New AIS Website

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Fri May 09, 2008 3:50 pm

As some of you may know, I represent AOPA UK on AIS matters.

From UK AIS:-

The AIS website www ais.org.uk has been redesigned and is now live.

The site has been re-hosted to the European AIS Database.

The new site features several improvements, developed in response to customer feedback:
• It is accessible to a wider range of web browsers
• The UK Aeronautical Information Package can be accessed without the need to register
• NOTAM output can be ordered geographically
• Easier format for entering a date/time group
• Easier access to non-UK information
• A brand new ‘point brief’ is available.

Pilots will still need to register to download NOTAM information. Users who initally registered after 16 Feb 2008 will need to re-register, but will find the process much simplified. There is no need to register if you solely wish to view Static Date ie UK AIP, AICs and Supplements

For the first few weeks from 08 May, the new and old websites will run in parallel to allow customers to become familiar with the new presentation and features. Both websites will be live and fully functional. During this period, NATS is seeking feedback and comments on the new site. NATS’ AIS can be contacted by e-mail at: [email protected] . Subject to satisfactory performance of the new website, NATS plans to switch off the old site on 30 May 2008.

NATS AIS would like to record its thanks to all those who have helped to develop the new site: from consultation to design, development and hosting, and the population of the site with information.

When NOTAM went on the Web in the UK in August 2002 every State maintained its own NOTAM database. The UK one was kept on a system known as AES (Aeronautical e-services) which was a product of Thales of France.

What's happened know is a move to a common European database, known as EAD (European AIS Database) so the new site pulls its data from EAD rather than AES. Once AIS are happy with the new site they will switch off AES. Wisely they have decided to run both in parallel during this proving phase.

This is about far more than just NOTAM. AIS covers all of the data in the AIP, which includes aerodrome and procedure plates. Clearly anyone who uses a paper flight guide, a GPS or a FMS needs AIP data and it needs to be updated. The whole process is part of a Eurocontrol move towards the AIXM (Aeronautical Information Exchange Model) which is an XML based way of communicating the data in machine readable format and doing away with manual re-keying. Doing it on a pan-european basis makes it far more achievable than leaving it to individual States.

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Sat May 10, 2008 2:02 am

AIS doesn't seem to be connecting up at this moment.

I did coincidentally get a URL for it on the nats site, which on initial sight seems much more friendly - only a couple of clicks to select specific airfield info, and much easier date entry for Notam. Sub-menu at side of page makes selection of site component much easier than the multiple nested menu at the top on the old one.

Got an odd problem with text size on airfield info look-up, which seemed to solve itself next time I tried, so maybe still being worked on.

Definitely a step or three in the right direction. Still can't enter ICAO airfield codes for routes - yes, I know they're not allowed as routings, but they're handier than looking up lat/long and we don't have the 5-figure navigation points marked on the 1/2 mill charts (yet?).

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Sat May 10, 2008 10:09 am

Dave

You still get to it on the original www.ais.org.uk URL and then pick the link on the homepage.

4 letter a/d ID's are not permitted in a Flight Plan route, which is why they aren't here. It's the same with the YYMMDD ICAO date format. It's generally best to have one standard applied, not to do it one way in the UK and another way elsewhere.

The 5 letter significant points as you say can be used but most (not all) do not feature on the CAA VFR charts. That's a discussion for the chart people and there's a feedback link on this page. The VFR Chart Editor is a cartographer who promptly went and got her PPL when she landed the job so you will have a sympathetic audience. I believe it's one of those judgement calls aimed at avoiding clutter. Two that would be useful to see are MIMBI and KENET, which feature in temp class A NOTAM when HRH goes flying.

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Sun May 11, 2008 1:39 am

Yes, ais.org.uk is connecting now, though it wasn't last night when I tried over a period of an hour or so.

I think we went through most of these points at the last rally or at another time, and I appreciate it's written to cover all pilots, with the requirement on using only information that would be on a flight plan.

If MIMBI and KENET are anywhere near Highgrove, it would certainly be handy from my point of view to recognise those - don't know if that's the HRH being referered to here. May need a few more if the younger HRHs start getting their own aircraft!

My present procedure is to do a narrow route brief, check the circles on UKGA.com Notam service to see if the ones with lat/long are critical, and note any details which affect the planned flight. That's already 3 steps more than some pilots, so anything that makes it easier for GA pilots to find out how to avoid problems in the air is to be encouraged.

If I don't have to fiddle with looking up lat/long refs, it doesn't take more than about 10 mins - time well spent to save embarrassment let alone fines, injury or worse.

Steve Brown · Post by **Steve Brown** » Sun May 11, 2008 9:37 pm

Does anyone know why a 10nm narrow route brief seems to include items that are not within 10nm of my route.
Thanks

josher · Post by **josher** » Tue May 13, 2008 7:35 pm

just used the new site for my first xs country this year. easier initial log its true but why oh why is it still not posibel to use other airfields as waypoint? this is possible on the olivia site

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Wed May 14, 2008 11:09 am

Trouble is, the AIS site is a standard for all flying, not a focussed one for GA, so it restricts itself to what is correct for the professional.

I have asked the same question as yourself ever since the original site came online. The fact AIS publishes a thick booklet explaining how to use the site is handy, but in a way condemns it at the same time.

For visualising the Notams, I really like the NOTAM map at UKGA.com, but as an unofficial site I back it up with a narrow route brief. If you also use the flight planning pages, it has a big file of waypoints to select from, and you can print out a plog with all your headings and times for the flight. It's pretty intuitive, and also looks up your met and runway data for the dep and dest. There's even a logbook you can use to back up that important detail.

Other sites exist, such as avbrief, which are also useful for Notams etc.

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Thu May 15, 2008 12:03 am

why is it still not posibel to use other airfields as waypoint?

It's because the site conforms to the ICAO syntax for a flight plan route. 4 character a/d indicators are not valid in the route in a FP and they're not valid on the AIS site either. Personally if there is an international standard I'd prefer us to comply.

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Thu May 15, 2008 9:17 pm

So Josher, the choice is yours - use Olivia which derives its data from a European standard site and almost translates it into English, struggle on with the more limited AIS site, or use one of the other sources.

It does get easier with time, and if at some point you get the 5-letter significant points like the above-mentioned MIMBI and KENET and all the otherrs(they are on the AIS site, but no map - yet!), they can be entered OK.

Mike, do you think there's any chance of a display to show these points on a webpage with major towns and/or airfields marked? It might make things easier for GA pilots trying to use our national site.

Mike Cross · Post by **Mike Cross** » Thu May 15, 2008 10:40 pm

Hi Dave

Realistically no unless someone wants to produce one, in which case I'm sure they'll host it. The difficulty is in maintaining it. A more likely suggestion would be to get them put on the CAA VFR charts.

The problem with them appearing in NOTAM scoped for VFR is not something AIS have control over. You''l find these NOTAM are originated by AUS (Airspace Utilisation Section of the CAA). They are staffed by Mil and it's something I've brought up a number of times in the past. Suggestions that they should add some indication fo location (5nm NW of Swindon" for example) have also fallen on deaf ears.

They no longer call them Purple Airways but it's still obvious what a it is and it seems daft to advertise that a VIP is going to be in a particular bit of airspace at a particular time.

Dave Hall · Post by **Dave Hall** » Sat May 17, 2008 1:49 am

They don't often get a mention in the VFR narrow route anyway, which is why I have little idea of where they are.

I think the SBS-1 device we were playing with at Fairford last year in the LAA tent showed them on the display.

Redwing · Post by **Redwing** » Tue May 20, 2008 2:31 am

New site sure feels a lot quicker and slicker than the old