons, on maps, appropriate corrections are necessary if they are plotted on projections different to those used in the production of the original forecast area.

FORECASTS IN CHART FORM

(a)Charts related to concatenated route-specific upper wind and upper-air temperature forecasts should be provided as agreed between the meteorological service provider and the operator concerned.

(b)Guidance on the design, formulation and use of concatenated charts is given in ICAO DOC 8896 'Manual of Aeronautical Meteorological Practice' as last amended.

CLIMATOLOGICAL INFORMATION — PERIOD OF OBSERVATION Aeronautical climatological information should be based on observations made over a period of at least five years. The period should be indicated in the information supplied.

CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA RELATED TO SITES FOR NEW AERODROMES Climatological data related to sites for new aerodromes and to additional runways at existing aerodromes should be collected starting as early as possible before the commissioning of those aerodromes or runways.

CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMARIES Aerodrome climatological summaries should follow the procedures prescribed by the World Meteorological Organization and should be made available in a form to meet a specific user request.

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE An aerodrome climatological table should indicate:

(a)mean values and variations therefrom, including maximum and minimum values, of meteorological elements; and/or

(b)the frequency of occurrence of present weather phenomena affecting flight operations at the aerodrome; and/or

(c)the frequency of occurrence of specified values of one, or of a combination of two or more, elements.

CLIMATOLOGICAL TABLE Aerodrome climatological tables should include information required for the preparation of aerodrome climatological summaries.

CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMARIES Aerodrome climatological summaries should cover:

(a)frequencies of the occurrence of runway visual range/visibility and/or height of base of the lowest cloud layer of BKN or OVC extent below specified values at specified times;

(b)frequencies of visibility below specified values at specified times;

(c)frequencies of the height of base of the lowest cloud layer of BKN or OVC extent below specified values at specified times;

(d)frequencies of occurrence of concurrent wind direction and speed within specified ranges;

(e)frequencies of surface temperature in specified ranges of 5°C at specified times; and

(f)mean values and variations therefrom, including maximum and minimum values of meteorological elements required for operational planning purposes, including take-off performance calculations.

CLIMATOLOGICAL INFORMATION In cases where it is impracticable to meet the requirements for aeronautical climatological information on a national basis, the collection, processing and storage of observational data may be effected through computer facilities available for international use, and the responsibility for the preparation of the required aeronautical climatological information may be delegated by agreement between the competent authorities concerned.

CLIMATOLOGICAL SUMMARIES — MODELS Models of climatological summaries related to (a) to (e) of AMC6 MET.TR.215(i) are given in the WMO Publication No 49, Technical Regulations, Volume II, Part III – ‘AERONAUTICAL CLIMATOLOGY’.

CLIMATOLOGICAL DATA FOR AERODROME PLANNING PURPOSES Climatological data required for aerodrome planning purposes is set out in GM1 ADR-DSN.B.025 ‘Data to be used’.