The provision of meteorological products and services in support of low level flight’s operation in Ukraine

Introduction In Ukraine low level flights below FL100 are conducted in the airspace of the G (GND-5 000 ft AMSL) classe. The G class is the uncontrolled airspace, UkSATSE is provided only with flight information service by 7 FICs.

VFR operations as well as IFR operations are conducted in both classes

Nowadays more than 300 aircrafts and 38 airlines are registered in Ukraine, which conduct aerial works. These airlines operate mainly in airspace of the class G. Some airlines and private pilots conduct general aviation operations. An average density of the operating traffic is more than 200 flights per month, but it has a tendency to the increase during the last years.

The flight operations, air traffic service and meteorological service are provided in accordance with the appropriate national rules created on basis of the ICAO SARPS.

MET Service provisions The GAMET/AIRMET conception in support of the LLF operations was implemented in Ukraine in September, 2004 instead of obsolete procedures of the serving LLF operations of former USSR. The MWO of UkSATSE is responsible for issuing and distributing of GAMET forecasts, AIRMET and SIGMET information. There are five MWOs serving flight operations within the airspace of five FIRs, including the airspace below FL100.

The MWO delivers GAMET, AIRMET and SIGMET to the adjacent FIC via the AFTN network. The prescribed aerodrome meteorological offices of the NHMS deliver routine messages METAR/SPECI and TAF forecasts of selected aerodromes to the appropriate FICs. The prescribed aerodrome meteorological offices are also responsible for supplying to FICs of some notifications concerning significant weather phenomena and conditions within the area of responsibility of the appropriate FIC, deriving from the synoptic stations of the NHMS.

The list of criteria for issuing of such notifications includes convective phenomena, the reduction of the visibility and height cloud base as well as freezing precipitation. This is provided, mainly, by voice communication means. The NHMS is also responsible through its aerodrome meteorological offices, for the preparation of flight documentation and briefing/consultation of the flight crew members at the adjacent aerodromes.

GAMET and AIRMET are a mandatory part of the flight documentation for LLF. METAR/SPECI and TAF are included to the flight documentation folder, if available. Nowadays the SIGWX charts for LLF are not applied in Ukraine.

Aerodrome Met Offices have the possibility of preparing of an individual en-route forecast in abbreviated plain Russian or English language (form TA) for the separate flight on request of operators or flight crew members. This forecast is provided to the pilot instead of other meteorological products (GAMET, AIRMET etc.).

GAMET area forecasts and AIRMET information are issued by UkSATSE MWOs for adjacent FIRs in compliance with the ICAO Annex 3 templates. GAMET forecasts are issued four times a day (forecast validity 00.00-00.06; 06.00-12.00; 12.00-18.00 and 18.00-24.00 UTC) with a lead time (time of issuance) one hour before the forecast takes effect. The reason for the issuing of GAMET, covering the night time of the days, is a support of LLF operations in a D class.

In addition to ICAO provisions the following data are included to the SEC I:

The direction of the wind and the gusts’ of the wind speed are included to the SFC WIND group if relevant, e.g. SFC WIND: 12/15 330/12G17MPS In cases of reduction of visibility to less than 5000 m the intensity of precipitation, descriptors SH and FZ are included to the SFC VIS group according to the MET REPORT format if relevant, e.g., SFС VIS: 08/12 3000М FBL FZRA N ОF N49

Specifying of the area of the predicted impact, likely occurrence of such elements of the forecast as a surface wind, visibility, convective clouds, significant weather phenomena, mountain waves, icing and turbulence, as to whole area of FIR, are provided by using:

an abbreviation ‘ISOL’– spatial covering <50 % of the area of the predicted effect of those elements ‘OCNL’ – 50 - 75 % spatial covering, that are inserted before the description of the relevant element, e.g., TURB: 12/15 OCNL MOD BLW 500М AGL; the abbreviation ‘FRQ’ – spatial covering > 75 % is not used

When the local reduction of the cloud base height is expected, for example, in radiation fogs or in showers within FIR boundaries, it is reported in the SIG CLD group referring to the phenomenon, which had generated that reduction. For example, SIG CLD: BKN 090/150M AGL IN SHRA, or SIG CLD: OVC 060/150M AGL IN FG, or SIG CLD: OVC 060/150M AGL IN FG VAL (VALLEYS).

When the impact of the forecasting element concerns the separate part of the FIR, one of the abbreviations from the abovementioned list including the abbreviation ‘FRQ’ is input into GAMET before the description of the one, and after that the expected geographical location of such an area within the boundaries of FIR is inserted as well, e.g., SIG CLD: BKN 150/600 M AGL ISOL CB 600/ABV 3050M AGL S OF N46

In addition to ICAO provisions the following data are included to the SEC II:

Besides the description of pressure centers and fronts, a few other features of baric field are used for the description, e.g., PSYS: rear part of cyclone

Two new groups of meteorological elements are added: The forecast of direction and speed of surface wind with values less than 15 MPS (30KT), e.g., SFC WIND: 06/09 180/05MPS 09/12 240/08G13MPS The forecast of minimum surface temperature within the FIR boundaries, e.g., MNM SFCT: PS15

Some features of the included into GAMET and AIRMET significant weather phenomena If one or more valid SIGMET messages contains information about en-route weather phenomena hazardous to LLF, then the description of those significant weather phenomena is included into GAMET forecast. If SIGMETs phenomenon(a) has a widespread extension of FIR area (spatial covering >75%), then the phenomenon(a) with less intensity is not included into GAMET forecast.

When SIGMETs phenomenon(a) covers only a part of FIR area (spatial covering <75% or <50%), the phenomenon(a) with less intensity, which is prescribed for entering into GAMET, could be included into forecast if it concerns the other part of FIR. If there is a confirmation of the first detection of the thunderstorm activity within the limits of FIR, AIRMET information is issued on the phenomenon ISOL TS or OCNL TS irrespective of thunderstorms were predicted in GAMET forecast and/or AIRMET information or not.

Conclusion UkSATSE as a Met Service provider has a little experience in the field of supporting of LLF (less than one year) However, before the beginning of Met Service activity we have made, first of all, an essential modification of GAMET forecast mostly reported above We regard the further improvement of procedures of LLF operations’ serving

Thank you for attention!