Aeronautical Information Service

Aeronautical Information Service also known as AIS, is an important support role to the Convention onInternational Civil Aviation as defined by Annex 15 of the International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO.

The purpose of the Aeronautical Information Service is to ensure the flow of informationnecessary for the safety, regularity and efficiency of international air navigation.

ICAO Annex 15

Annex 15 defines how an Aeronautical Information Service shall receive and/or originate, collate or assemble, edit,format, publish/store and distribute specified aeronautical information/data. The goal is to satisfy the need for uniformity and consistency in the provision of aeronautical information/data that is required for operational use by international civil aviation.

The ICAO Council first adopted the original Standards and Recommended Practices in 1953. Annex 15 has its originsin Article 37 of the Chicago Convention. The first requirements for the Annex were developed by the ICAO AirNavigation Committee (now the Air Navigation Commission) in 1947.

Information Provided

Annex 15 specifies that aeronautical information be published as an integrated Aeronautical Information Package.

It is composed of the following elements: the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP), including amendment service, AIP supplements, NOTAM, Pre-Flight Information Bulletins (PIB), Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC), checklists and lists of valid NOTAM. Each element is used to distribute specific types of aeronautical information.

Aeronautical Information Service by Country

Not all contracting states of ICAO provide an online Aeronautical Information Service; the following list is not exhaustive.

* Info for the ECAC area: [http://www.teamead.com/components.html EAD]
* [http://www.eurocontrol.int/aim/public/standard_page/web_eur.html European AIS websites and contact information] at EUROCONTROL @is online web site
* [http://www.eurocontrol.int/aim/public/standard_page/web_af.html African AIS websites and contact information] at EUROCONTROL @is online web site
* [http://www.eurocontrol.int/aim/public/standard_page/web_ap.html Asian and Pacific AIS websites and contact information] at EUROCONTROL @is online web site
* [http://www.eurocontrol.int/aim/public/standard_page/web_me.html Middle Eastern AIS websites and contact information] at EUROCONTROL @is online web site
* [http://www.eurocontrol.int/aim/public/standard_page/web_na.html North, Central America and Caribbean AIS websites and contact information] at EUROCONTROL @is online web site
* [http://www.eurocontrol.int/aim/public/standard_page/web_sa.html South American AIS websites and contact information] at EUROCONTROL @is online web site
* [http://www.eurocontrol.int/aim/public/standard_page/web_mil.html Military AIS websites and contact information] at EUROCONTROL @is online web site
* China, [http://www.atmb.net.cn/english/ehxqb.asp Chinese Aeronautical Information Service]
* Denmark (incl Greenland & Faeroes), [http://www.slv.dk/Dokumenter/dscgi/ds.py/View/Collection-12 Luftfartsinformation]
* France, [http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr Service De L'information Aeronautique]
* Germany, [http://www.dfs-ais.de Aeronautical Information Service]
* Norway, [http://www.ippc.no/ippc/index.jsp?# Norway Aeronautical Information Service]
* Philippines, [http://www.ato.gov.ph/web/ais.htm Philippines Aeronautical Information Service]
* Poland, [http://www.ais.pata.pl/index.php?lang=_en Służba Informacji Lotniczej]
* Spain, [http://www.aena.es/csee/Satellite?cid=1078418720869&pagename=AIS%2FHome_AIS&SMO=1&Section=1&c=Page&MO=1 Información aeronáutica]
* UK, [http://www.ais.org.uk UK Aeronautical Information Service]
* Sweden, [http://www.lfv.se/templates/LFV_LFIStart____4353.aspx Flight Planning Centre Sweden AIS/ARO/NOF]

References

* [http://www.icao.int/y2k/ANNEX15.html Excerpt from Annex 15 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation]