SERA.12001 Types of aircraft observations

Regulation (EU) No 923/2012

(a) The following aircraft observations shall be made during any phase of the flight:

(1) special aircraft observations; and

(2) other non-routine aircraft observations.

SERA.12005 Special aircraft observations

Regulation (EU) 2020/1177

(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.

GM1 SERA.12005(c)  Special aircraft observations

ED Decision 2016/023/R

In a busy environment where the transmission of complete special aircraft observations would have a negative impact on the frequency occupancy, ATC may instruct the aircraft to make the complete report on an alternative frequency.

SERA.12010 Other non-routine aircraft observations

Regulation (EU) No 923/2012

When other meteorological conditions not listed under SERA.12005(a), e.g. wind shear, are encountered and which, in the opinion of the pilot-in-command, may affect the safety or markedly affect the efficiency of other aircraft operations, the pilot-in-command shall advise the appropriate air traffic services unit as soon as practicable.

SERA.12015 Reporting of aircraft observations by voice communication

Regulation (EU) No 923/2012

(a) Aircraft observations shall be reported during flight at the time the observation is made or as soon thereafter as is practicable.

(b) Aircraft observations shall be reported as air-reports and shall comply with the technical specifications in Appendix 5.

SERA.12020 Exchange of air-reports

Regulation (EU) No 923/2012

(a) ATS units shall transmit, as soon as practicable, special and non-routine air-reports to:

(1) other aircraft concerned;

(2) the associated meteorological watch office (MWO) in accordance with point 3 of Appendix 5; and

(3) other ATS units concerned.

(b) Transmissions to aircraft shall be repeated at a frequency and continued for a period of time which shall be determined by the ATS unit concerned.

SPECIAL AIR-REPORTS

Special air-reports should be transmitted with the least possible delay to aircraft likely to be affected and should cover the portion of the route up to one hour’s flying time ahead of the aircraft.

SPECIAL AND NON-ROUTINE AIR-REPORTS TO THE ASSOCIATED METEOROLOGICAL WATCH OFFICE (MWO)

The transmission of special and non-routine air-reports to their associated MWO is to be intended with the exceptions of runway braking action encountered and wind shear air-reports.

OTHER ATS UNITS CONCERNED

Other ATS units concerned are those that have flights under their jurisdiction which are expected to enter the airspace concerned at a later stage of flight. Those flights could, for instance, require rerouting before entering the airspace concerned. As an example, a special air-report concerning volcanic ash or volcanic eruption could be necessary to transmit to aircraft by ATS units in the FIR adjacent to that affected by the air-report.