GEN 3  Services

GEN 3.1  Aeronautical information services

1 Responsible service
1.1 The Aeronautical Information Service, which forms part of the Department Air Safety Infrastructure of the South African Civil Aviation Authority, ensures the flow of information necessary for the safety, regularity and efficiency of international and national air navigation within the area of its responsibility as indicated under para 2 below.

1.2  AIS Headquarters:

South African Civil Aviation Authority
Aeronautical Information Services
Private Bag x 73
Halfway House, 1685
Republic of South Africa

Tel:(011) 545 1000
Telefax:(011) 545 1465
AFS Address: FAHQYNYX

1.3  International NOTAM Office (NOF)

International NOTAM Office
A.T.N.S.
Private Bag X01
Bonaero Park
1622
Republic Of South Africa
Aeronautical Telegraphic Address: FAJNYNYX

Flight Plans
TEL: +2711 928 6518 (international calls)
0860 359 669 (national call share number)

NOTAM
TEL: +2711 9286592
Fax: +2711 9286514
E-mail: jsnotam@atns.co.za
Website: atns.co.za

2 Area of responsibility

The Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) is responsible for the collection and dissemination of information for the entire area which coincides with the Cape Town, Johannesburg and Johannesburg Oceanic Flight Information Regions (FIRs). The area excludes Lesotho and Swaziland as these states publish their own AIP and NOTAM.

3 Aeronautical publications
3.1 Aeronautical information is published in the form of an Integrated Aeronautical Information Package (IAIP), and consists of the following elements.
– Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) including amendment service;
– Supplements to the AIP;
– Notice to airmen (NOTAM) and pre-flight information bulletins (PIB);
– Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC).
– Checklists and list of valid NOTAM

3.2  Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)

The publication of an AIP is intended primarily to satisfy international requirements for the exchange of aeronautical information of a lasting character and is essential to Air Navigation.

The AIP constitutes the basic information source for permanent information and long duration temporary changes.

The AIP purchase price is R710-00 (excluding postage), which includes the amendment service for the current year.

Each AIP shall not duplicate information within itself or from other sources.

3.3  AIP Amendment service (AIP AMDT)

Permanent changes to the AIP shall be published as AIP Amendments.

Amendments to AIP shall be issued every 3 months at the following predetermined intervals:-

15 January, 15 April, 15 July, 15 October

When an AIP amendment will not be published at the established interval, a NIL notification shall be originated and distributed by means of the Summary of NOTAM in force (NIF).

Each AIP AMDT shall be allocated a serial number, which shall be consecutive and based on the calendar year. The year, indicated by two digits, is a part of the serial number of the amendment, e.g. AIP AMDT 1/96.

New or revised information contained in the AIP replacement pages will have an annotation (a thick vertical bar) next to the appropriate line. Should a page be reprinted because it was blank or backed a page containing changes, but does not carry any changes in respect to the previous edition, it shall not contain any highlighting symbols (vertical bar).

A checklist of AIP pages containing page number/chart title and the publication or effective date (day, month by name and year) of the information is reissued with each amendment and is an integral part of the AIP.

The AIP amendment service will cost R510-00 per year.

3.4  AIP Supplement Service (AIP SUP)

The purpose of the AIP SUP is to bring to the attention of the user any temporary changes of long duration (three months or longer) and/or information of operational significance containing extensive text or graphics, which affect one or more parts of the AIP.

Operationally significant changes shall be published under the AIRAC procedure (refer to paragraph 4).

AIP SUP shall be numbered consecutively based on a calendar year.

The period of validity will normally be given in the AIP SUP itself.

Whenever an AIP SUP is issued to replace a NOTAM, a reference to the serial number of the relevant NOTAM shall be included.

AIP SUP can be cancelled either by an AIP AMDT, AIP SUP or by NOTAM.

A checklist of all AIP SUP currently in force shall be issued at intervals of not more than one month. Such information shall be issued through the monthly summary of NOTAM in force (NIF).

3.5  AIRAC AIP Supplement (AIRAC AIP SUP)

The purpose of an AIP SUP is to bring to the attention of the user any temporary changes of long duration (three months or longer) and/or information of operational significance containing extensive text or graphics, which affect one or more parts of the AIP. Operationally significant changes shall be published in accordance with AIRAC procedures and shall be clearly identified by the acronym - AIRAC.

The AIRAC AIP SUP shall be published at least 56 days in advance of the effective date with the objective of reaching recipients at least 28 days in advance of the effective date.

Effective dates will be published in accordance with the predetermined internationally agreed schedule of effective dates based on an interval of 28 days.

Information notified by means of the AIRAC procedure shall not be changed for at least 28 days after the indicated effective date, unless the circumstance notified is of a temporary nature and would not persist for the full period.

When information has not been submitted for publication at the AIRAC date a NIL notification shall be originated and distributed by the monthly printed Plain Language Summary of NIF

3.6  Notice to airmen (NOTAM)

A NOTAM shall be originated and issued concerning the following information:

A NOTAM is a notice distributed by means of the Aeronautical Fixed Service (AFS) containing information concerning the establishment, withdrawal and significant changes in operational capability of radio navigation and air-ground communication services, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations.

A NOTAM shall be originated and issued promptly whenever the information to be disseminated is of a temporary nature and of short duration or when operationally significant permanent changes, or temporary changes of long duration are made at short notice, except for extensive text or graphics.

NOTAM are originated and issued for South Africa for the entire area which coincides with the Cape Town, Johannesburg and Johannesburg Oceanic Flight Information Regions (FIRs). The area excludes, Lesotho and Swaziland as these States publish NOTAM.

NOTAM are distributed in three series identified by A,B, C, D, E and F:

Series A: NOTAM containing information of concern to long or medium-range flights, and given selected international distribution.

Series B: NOTAM containing full information on all aerodromes, facilities and procedures available for use in international civil aviation and given international distribution to adjacent States only.

Series C: NOTAM containing information of concern to aircraft other than those engaged in international civil aviation and given national distribution only.

Series D: NOTAM containing information of concern for military airports only and given selected international distribution.

Series E: NOTAM containing information of concern for heliports only and given international distribution to adjacent States only.

Series F: NOTAM containing information of an administrative nature (e.g: Hand amendments, Publications, Trigger NOTAM); and given selected international distribution.

When an AIP AMDT or an AIP SUP is published in accordance with AIRAC procedures, a TRIGGER NOTAM shall be originated giving a brief description of the contents, the effective date, and the reference number to the AIP AMDT or AIP SUP.

The basic purpose of a NOTAM is the dissemination of information in advance of the event to which it relates, except in the case of unserviceability which cannot be foreseen.

A NOTAM checklist shall be issued over the AFS, for each month on the first day of the following month, containing a numerical list of all NOTAM currently in force and referring to the latest AIP AMDT, AIP SUP and AIC issued.

A monthly Checklist of Aeronautical Information includes a reference of the latest AlP AMDT, checklist of AlP SUP and AIC issued, shall be published on the Civil Aviation Authority website at www.caa.co.za

Pre-flight Information Bulletins (PIB), which contain recapitulation of current NOTAM and other information of urgent character for the operator/flight crews, are available from the Aeronautical Management Services Centre. The extent of the information contained in the PIB is indicated under paragraph 5 of this sub-section.

3.7  Aeronautical Information Circular (AIC)

An AIC is a notice containing information that does not qualify for the origination of a NOTAM or for inclusion into the AIP, but which relates to flight safety, air navigation, technical, administrative or legislative matters.

An AIC shall be issued whenever it is necessary to promulgate the following:

– A long-term forecast of any major change in legislation, regulations, procedures or facilities.
– Information of a purely explanatory or advisory nature liable to affect flight safety.
– Information or notification of an explanatory or advisory nature concerning technical, legislative or administrative matters.

AIC’s are classified into the following subjects - General, Operation of Aircraft, Personnel Licensing, Air Navigation Services, Aerodromes and Airworthiness.

Serial numbers will be allocated which shall be consecutive and based on the calendar year. E.g. 001/14, 002/14 etc

Series Subject
A - General
B - Operation of Aircraft
C - Personnel Licensing
D - Air Navigation Services
E - Aerodromes
F - Airworthiness


Further sub-divisions shall also be used e.g.

Series B - Operation of Aircraft General
Series B - Operation of Aircraft Safety
Series B - Operation of Aircraft Regulation
Series B - Operation of Aircraft Accidents and Incidents etc


The date of issue will appear on each AIC.

A check list of AIC (AIC 10.2) currently in force shall be available from the CAA website at www.caa.co.za under Aeronautical Information.

4 AIRAC System
4.1  In order to control and regulate the operationally significant changes requiring amendments to charts, route manuals e.t.c., such changes, whenever possible, will be issued on predetermined dates according to the AIRAC SYSTEM. This type of information will be published as an AIRAC AIP SUP.
4.2 The table below indicates AIRAC effective dates for the coming years. AIRAC information will be issued so that the information will be received by the user not later than 28 days, and for major changes not later than 56 days, before the effective date. At AIRAC effective date, a trigger NOTAM will be issued giving a brief description of the contents, effective date and reference number of the AIP AMDT or AIRAC AIP SUP that will become effective on that date. Trigger NOTAM will remain in force as a reminder in the PIB until the new checklist/summary is issued.

If no information was submitted for publication at the AIRAC date, a NIL notification will be issued by NOTAM not later than one AIRAC cycle before the AIRAC effective date concerned.

4.3 Schedule of AIRAC effective dates
2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
04 January 03 January 02 January 28 January 27 January 26 January
01 February 31 January 30 January 25 February 24 February 23 February
01 March 28 February 27 February 25 March 24 March 23 March
29 March 28 March 26 March 22 April 21 April 20 April
26 April 25 April 23 April 20 May 19 May 18 May
24 May 23 MAy 21 May 17 June 16 June 15 June
21 June 20 June 18 June 15 July 14 July 13 July
19 July 18 July 16 July 12 August 11 August 10 August
16 August 15 August 13 August 09 September 08 September 07 September
13 September 12 September 13 August 09 September 08 September 07 September
11 October 10 October 08 October 04 November 03 November 02 November
08 November 07 November 05 November 02 December 01 December 30 November
06 December 05 December 03 December 30 December 29 December 28 December
31 December
5 Pre-Flight Information

Additional current information relating to the aerodrome of departure shall be provided concerning the following:
Failure, irregular operation and changes in the operational status of radio navigation services, VHF aeromobile channels, RVR observing system and secondary power supply.

6 Pre-Flight Information Service at aerodromes/heliports.

Pre-flight information service is available through one of the following means:

The AIM Service Centre

Hours of service: MON-SUN 24HR

Contact details: +2711 928 6518 (international calls)
0860 359 669 (national call share number)

File2Fly Internet self-briefing service

Hours of Service: MON-SUN 24HR

Contact details: https://file2fly.atns.co.za

AIRPORT COVERAGE
O R Tambo International Airport.

Republic of South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique, Mauritius, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, Algeria, Ghana, Tunisia, Belgium, Germany, Finland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Sweden, Congo, Madagascar, Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Angola, Seychelles, Zimbabwe, Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Cote D’ivoire, Niger, Mali, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Ethiopia, Burundi, Somalia, Egypt, Eritrea, Kenya, Libya, Sudan, United Republic of Tanzania, Uganda, United States, Spain, Canary Islands, Gibraltar, France, Greece, Italy, Albania, Israel, Malta, Austria, Switzerland, Republic of Moldova, Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Honduras, Gautemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Afghanis tan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Pakistan, Iraq, Syrian Arab Republic, China, Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Sri Lanka, India, Hong Kong, Maldives, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Macao, Vietnam, Portugal, Denmark, Nigeria, Poland, Russia.

Daily NOTAM Summaries and Pre-flight Information Bulletins (PIB) are available from the AIM Service Centre.

A pre-flight information bulletin and NOTAM Summaries can be distributed by e-mail, facsimile or AFTN.

Post Flight Information Form, see (AIC 004/2018), for post-flight annotation by flight crews of information concerning the state, operation and reliability of air navigation facilities, are available on the ATNS website, www.atns.co.za, under the Post Flight Report on the AIM sub-menu.