SERA.13015 On-board aircraft identification setting

AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION SETTING

(a)The aircraft identification transmitted should conform to the format specified for Item 7 of the ICAO flight plan form.

(b)The competent authority should only authorise aircraft operators to use other than aircraft registration as aircraft identification when operating without a flight plan provided that:

(1)the aircraft operator demonstrates that procedures have been implemented to ensure the uniqueness of the aircraft identification for flights that might operate simultaneously;

(2)the air traffic services providers have indicated that the air traffic services surveillance systems are capable of managing duplication of Mode S aircraft identification;

(3)the need for individual identification for other authorities is addressed accordingly.

OPERATION OF ADS-B TRANSMITTERS To indicate that it is in a state of emergency or to transmit other urgent information, an aircraft equipped with ADS-B may operate either of the emergency and/or urgency mode as follows:

(a)emergency,

(b)communication failure,

(c)unlawful interference,

(d)minimum fuel/energy,

(e)medical.

OPERATION OF ADS-B TRANSMITTERS Some aircraft equipped with first-generation ADS-B avionics do not have the capability described in GM1 SERA.13015 and only have the capability to transmit a general emergency alert regardless of the code selected by the pilot.

AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION SETTING Point (b)(1) of AMC1 SERA.13015 requires aircraft operators to incorporate into an operations manual a mechanism that ensures the uniqueness of aircraft call signs. For example, they may elect to assign each pilot-in-command or each airframe with a unique number, which may also be augmented with the addition of letters. The call sign, consisting of the operator designator issued by ICAO and the unique number together with any augmenting letter, is to be inserted into the Mode S identification feature prior to departure and used in all radio communications unless instructed otherwise by air traffic services.

DUPLICATED AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION To demonstrate the resilience of the ATS surveillance system to duplicated aircraft identification, as prescribed in point (b)(2) of AMC1 SERA.13015, it is normally enough to indicate that a duplicated downlinked aircraft identification would not affect, or reduce in any way, the performance of the surveillance tracker for generating and validating system tracks. In the case of a multisensor tracking system, using surveillance information from sensors belonging to neighbouring air traffic services providers, indication that the neighbouring surveillance tracker is not affected by potential duplication of the aircraft identification is needed.

AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION SETTING The ATS surveillance information used by an air navigation service provider is in many Member States also used by other authorities (e.g. air defence, search and rescue). The impact, if any, of allowing aircraft operating without a flight plan to transmit aircraft identification other than aircraft registration should be assessed and documented accordingly, as prescribed in point (b)(3) of AMC1 SERA.13015.