Reference documents:
- ICAO Doc 9974:
- ICAO EUR/NAT Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan (VACP) (ICAO EUR Doc 019/NAT Doc 006 Part II):
- EASA Safety Information Bulletin (SIB) 2010-17R5:
1. Introduction
The purpose of this AIC is to provide operators, owners and maintenance organisations with new guidance on aircraft operations where volcanic ash contamination may be a hazard for flight operations.
2. Key principles
- The operator is responsible for the safety of its operations under the oversight of their respective State regulatory authority. The guiding principle for such operations is the use of a safety risk management approach, as described in ICAO Doc 9974 and
- In order to consider whether or not to operate into airspace forecast to be, or aerodromes known to be, contaminated with volcanic ash, the operator should have in place an identifiable safety risk assessment (SRA) within its Safety Management System (SMS).
- In order to decide whether or not to operate into airspace forecast to be, or aerodromes known to be, contaminated with volcanic ash, the operator’s SRA must be accepted by its State regulatory authority.
- The safety control measures set out in ICAO Doc 9974 andare intended to be sufficiently robust that they facilitate acceptance, without further investigation, by a State whose airspace is forecast to be affected by volcanic ash. The State can – based on the implementation of internationally accepted Safety Management principles - be confident in the ability of operators from other States to undertake operations safely in its airspace.
3. Terminology
The following definitions of contamination are applicable in Hungary regarding operation of aircraft in airspace contaminated with volcanic ash.
- Area of Low Contamination: Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations equal to or less than 2 x 10-3 g/m3. (Cyan)
- Area of Medium Contamination: Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations greater than 2 x 10-3 g/m3, but less than 4 x 10-3 g/m3. (Grey)
- Area of High Contamination: Airspace of defined dimensions where volcanic ash may be encountered at concentrations equal to or greater than 4 x 10-3 g/m3, or areas of contaminated airspace where no ash concentration guidance is available. (Red)
These definitions are consistent ICAO EUR/NAT Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan (VACP) (ICAO EUR Doc 019/NAT Doc 006 Part II) and
4. SRA application in Hungary
Areas of ash contamination
In Hungary, Aircraft Operators will be allowed to make decisions based on their SRA in the forecast areas of low, medium and high ash contamination.
Therefore, Hungary will allow operators to make decisions based on their SRA, as accepted by their respective State regulatory authority, in forecast areas of low, medium and high ash contamination.
Common SRA recognition
As part of its overall decision making process regarding the operation of aircraft in airspace forecast to be, or aerodromes known to be, contaminated with volcanic ash, Hungary will allow aircraft operators registered in other States to base their decisions on their SRA, as accepted by their State regulatory authority, in accordance with the above mentioned approach (see 4.1) to decision making in Hungary.
