Page 52 - UK SERA Standardises European Rules of the Air Regulations (Consolidated) January 2022

SERA - Standardised European Rules of the Air

SECTION 12 SERVICES RELATED TO METEOROLOGY - AIRCRAFT OBSERVATIONS AND REPORTS BY VOICE
COMMUNICATIONS
Reference Description
SERA.12001 Types of aircraft observations
(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
(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.
(b) The competent authority 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.
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Centrik Regulations Team note: This item was due to be amended by CIR (EU) 2020/469 however, the
applicability date was delayed by CIR (EU) 2020/1177 until after the EU Exit date. Therefore, the
amendments did not enter into UK Law and were not applied to this item.
SERA.12005(c) GM1 Special aircraft observations
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
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
(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
(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.
SERA.12020 AMC1 Exchange of air-reports
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.
SERA.12020(a)(3) GM1 Exchange of 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.
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