AIC – ÍSLAND / ICELAND
Isavia ANS ehf., Reykjavíkurflugvelli, 102 Reykjavík /
Isavia ANS, Reykjavik Airport, IS-102 Reykjavik, Iceland
Sími / Telephone: + 354 424 4000
ais@isavia.is
http://www.isavia.is/ 
 
AIC A  01/2025
Effective from  20 MAR 2025
Published on 25 JAN 2025
 
 
 ADS-B og Mode S Ratsjársvaraskylda fyrir loftför starfrækt innan BIRD FIR  / 
ADS-B and Mode S Transponder Mandate for Aircraft Operating in BIRD FIR
Content Responsibility: Icelandic Transport Authority

1 Subject

Implementation of an ADS-B and Mode S Mandate in BIRD FIR.

2 Background

As part of the Single European Sky regulatory framework, regulation (EU) No 1207/2011 became applicable in 2013 in the ICAO EUR airspace. This regulation focuses on the technical performance and interoperability of surveillance systems and mandating ADS-B and Mode S. The regulation, with later amendments, was transposed into Icelandic legislation with Icelandic national regulation no. 1127/2014.  Iceland, situated within the ICAO NAT region, has hereto not applied this regulation.   
Icelandic Transport Authority (ICETRA) has decided to mandate aircraft equipage of Mode S and ADS-B. The mandate takes the form of applying regulation (EU) 1207/2011 as amended for all flights operating as IFR flights within the BIRD FIR as further detailed in this AIC. The mandate is based on the following operational considerations:
  1. Limited coverage and redundancy  of the radar network and the more extensive coverage and redundancy  of ADS-B surveillance within the BIRD FIR, both via Space Based and  Ground Based surveillance;
  1. The intent of Isavia ANS to start making use of Downlink Aircraft Parameters (DAP) in the information returned by the airborne Mode S transponder.
This decision is based on an impact assessment that was conducted in 2019 and 2020 by the ICETRA with the participation of Icelandic aircraft operators as well as Isavia ANS.
The decision is also based on similar mandates that are in effect in Europe and North America.
Note:  Regulation (EU) No 1207/2011 has been repealed by regulation (EU) 2023/1770, this new regulation has however not yet been transposed into Icelandic legislation.  ICETRA will consider newest timelines as per (EU) 2023/1770 when applying the requirements in Icelandic airspace. 

3 Purpose and applicability

This circular provides guidance on the mandatory equipage of ADS-B and Mode S for all aircraft operating as IFR flights within the BIRD FIR, as part of the Single European Sky (SES) airspace. The objective is to inform of surveillance equipment requirements, including outlined exemptions and retrofit timelines, ensuring safe, efficient, and interoperable air traffic management in the BIRD FIR.
The mandate will take effect on July 1 st 2025.

4 Equipment requirements as per Part-SUR of (EU) 2023/1770 to be transposed into Icelandic legislation:

4.1 AUR.SUR.1001 Subject matter

This Part lays down requirements on aircraft equipment and operating rules with regard to the use of airspace covering the applicable requirements on surveillance.
 
TITLE 1 – DEPENDENT COOPERATIVE SURVEILLANCE

4.2 AUR.SUR.2001 Scope

  1. This Title applies only to flights that operate as general air traffic in accordance with instrument flight rules.
  2. Notwithstanding paragraph (1), AUR.SUR.2015 shall apply to all flights operating as general air traffic.

4.3 AUR.SUR.2005 Requirements on aircraft equipment

  1. Aircraft operators shall ensure that:
    1. aircraft are equipped with serviceable secondary surveillance radar transponders that comply with the following conditions:
      1. they have the capabilities for airborne Mode S Elementary Surveillance (ELS);
      2. (they have sufficient continuity to avoid presenting an operational risk;
    2. aircraft of a maximum certified take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg or that have a maximum cruising true airspeed capability greater than 250 kt, with an individual certificate of airworthiness first issued on or after 7 June 1995, are equipped with serviceable secondary surveillance radar transponders that comply with the following conditions:
      1. they have the capabilities for 1 090 MHz Extended Squitter (ES) automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) Out, in addition to capabilities referred to in point (a)(i);
      2. they have sufficient continuity to avoid presenting an operational risk;
    3. fixed-wing aircraft of a maximum certified take-off mass exceeding 5 700 kg or that have a maximum cruising true airspeed capability greater than 250 kt, with an individual certificate of airworthiness first issued on or after 7 June 1995, are equipped with serviceable secondary surveillance radar transponders that comply with the following conditions:
      1. they have the capabilities for airborne Mode S Enhanced Surveillance (EHS), in addition to capabilities referred to in points (a)(i) and (b)(i);
      2. they have the continuity sufficient to avoid presenting an operational risk.
         
  1. Points 1(b) and (c) shall not apply to aircraft that belong to one of the following categories:
    1. aircraft being flown to undergo maintenance;
    2. aircraft being flown for export;
    3. aircraft whose operation will cease by 31 stof October 2025.
  1. Operators of aircraft with an individual certificate of airworthiness first issued before 7 December 2020 shall comply with points 1(b) and (c), subject to the following conditions:
    1. they have established before 7 December 2020 a retrofit programme demonstrating compliance with points 1(b) and (c);
    2. those aircraft have not benefitted from any Union funding granted to bring such aircraft in compliance with the requirements set out in points 1(b) and (c).
  1. Aircraft operators shall ensure that aircraft equipped in accordance with points 1, 2 and 3 and of a maximum certified take-off mass exceeding 5700 kg or that have a maximum cruising true airspeed capability greater than 250 kt, operate with antenna diversity.

4.4 AUR.SUR.2010 Inoperative transponder

For aircraft where the capability of the transponders to comply with the requirements laid down in points 1(b) and (c) of point AUR.SUR.2005 is temporarily inoperative, aircraft operators shall be entitled to operate those aircraft for a maximum of 3 consecutive days.

4.5 AUR.SUR.2015 Transponder 24-bit ICAO aircraft address

Aircraft operators shall ensure that on board the aircraft they are operating, any Mode S transponder operates with a 24-bit ICAO aircraft address that corresponds to the registration that has been assigned by the State in which the aircraft is registered.

4.6 AUR.SUR.2020 Surveillance operating procedures and training

Aircraft operators shall take the necessary measures to ensure that:
  1. their operating procedures are compliant with this Title and are reflected in their operations manuals; and
  2. the personnel operating surveillance equipment are made duly aware of this Title and are adequately trained for their job functions.

5 Additional flexibility provisions

Operators seeking exemptions shall submit an exemption request to ICETRA, including retrofit or decommissioning plans. 
In the event of temporary transponder failure, aircraft may operate for up to three consecutive days without ADS-B Out or Mode S compliance, provided corrective action is being taken and that the flight plan includes all relevant information.

6 Implementation and training

  1. Operating procedures:
    All operational procedures regarding ADS-B Out and Mode S compliance shall be included in the operations manuals.
  2. Personnel training:
    All personnel responsible for surveillance equipment shall be trained and fully aware of the regulatory requirements.

7 Additional requirements:

As stated above, there is limited radar surveillance coverage and redundancy  in the Icelandic airspace. Based on this fact, and to make the most use of the available ADS-B surveillance service provided by the Air Navigation Service Provider,  ICETRA has intentions to further extend the above ADS-B equipage requirements (point 1(b)) to all IFR flights, including those that are under 5700 kg.  The intent is that the extended ADS-B requirements will have the same applicability date of 1 st July 2025.
ICETRA hereby calls for comments from the user community, i.e. from operators/pilots of aircraft that have maximum certified take-off mass not exceeding 5 700 kg and operate as IFR flights, in order to enable an informed decision regarding the timing for this extended mandate of ADS-B equipage.

8 Contact Information

For any questions or further clarifications, contact ICETRA at: ans@icetra.is
 

 

 

 

 
AIC hereby cancelled:  
NIL
 
NOTAM incorporated in this AIC:
NIL
 

ENDIR / END