INFO LAST UPDATED ON 26 JAN 2023                                                                      PDF version - Printable

GEN 3. SERVICES

GEN 3.1  AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION SERVICES

1.

RESPONSIBLE SERVICE(S)

1.1

The Sri Lanka Aeronautical Information Services (AIS), operated by the  Airport & Aviation services (Sri Lanka) (Private)Limited on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka, ensures the flow of information necessary for the safety and efficiency of international and national air navigation within the area of its responsibility as indicated under paragraph 2 below.

1.2  

The AIS consists of three main sections as follows:

1.2.1

 AIS Headquarters:

Postal Address:

Aeronautical Information Services (HQ)

Bandaranaike Intl. Airport Colombo,

Katunayake, Sri Lanka.

Tel               :  +94-11-2264203

Fax           :  +94-11-2259916

AFS         :  VCBIYOYX

e-mail          : aimhq@airport.lk

Service Provided during Office Hours.

1.2.2 

  International NOTAM Office (NOF) 

Postal Address:

International NOTAM Office (NOF)

Aeronautical Information Services,

Bandaranaike Intl. Airport Colombo,

Katunayake.

Sri Lanka

Tel                  :  +94-11-2264225 

Fax                :  +94-11-2259916

AFS               :  VCBIYNYX

e-mail            :  aimnof@airport.lk

Service provided during 24 Hours.

AIS Aerodrome Briefing / ARO Units:

a)  AIS Aerodrome Briefing / ARO Unit at KATUNAYAKE/Bandaranaike Intl. Airport

Postal Address:

AIS Flight Briefing / ARO Unit,

Aeronautical Information Services,

Banadaranaike Intl. Airport Colombo,

Katunayake.

Sri Lanka

Tel       : +94-11-2264226/7

Fax      : +94-11-2259916

AFS    :   ARO/ Briefing  : VCBIZPZX   

e-mail  : aim@airport.lk

Service provided during 24 Hours.

b) AIS Aerodrome Briefing / ARO Unit at MATTALA / Mattala Rajapaksa Intl. Airport

    Postal Address:

AIS Flight Briefing / ARO Unit,

Aeronautical Information Services,

Mattala Rajapaksa Intl. Airport,

Mattala.

Sri Lanka.

Tel                :  +94-47-2031292  or  +94-47-2031293

Tele Fax       :  +94-47-2031304

AFS             : ARO/ Briefing  : VCRIZPZX 

e-mail          :  aimmria@airport.lk

      Service provided during 24 Hours.

c). AIS Aerodrome  Briefing / ARO Unit at RATMALANA/Colombo Intl. Airport Ratmalana

     Postal Address:

     Aeronautical Information Service,

Colombo Intl. Airport Ratmalana,

Ratmalana,

Sri Lanka.

Tel                  : +94-11-2623030 Ext.254

Tele fax           : +94-11-2623030 Ext.254

AFS               : ARO/ Briefing  : VCCCZPZX 

e-mail             : aimrma@airport.lk

Service provided : HO

2 

 AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

2.1

The AIS is responsible for the collection and dissemination of information for the entire territory of  Sri Lanka and for the airspace over the high seas under the jurisdiction of the  Sri Lanka for air traffic control purposes.

 3.  

AERONAUTICAL PUBLICATIONS

3.1.

The aeronautical information is provided in the form of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package consisting of the following elements:

-       Aeronautical Information Publication(AIP)

-       Amendment service to the AIP (AIP AMDT)

-       Supplement to the AIP (AIP SUP)

-       NOTAM and Pre-flight Information Bulletins (PIB)

-       Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC)

-       Checklists and lists of valid NOTAM

 3.1.1

NOTAM and the related monthly checklists are issued via the Aeronautical Fixed Service (AFS), while PIB are made available at aerodrome AIS Units (Note: Also see GEN 3.1-9, para 5.1) . All other elements of the package are distributed by air mail and/or e-mail.

3.2

Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP)

3.2.1

The AIP issued in one volume is the basic Aeronautical Information document for Sri Lanka and contains information of a lasting character essential to Air Navigation. It is available in English only and is maintained up to date by an amendment service of reprinted pages and in the case of minor amendments, by manuscript corrections.  

3.3

Amendment Service to the AIP (AIP AMDT)

3.3.1

Amendments to the AIP are made by the AIP amendments (AIP AMDT) which consist of permenent changes / additions to the information that is already published.

AIP Amendments contain two types of addtions/changes,  i.e, AIRAC changes/additions of operational significance and Non-AIRAC changes/additions not having the same operational status.

3.3.3

AIP Amendments are published to be effective on an AIRAC effective date and distributed at least 42 days in advance of the effective date. So, all AIP amendments are identified clearly by the acronym  "AIRAC". In most of the cases, AIP Amendments consist of both AIRAC and Non AIRAC type information in the same publication.

3.3.4

A brief description of the changes (AIRAC or Non AIRAC) affected by the amendment is given on the AIP amendemnt cover sheet. On each replacement AIP page, the changes are annotated  or identified in the outer margin of the page by a vertical line or an arrow adjacent to the change/addition/deletion.

3.3.5

Each AIP page and each AIP replacement page introduced by an amendment, including the amendment cover sheet are dated. The date consist of the day, month (by name) and year of the publication/effective date of the information. Each AIP amendment cover sheet includes reference to the serial number of those elements, if any, of the Integrated Aeronautical Information Package which have been incorporated in the AIP by the amendment and are consequently cancelled.

3.4

Supplement to the AIP (AIP SUP)

3.4.1

Temporary changes of long duration (three months and longer) and information of short duration which consists extensive text and / or graphics, supplementing the permanent information contained in the AIP are published as AIP Supplements (AIP SUP). Operationally significant temporary changes to the AIP are published in accordance with AIRAC system and its established effective dates and are identified clearly by the acronym "AIRAC".

3.4.2

AIP SUP are placed at the beginning of the AIP. AIP SUP are published on yellow paper to be conspicuous and to stand out from the rest of the AIP. Each AIP SUP (regular or AIRAC) is allocated a serial number which is consecutive and based on the calendar year. ( i.e. AIP SUP No: 1/13, AIRAC AIP SUP  No :2/13,AIP SUP No: 3/13....).

3.4.3

An AIP SUP is kept in the AIP as long as all or some of its contents remain valid. The period of validity of the information contained in the AIP SUP will normally be given in the supplement itself.  Alternatively, NOTAM may be used to indicate changes to the period of validity or cancellation of the supplement.

3.5  

NOTAM and Pre-flight Information Bulletins(PIB)

3.5.1

NOTAM contain information concerning the establishment, condition or changes in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential for personnel concerned with flight operations. The text of each NOTAM contains the information in the order shown in the ICAO NOTAM Format and is composed of the signification/uniform abbreviated phraseology assigned to the ICAO NOTAM code complemented by ICAO abbreviations, indicators, designators, call sings, frequencies, figures and plain language. NOTAM are originated and issued for Colombo FIR and are distributed in three series identified by the letters A, B and C.

Series- A  :  Containing information concerning facilities, services and procedures of interest   to  international civil aviation and given general international distribution.

 Series-B   : Containing information on changes of short duration (not more than 3 hrs) to facilities,  services and procedures of interest to international civil aviation and given  international distribution to adjacent states only.

Series C   :  For national distribution only.

 3.5.2 

NOTAM are published as and when necessary to disseminate information of direct operational significance which:

(a)     is of an ephemeral nature

(b)    requires advance distribution; or

(c)     is appropriate to the AIP but  immediate dissemination is required.

3.5.3

Each NOTAM is assigned a four-digit serial number preceded by an appropriate letter indicating the series and followed by a stroke and two digits indicating the year of issuance. I.e A0100/01. The serial numbers start with 0001 at 0000 UTC on 1st January every year

 3.5.4

Following PDAI should be used by the other NOFs to send their NOTAM to Colombo NOF:

     VCZZNOAX - for any series of NOTAM

3.5.5

NOTAM are exchanged between Colombo NOF and other NOFs as follows:

3.5.6

Pre-flight Information Bulletins (PIB), which contains recapitulation of current NOTAM and other information of urgent character for the operator /flight crews are available at the aerodrome AIS units. The status and extent of this service is further described in the paragraph 5.

 Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC)

3.6.1

Aeronautical Information Circulars (AIC) contain information on the long term forecast of any major change in legislation, regulation, procedures or facilities, information of a purely explanatory or advisory nature liable to affect flight safety, and information or notification of an explanatory or advisory nature concerning technical, legislative or purely administrative matters. AICs are issued in two series ( A and B). AIC series A contains information affecting international civil aviation and is given international distribution while AIC series B contains information affecting national aviation only and is given national distribution.

3.6.2

Each AIC is numbered consecutively on a calendar year basis. The year indicated by two digits, is a part of the serial number of the AIC. i.e, AIC A 01/03, AIC B 01/03. A checklist of AIC currently in force is issued as an AIC once a year.

3.7

Checklist and List of valid NOTAM

3.7.1 

A Checklist of Valid NOTAM is issued monthly via AFS. The checklist is followed by List  of Valid NOTAM and distributed by post  or via e-mail to all recipients of the integrated information package. List of Valid NOTAM  contains a plain language    (in English) presentation of the valid NOTAM and information about the  latest issued AIP AMDT, AIRAC AIP AMDT, AIP SUP, AIRAC AIP SUP and AIC. The latest List of Valid NOTAM  (A Series only) can be viewed in the AIS Web site at URL :

http://www.airport.lk/aasl/AIS/web.Home.htm  

or,

http://www1.airport.lk/aasl/AIS/web.Home.htm (AASL Network users)

3.8

Electronic AIP (eAIP) available on CD -ROM and in the internet.

3.8.1

eAIP Sri Lanka also is published as per the ICAO AIP specimen (ICAO DOC 8126).The eAIP CD-ROM includes following IAIP elements current as on the effective date of the eAIP :

i.   AIP Sri Lanka (with the latest AIP AMDT incorporated).

ii.  Latest AIP AMDT

iii. AIP Supplements current as on the effective date of the eAIP

iv. AICs current as on the effective date of the eAIP

 v. Online access to the AIS web site to view  latest list of valid NOTAM  and the subsequent   updates for AIP SUP and AIC.

3.8.2

eAIP is updated by issuing replacement CD-ROM. A new CD-ROM is issued each time when an AIP AMDT is issued. The AIP AMDT number and the effective date are printed on the CD-ROM.  

3.8.3

Electronic version of all IAIP elements are also available in the AIS web site (URL:http://www.airport.lk/aasl/AIS/web.Home.htm  or http://www1.airport.lk/aasl/AIS/web.Home.htm) (AASL Network users). This site is continually updated by the AIS/HQ and all IAIP publications aremaintained current up to the date.

3.9 

Sale of Publications

3.9.1

The AIP paper version and eAIP CD-ROM may be purchased from the AIS Headquarters located at Bandaranaike Intl. Airport Colombo, Katunayake. The details of subscription fees for AIP (paper) and eAIP are given in the following table:   

4.

AIRAC SYSTEM

4.1 

In order to control and regulate the operationally significant changes requiring amendments to charts route manuals etc, such changes whenever possible will be issued on predetermined dates according to the AIRAC SYSTEM. This type of information will be published as an AIRAC AIP SUP or AIRAC AIP AMDT.

4.2

The table below indicates AIRAC effective dates for the current and coming years. AIRAC information will be issued 42 days before the effective date so as to reach recipients at least 28 days in advance of the AIRAC effective date, and for major changes AIRAC information will be issued not later than 56 days before the effective date.

Schedule of AIRAC effective dates.

5 

PRE-FLIGHT INFORMATION SERVICES  AT AERODROMES  

 5.1

Pre-Flight information service is available at the AIS Flight Briefing units at the following airports:

• KATUNAYAKE / Bandaranaike Intl. Airport Colombo.
• MATTALA / Mattala Rajapaksa Intl. Airport.
• RATMALANA / Colombo Intl. Airport Ratmalana.

5.1.1

Pre flight Information Bulletin (PIB) Service is available at KATUNAYAKE / Bandaranaike Intl. Airport Colombo throughout 24 Hrs.

PIB service will be available at MATTALA/Mattala Rajapaksa intl. Airport and RATMALANA/Colombo Intl.Airport Ratmalana only with prior notice. However updated NOTAM will be made available for reference during the operational hours at both airports.  

 5.2

Post-Flight information forms (form ATC-24) for annotation by aircrews of information concerning the state and operation of air navigation facilities etc. are available at the AIS units of the airports at Katunayake ,Mattala and  Ratmalana.