The main goal of air navigation service provision is to safely handle more traffic in the same amount of space during the same amount of time as well as to increase and emphasize the economic role of air navigation. It is very important to migrate paper-based, product-centered aeronautical information provided by AIS to data-centric and digital aeronautical information managed by AIM.
Through AIM improved access to timely and meaningful information for decision support and more autonomy in decision making which have a direct impact towards an integrated, responsive global Air Traffic Management (ATM).
United ATS has developed the ICAO STP entitled Transition from AIS to AIM. This STP, which has been validated by ICAO, focuses mainly on the parties involved in the implementation of AIM especially the oversight bodies and its specific role.
STP Goals
The main goal of the STP is to make the AIS officers believe in and satisfied with their knowledge, skills, competencies, and their importance in the overall picture of civil aviation.
The STP deals with the challenges that encounter the transition such as the required competencies for AIS officers as well as dealing with their resistance to change. The STP goes through the roadmap with its three phases and its twenty-one steps.
Without transition to AIM, we cannot get the required functionality of ATM which needs the quality data and information with the targeted characteristics of accuracy, resolution, integrity, completeness, timeliness, traceability, and format provided.
Any aerodrome/heliport used for international air operations, aeronautical information relative to the route stages originating at the aerodrome/heliport shall be made available to flight operations personnel, including flight crews and services responsible for pre-flight information emphasizing the importance of this service provided at each departure aerodrome.
The provision of air traffic services including air traffic control service will not relieve the basic responsibility of the flight crew for ensuring the safety of the aircraft by getting familiar with all the data and information concerning overflying FIR and the departure aerodrome in addition to the destination aerodrome and its alternatives. The briefing service can obtain all this data and information from the departure aerodrome.
United ATS has developed an STP validated by ICAO entitled Aerodrome Pre- Flight bulletin Issuance STP that focuses on the steps to be taken by the aerodrome ARO officer to facilitate the submission of the FPL by checking its format, checking its completeness and accuracy, taking action to make it acceptable and indicate acceptance.
The STP provides the aerodrome ARO officer with knowledge and skills for the NOTAM and chart reading. The STP also simplifies the method of creating and providing the pre-flight briefing and at the same time facilitates the provision of the post-flight briefing by the flight crew. ARO officers will be trained on how to get the most benefits of the aeronautical information products to maintain end-user satisfaction.
The challenge for AIM is to consider the information, processes, and services needed by ATMs today and in the future. So comes the growing responsibility of AIM to deliver the information services demanded by ATMs.
United ATS Training Catalogue for the year 2023 includes more than 40 training courses in the field of AIM. United ATS is in close and continuous cooperation with ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS Program to develop the AIM training programs into Standardized Training Packages STPs.
So far, United ATS has developed the program of Aerodrome Pre-Flight Bulletin Issuance STP and the program of Transition from AIS to AIM STP. ICAO has validated both programs and is available for international use.