1. Regional Preparatory Workshop for the ITU WRC-2015
Nairobi, Kenya, 3-4 September 2013
Frequency Management in the AFI Region
Presented by Prosper Zo’o Minto’o
ICAO Regional Officer, Communications, Navigation & Surveillance
Eastern and Southern African Office

2. Introduction Air Navigation Plan - Planning Considerations General
Aeronautical Mobile Service
Aeronautical Radio Navigation Service
AFI Frequency Management Group
Objectives
Focus Areas
Frequency Assignment Planning and Management
AFI Communications Frequency Lists
Database
Software Tool

3. 1-Planning Considerations
Frequency assignment planning in the AFI region should be carried out in accordance with the provisions of Annex 10 supplemented, as necessary, by regional recommendations and technical criteria developed for this purpose.
Detailed guidance on frequency assignment planning for AMS and radio navigation aids will be developed by the AFI Frequency Management Group.

4. 1.1 Aeronautical Mobile Service
Frequencies should be assigned to all VHF AMS facilities, taking into account:
a) agreed geographical separation criteria based on 25 kHz interleaving between channels;
d) the need for maximum economy in frequency demands and in radio spectrum utilization; and
c) a deployment of frequencies which ensures that international services are planned to be free of interference from other services using the same band.

5. 1.1 Aeronautical Mobile Service
The priority order to be followed in the assignment of frequencies to service is:
a) ATS channels serving international services (ACC, APP, TWR, FIS);
b) ATS channels serving national purposes;
c) channels serving international VOLMET services;
d) channels serving ATIS and PAR; and
e) channels used for other than ATS purposes.

6. 1.1 Aeronautical Mobile Service
The criteria used for frequency assignment planning for VHF AMS facilities serving international requirements should, to the extent practicable, also be used to satisfy the need of national VHF AMS facilities.
Special provisions should be made, by agreement between the States concerned, for the sharing and the application of reduced protection of non-ATC frequencies in the national sub-bands, so as to obtain a more economical use of the available frequency spectrum consistent with operational requirements.
It should be ensured that no air/ground frequency is utilized outside its designated operational coverage.
It should be ensured that the stated operational requirements for coverage of a given frequency can be met for the transmission sites concerned, taking into account terrain configuration.

7. 1.2 Radio Navigation Aids
Frequencies should be assigned to all radio navigation facilities taking into account:
a) agreed geographical separation criteria based on assignments of 50 kHz-spaced frequencies to ILS localizer and VOR, X and Y channels to DME and 25 KHz space frequencies to GBAS;
b) the need for maximum economy in frequency demands and in radio spectrum utilization; and
c) a deployment of frequencies which ensures that international services are planned to be free of interference from other services using the same band.
The principles used for frequency assignment planning for radio navigation aids serving international requirements should, to the extent possible, also be used to satisfy the needs for national radio aids to navigation.

8. 2. AFI Frequency Management Group
Under the provisions of ICAO, the use of aeronautical frequencies is coordinated by ICAO through Regional Air Navigation meetings or through Planning and Implementation Regional Groups (PIRGs), such as APIRG.
Accordingly, the Sixteenth Meeting of the APIRG (APIRG/16) established in November 2007 the AFI Frequency Spectrum Management Group (AFI/FMG), under the coordination of the ICAO Secretariat, in order to address issues of common interest related to aeronautical spectrum management and control.

9. APIRG ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Integrated Telecommunication Infrastructure Task Force
3/31/2017

10. 2.1 AFI Frequency Management Group
The main objectives of the AFI/FMG are to:
Monitor and report to APIRG the status of available capacity in the various aviation frequency bands;
Coordinate new assignments of aeronautical frequencies;
Coordinate with the appropriate bodies (e.g. ATU, AFCAC, RECs, CAAs, ANSPs, Airspace Users) measures aimed at protecting aviation frequency spectrum; and
Ensure that AFI States provide the necessary support to ICAO position for ITU World Radiocommunication Conferences (WRCs) and related preparatory activities.

11. 2.1 AFI Frequency Management Group
Since 2007, the AFI/FMG has held three meetings
AFI/FMG/1, Dakar, Senegal, September 2009
AFI/FMG/2, Dakar, Senegal, April 2011
AFI/FMG/3, Nairobi, Kenya, July 2013
Progress reports on the activities carried out by the AFI FMG in accordance with its Action Plan were presented to APIRG/17 Meeting in August 2010 and APIRG/18 Meeting in March 2012.
Significant achievements noted, including an effective contribution to the successful outcome of the ITU WRC-12 for Civil Aviation as a result of the strong support to the ICAO Position received from States and other regional and international organizations.

12. 2.2 AFI Frequency Management Group
Examples of Focus Areas
ITU World Radiocommunication Conference 2015 (WRC-15) (ICAO Position)
International/National regulatory provisions to protect the use of Fixed Satellite Service (FSS) for the provision of aeronautical telecommunications services (Resolution 154 (WRC-12))
Development of a model of a national coordination framework to facilitate efficient dialogue between appropriate authorities and resolution of issues related to the provision, the optimum operation and protection of aeronautical telecommunications spectrum,
Survey on AFI States policies and regulations pertaining to aeronautical telecommunications, and determination of areas of required assistance by AFI /FMG
Coordination of trials on HF Propagation forecast with all States within the same frequencies allotment areas defined in the AFI Air Navigation Plan, FASID, Chart CNS 2.
Review and update AFI database COM Lists (managed and coordinated by the ICAO Regional Offices)

13. 3.1 Database COM Lists Tables 2003.mdb
Communications Frequency List No.1
Frequency Band KHz
Aeronautical Radio Navigation Service (L/NDB)
78+ Records
Communications Frequency List No.2
Frequency Band MHz
Frequency Band MHz
Aeronautical Radio Navigation Service (VOR, ILS, GBAS)
377+Records
Communications Frequency List No.3
Frequency Band MHz
Aeronautical Mobile Service (ACC, FIS, APP, TWR, AFIS, ATIS, VOLMET, SMC, AOC)
84+ Records

14. AFI COM LISTS

15. 3.2 Frequency Assignment Planning and Management Software Tool