SERA.12005 Special aircraft observations

(a)Special observations shall be made and reported by all aircraft whenever the following conditions are encountered or observed:

(1)moderate or severe turbulence; or

(2)moderate or severe icing; or

(3)severe mountain wave; or

(4)thunderstorms, without hail, that are obscured, embedded, widespread or in squall lines; or

(5)thunderstorms, with hail, that are obscured, embedded, widespread or in squall lines; or

(6)heavy dust storm or heavy sandstorm; or

(7)volcanic ash cloud; or

(8)pre-eruption volcanic activity or a volcanic eruption; or

(9)the runway braking action encountered is not as good as reported.

(b)Competent authorities shall prescribe as necessary other conditions which shall be reported by all aircraft when encountered or observed.

(c)Flight crews shall compile the reports using forms based on the model AIREP SPECIAL form as set out in point A of Appendix 5. Those reports shall comply with the detailed instructions for reporting, as provided in point 2 of Appendix 5.

(1)The detailed instructions, including the formats of messages and the phraseologies provided in Appendix 5, shall be used by flight crews when transmitting air-reports and by ATS units when retransmitting such reports.

(2)Special air-reports containing observations of volcanic activity shall be recorded on the special air-report of volcanic activity form. Forms based on the model form for special air-reports of volcanic activity set out in point B of Appendix 5 shall be provided for flight crews operating on routes which could be affected by volcanic ash clouds.