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 07/2024
Effective from  17 MAY 2024
Published on 17 MAY 2024
 
 
Starfræksla loftfara flugrekstraraðila í öskumenguðu loftrými /
Volcanic ash - Commercial Air Transport
Content Responsibility:  Icelandic Transport Authority

1 Application

Applicable for all holders of AOC certificate based on regulation ESB No. 965/2012 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to air operations.
 
The purpose of this AIC is to provide operators, owners and maintenance organisations with new guidance on aircraft operations where volcanic ash contamination may be a hazard for flight operations.

2 Key principles

  • Operation in visible volcanic ash should be avoided.
  • Restricted area may be declared around the volcanic source. The extent of such an area depends on the prevailing circumstances.
  • The operator is responsible for the safety of its operations under the oversight of their respective State regulatory authority. The guiding principle for such operations is the use of a safety risk management approach, as described in ICAO Doc 9974, Commission Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 and applicable revision of EASA Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) 2023-13, "Flight in Airspace with Contamination of Volcanic Ash".
  • In order to consider whether or not to operate into airspace, or aerodromes where volcanic ash contamination has been forecast or known to be, the operator should have in place within its Safety Management System (SMS) an identifiable safety risk assessment (SRA) for operation within volcanic ash contaminated airspace.
  • In order to decide whether or not to operate into airspace, or aerodromes where volcanic ash contamination has been forecast or known to exist, the operator's SRA must be accepted by its State regulatory authority.

3 Definitions of ash contaminated areas

The following definitions of contamination are applicable for
airspace contaminated with volcanic ash:
  • Area of Low Contamination:
    Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations greater than 0.2 x 10 -3 grams/m 3, but less than or equal to 
    2 x 10 -3 g/m 3.
  • Area of Medium Contamination:
    Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations greater than 2 x 10 -3 g/m 3, but less than 4 x 10 -3 g/m 3.
  • Area of High Contamination:
    Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations equal to or greater than 4 x 10 -3 g/m 3, or areas of contaminated airspace where no ash concentration guidance is available.

4 Air Traffic Control Service in Iceland will be in accordance with following:

4.1 Operations of aircraft within areas of ash contamination

 Aircraft Operators make their own decisions whether to fly in ash contaminated areas based on the results from their SRA on operations in areas of ash contamination.

4.2 SIGMET and NOTAM

SIGMET will be issued for volcanic ash contaminated airspace.
NOTAM will be issued with information regarding the volcanic eruption and if restricted area will be declared around the volcanic source.

4.3 Websites for information on ash contamination

Maps and further Information can be accessed on the following websites:
UK  MET office:   https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/transport/aviation/regulated
London VAAC:  https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/services/transport/aviation/regulated/vaac/advisories
Eurocontrol: https://www.public.nm.eurocontrol.int/PUBPORTAL/gateway/spec/index.html
EASA: https://www.easa.europa.eu/easa-and-you/safety-management/volcanic-ash
Veðurstofa Íslands / Icelandic Met Office https://vedur.is/ and https://en.vedur.is/

 
At the time of publication of this AIC, the latest version of EASA Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) 2023-13 can be accessed at EASA homepage:
https://ad.easa.europa.eu/ad/2023-13#download

 
At the time of publication of this AIC, the latest version of ICAO Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan can be accessed here:
Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan (icao.int)

5 Additional information

For further information, contact the Icelandic Transport Authority:
     Phone: +3544806000
     Email: icetra@icetra.is
 

 

 

 
AIC hereby cancelled:  
AIC A 08/2020
 
NOTAM incorporated in this AIC:
NIL
 

 
 

ENDIR / END