Aeronautical data quality implementation

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and National Air Traffic Services Ltd (NATS) are working collaboratively with all Stakeholders to support the implementation of aeronautical data quality requirements in the United Kingdom by providing regulatory oversight of data chains from origination to publication by Aeronautical Information Services (AIS).

Data required to meet ADQ IR requirements

ADQ IR applies to aeronautical information and data with an ICAO integrity level or DAL level, and which are included in the following products made available by or through the UK AISP:

• Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), including Amendments and Supplements;
• aeronautical charts;
• NOTAM; and
• digital data sets.

Compliance with data quality requirements shall not inhibit the urgent distribution of aeronautical information necessary to ensure the safety of flight via NOTAM.

Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC) are exempt from the regulation.

Integrity requirements apply to all numerical and non-numerical data and information published in AIS products listed above.

Parties required to meet ADQ IR requirements

The ADQ IR applies to all parties involved in the upstream data chain for data in the scope of the ADQ IR from the point of origination to the point of publication by AIS. In addition to aerodrome operators this includes, for example, air navigation service providers, entities providing services for the origination and provision of survey data, procedure design services, and entities providing electronic terrain and obstacle data.

Only ADQ-compliant parties can deliver ADQ-compliant data and information (data items which are in the scope of ADQ IR are described above) for inclusion in UK Aeronautical Information Products.

The ADQ IR does not apply to operators of aerodromes and heliports for which no IFR (or SVFR) procedure is published in the AIP, even if those aerodromes/heliports are referenced in any part of the AIP.

For each section of the AIP there is an Authorised Source that is responsible for the provision and maintenance of data items published in their associated section of the AIP. The table included in Annex A identifies the Authorised Sources and the sections of the AIP for which they are responsible.

Aerodrome survey guidance

The CAA provides CAP 1732 Aerodrome Survey Guidance for aerodrome operators and other data originators (including contracted activities) to support compliance with the Regulation EU 139/2014, EU 73/2010 and ICAO Annex 4, Annex 11 and Annex 14.

This guidance also complements AMC and GM to the EU 139/2014, ICAO PANS-AIM and EUROCONTROL - Terrain and Obstacle Data Manual and should be used in conjunction with those documents.

The guidance is applicable to UK CAA EASA certificated aerodromes and all aerodromes with Instrument Flight Procedures.

All comments to CAP 1732 received before and after publication have been assessed and published in two Consolidated Response Documents (CRD1 and CRD2) to help provide further guidance to those in scope of the document. If you cannot find the answers you are looking for, please contact aimr@caa.co.uk

Formal arrangements

One of the key requirements of the aeronautical data regulations is the establishment of formal arrangements between all parties involved in the exchange of aeronautical data and since May 2018 NATS has been sending formal arrangement templates to Accountable Managers and registered data sponsors.

Formal arrangements with NATS shall be signed on behalf of an organisation by the Accountable Manager or a competent person formally appointed by the Accountable Manager to be directly responsible for all aeronautical data activities and aeronautical information provision activities at the aerodrome. This should be provided within 15 working days from the delivery date. In due course, the signatory will be required to provide a full list of authorised individuals, who are responsible for submitting changes to AIS products within a clearly defined scope of authorised changes (data items). The signatory will also be responsible for updating and maintaining this list on a regular basis.

UK ADQ Compliance status (2020)

UK Aeronautical Information Products that fall within the scope of the ADQ IR (i.e. the UK Aeronautical Information Publication, Aeronautical Charts, NOTAM and digital data sets) are provided in accordance with the ADQ IR requirements and relevant ICAO Annex 4 and Annex 15 requirements (unless a difference has been filed to ICAO – as per UK AIP GEN 1.7).

In October 2018 NATS AIM implemented a new Aeronautical Information Management System called Aurora. The system is used by the UK AIS to receive, process, publish and store aeronautical data and information in compliance with the ADQ IR.

The Aurora Data Originators Portal (an integral part of Aurora, providing the interface between the AISP and Authorised Sources) was opened on the 3rd Jan 2019. Since then UK AIP change request submissions have been made via the Portal and received directly in the Aurora system. To gain access to the Portal all Authorised Sources were required to sign Formal Arrangements with AIS.

Following implementation of the Aurora system the UK AIS is considered to be fully ADQ compliant by the CAA.

To assist Aerodrome Operators in preparing the necessary evidence to demonstrate their compliance with the ADQ IR (and EU 139/2014) during CAA regulatory oversight audits, the CAA created a 5-year Transition Plan. In summary:

• Aerodrome operators must provide the UK AIS with a CAP 1732-compliant survey and then review the aerodrome’s IFPs.
• Aerodrome operators are required to deliver a CAP 1732 survey before the date of their next scheduled 5-year Instrument Flight Procedure (IFP) review at the latest, or sooner if possible.
• The CAA expects that all data items in the AIP that are within scope will be ADQ compliant by December 2023.