International Civil Aviation Organization

Establishment of ICAO requirements for Space Weather

Greg BrockActing Chief, Meteorology Section

ICAO Headquarters, Montreal17 May 2011

WMO Cg-XVI Side Event – Global Preparedness for Space Weather Hazards

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Contents

• Background• Recent progress• Future activities

ICAO requirements for Space Weather – WMO Cg XVI Side Event – 17 May 2011

Background

• Year 2000: New air trans-polar routes opened up between North America and East Asia

• Later: Polar routes across the South Pole

• Today: Approx 8000 trans- or cross-polar routes per year (N and S Poles)

• Year 2000: New air trans-polar routes opened up between North America and East Asia

• Later: Polar routes across the South Pole

• Today: Approx 8000 trans- or cross-polar routes per year (N and S Poles)

• Polar trajectories are more cost effective for airlines– Shorter, more direct,

long-haul routes– saving fuel and

minimising environmental impact

• …and more convenient for passengers– Less time in the air

• Polar trajectories are more cost effective for airlines– Shorter, more direct,

long-haul routes– saving fuel and

minimising environmental impact

• …and more convenient for passengers– Less time in the air

ICAO requirements for Space Weather – WMO Cg XVI Side Event – 17 May 2011 3

Background

• Recognition that aircraft operating on high latitude polar routes could be exposed to hazardous levels of solar radiation that could affect crew and passenger health, communications, navigation and avionics

• Recommendation that an assessment be conducted of the need for the provision of information for international air navigation on solar radiation storms and other bio-hazards

• Recognition that aircraft operating on high latitude polar routes could be exposed to hazardous levels of solar radiation that could affect crew and passenger health, communications, navigation and avionics

• Recommendation that an assessment be conducted of the need for the provision of information for international air navigation on solar radiation storms and other bio-hazards

ICAO requirements for Space Weather – WMO Cg XVI Side Event – 17 May 2011 4

ICAO MET Divisional Meeting (2002)

Recommendation 1/20c)

ICAO MET Divisional Meeting (2002)

Recommendation 1/20c)

IAVW Operations Group(2004 – present)

Conclusions 1/33, 3/31, 4/29, 5/18 and 5/19

Deliverable IAVWOPSG-09

IAVW Operations Group(2004 – present)

Conclusions 1/33, 3/31, 4/29, 5/18 and 5/19

Deliverable IAVWOPSG-09

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Recent progress

IAVWOPSG Conclusion 4/29IAVWOPSG Conclusion 4/29

• Development of guidance material on space weather with emphasis on the description of the impact of space weather on international air navigation

• 4 States plus WMO• Now available at:

http://www2.icao.int/en/ anb/met-aim/met/iavwopsg/ Pages/default.aspx

• Development of guidance material on space weather with emphasis on the description of the impact of space weather on international air navigation

• 4 States plus WMO• Now available at:

http://www2.icao.int/en/ anb/met-aim/met/iavwopsg/ Pages/default.aspx

IAVWOPSG Conclusion 5/19IAVWOPSG Conclusion 5/19

• Development of [ICAO] requirements for Space Weather – Drafting of operational

requirements and associated guidance material

– Development of milestones for the development and roll-out of a Space Weather service for international air navigation

• 7 States, IATA, IFALPA, IFATCA, in coordination with ICAO and WMO

• Development of [ICAO] requirements for Space Weather – Drafting of operational

requirements and associated guidance material

– Development of milestones for the development and roll-out of a Space Weather service for international air navigation

• 7 States, IATA, IFALPA, IFATCA, in coordination with ICAO and WMO

ICAO requirements for Space Weather – WMO Cg XVI Side Event – 17 May 2011 5

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Future activities

• IAVWOPSG/6 (September 2011, Dakar)– Review and discuss follow-up to Conclusion 5/19:

• Draft operational requirements• Draft guidance material• Roll-out plan/milestones for a space weather service

– Consider next-steps with respect to:• SARPs, procedures• Space weather service

• ICAO 12th Air Navigation Conference (2012)• ICAO MET/AIM Divisional Meeting (2014), conjoint with

WMO CAeM

• IAVWOPSG/6 (September 2011, Dakar)– Review and discuss follow-up to Conclusion 5/19:

• Draft operational requirements• Draft guidance material• Roll-out plan/milestones for a space weather service

– Consider next-steps with respect to:• SARPs, procedures• Space weather service

• ICAO 12th Air Navigation Conference (2012)• ICAO MET/AIM Divisional Meeting (2014), conjoint with

WMO CAeM

ICAO requirements for Space Weather – WMO Cg XVI Side Event – 17 May 2011