Compare and highlight differences

Compare / EASA/ Incorporated Amendments/ Compare & Highlight Differences

Appendix 4

Available versions for ERULES-1963177438-17760

Regulation (EU) 2020/469 found in: ATM/ANS Provision of Services (No 2017/373) (Mar 2025)

Select original version

Select changed version

Removed: 0 Added: 0

Appendix 4

Regulation (EU) 2020/469

![EASA EAR image](/static/files/file_movXP8yGHYP/image099.png)

ASHTAM FORMAT

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE ASHTAM FORMAT

1. General

1.1 The ASHTAM provides information on the status of activity of a volcano when a change in its activity is, or is expected to be of operational significance. This information is provided using the volcano level of alert colour code given in 3.5 below.

1.2 In the event of a volcanic eruption producing ash cloud of operational significance, the ASHTAM also provides information on the location, extent and movement of the ash cloud and the air routes and flight levels affected.

1.3 Issuance of an ASHTAM giving information on a volcanic eruption, in accordance with section 3 below, shall not be delayed until complete information A to K is available but shall be issued immediately following receipt of notification that an eruption has occurred or is expected to occur, or a change in the status of activity of a volcano of operational significance has occurred or is expected to occur, or an ash cloud is reported. In the case of an expected eruption, and hence no ash cloud evident at that time, items A to E shall be completed and items F to I indicated as ‘not applicable’. Similarly, if a volcanic ash cloud is reported, e.g. by special air-report, but the source volcano is not known at that time, the ASHTAM shall be issued initially with items A to E indicated as ‘unknown’, and items F to K completed, as necessary, based on the special air-report, pending receipt of further information. In other circumstances, if information for a specific field A to K is not available indicate ‘NIL’.

1.4 The maximum period of validity of ASHTAM is 24 hours a day. New ASHTAM shall be issued whenever there is a change in the level of alert.

2. Abbreviated heading

2.1 Following the usual ‘Aeronautical fixed – telecommunications network (AFTN)’ communications header, the abbreviated heading ‘TT AAiiii CCCC MMYYGGgg (BBB)’ shall be included to facilitate the automatic processing of ASHTAM messages in computer databanks. The explanation of these symbols is:

TT = data designator for ASHTAM = VA;

AA = geographical designator for States, e.g. NZ = New Zealand;

iiii = ASHTAM serial number in a four-figure group;

CCCC = four-letter location indicator of the flight information region concerned;

MMYYGGgg = date/time of report, whereby:

MM = month, e.g. January = 01, December = 12;

YY = day of the month;

GGgg = time in hours (GG) and minutes (gg) UTC;

(BBB) = Optional group for correction to an ASHTAM message previously

disseminated with the same serial number = COR.

Brackets in (BBB) shall be used to indicate that this group is optional.

3. Content of ASHTAM

3.1 Item A – Flight information region affected, plain-language equivalent of the location indicator given in the abbreviated heading, in this example: ‘Auckland Oceanic FIR’.

3.2 Item B – Date and time (UTC) of first eruption.

3.3 Item C – Name of volcano, and number of volcano as listed in ICAO Doc 9691 Manual on Volcanic Ash, Radioactive Material and Toxic Chemical Clouds, Appendix H, and on the World Map of Volcanoes and Principal Aeronautical Features.

3.4 Item D – Latitude/Longitude of the volcano in whole degrees or radial and distance of volcano from NAVAID, as listed in the ICAO Doc 9691 Manual on Volcanic Ash, Radioactive Material and Toxic Chemical Clouds, Appendix H, and on the World Map of Volcanoes and Principal Aeronautical Features.

3.5 Item E – Colour code for level of alert indicating volcanic activity, including any previous level of alert colour code as follows:

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="582"><tr><td valign="top" width="185">Level of alert colour code</td><td valign="top" width="397">Status of activity of volcano</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="185">GREEN ALERT</td><td valign="top" width="397">Volcano is in normal, non-eruptive state.or, after a change from a higher alert level:Volcanic activity considered to have ceased, and volcano reverted to its normal, non-eruptive state.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="185">YELLOW ALERT</td><td valign="top" width="397">Volcano is experiencing signs of elevated unrest above known background levels.or, after a change from higher alert level:Volcanic activity has decreased significantly but continues to be closely monitored for possible renewed increase.</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="185">ORANGE ALERT</td><td valign="top" width="397">Volcano is exhibiting heightened unrest with increased likelihood of eruption.or,Volcanic eruption is underway with no or minor ash emission [specify ash-plume height, if possible].</td></tr><tr><td valign="top" width="185">RED ALERT</td><td valign="top" width="397">Eruption is forecasted to be imminent with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere likely.or,Eruption is underway with significant emission of ash into the atmosphere[specify ash-plume height, if possible].</td></tr></table>

The colour code for the level of alert indicating the status of activity of the volcano and any change from a previous status of activity shall be provided to the area control centre by the responsible vulcanological agency in the Member State concerned, e.g. ‘RED ALERT FOLLOWING YELLOW’ OR ‘GREEN ALERT FOLLOWING ORANGE’.

3.6 Item F – If volcanic ash cloud of operational significance is reported, the horizontal extent and base/top of the ash cloud shall be indicated using latitude/longitude (in whole degrees) and altitudes in thousands of metres (feet) and/or radial and distance from source volcano. Information initially may be based only on special air-report, but subsequent information may be more detailed based on advice from the responsible meteorological watch office and/or volcanic ash advisory centre.

3.7 Item G – Forecast direction of movement of the ash cloud at selected levels shall be indicated based on advice from the responsible meteorological watch office and/or volcanic ash advisory centre.

3.8 Item H – Air routes and portions of air routes and flight levels affected, or expected to become affected, shall be indicated.

3.9 Item I – Closure of airspace, air routes or portions of air routes, and availability of alternative routes, shall be indicated.

3.10 Item J – Source of the information, e.g. ‘special air-report’ or ‘vulcanological agency’, etc. The source of information shall always be indicated, whether an eruption has actually occurred or ash cloud reported, or not.

3.11 Item K – Any operationally significant information, additional to the foregoing, shall be included in plain language.

Appendix
4

Regulation (EU) 2020/469

ASHTAM
FORMAT

![Aviation.Bot AI suggestion, not from EASA source: [Image caption skipped for debugging]](/static/files/file_gqs63YSDadR/image101.png)

INSTRUCTIONS
FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE ASHTAM FORMAT

1.         General

1.1       The
ASHTAM provides information on the status of activity of a volcano when a
change in its activity is, or is expected to be of operational significance.
This information is provided using the volcano level of alert colour code
given in 3.5 below.

1.2       In
the event of a volcanic eruption producing ash cloud of operational
significance, the ASHTAM also provides information on the location, extent and
movement of the ash cloud and the air routes and flight levels affected.

1.3       Issuance
of an ASHTAM giving information on a volcanic eruption, in accordance with
section 3 below, shall not be delayed until complete information A to K is
available but shall be issued immediately following receipt of notification
that an eruption has occurred or is expected to occur, or a change in the
status of activity of a volcano of operational significance has occurred or is
expected to occur, or an ash cloud is reported. In the case of an expected
eruption, and hence no ash cloud evident at that time, items A to E shall be
completed and items F to I indicated as ‘not applicable’. Similarly, if a
volcanic ash cloud is reported, e.g. by special air-report, but the source
volcano is not known at that time, the ASHTAM shall be issued initially with
items A to E indicated as ‘unknown’, and items F to K completed, as necessary,
based on the special air-report, pending receipt of further information. In
other circumstances, if information for a specific field A to K is not
available indicate ‘NIL’.

1.4       The
maximum period of validity of ASHTAM is 24 hours a day. New ASHTAM shall be
issued whenever there is a change in the level of alert.

2.         Abbreviated heading

2.1       Following
the usual ‘Aeronautical fixed – telecommunications network (AFTN)’
communications header, the abbreviated heading ‘TT AAiiii CCCC MMYYGGgg (BBB)’
shall be included to facilitate the automatic processing of ASHTAM messages in
computer databanks. The explanation of these symbols is:

TT =                                          data
designator for ASHTAM = VA;

AA =                                         geographical
designator for States, e.g. NZ = New Zealand;

iiii =                                          ASHTAM
serial number in a four-figure group;

CCCC =                        four-letter location indicator of
the flight information region concerned;

MMYYGGgg =          date/time of report, whereby:

MM =                                       month,
e.g. January = 01, December = 12;

YY =                                          day of
the month;

GGgg =                       time in hours (GG) and minutes
(gg) UTC;

(BBB) =                       Optional group for correction to
an ASHTAM message previously

disseminated
with the same serial number = COR.

Brackets in (BBB)
shall be used to indicate that this group is optional.

3.         Content of ASHTAM

3.1       Item A – Flight information region affected,
plain-language equivalent of the location indicator given in the abbreviated
heading, in this example: ‘Auckland Oceanic FIR’.

3.2       Item B – Date and time (UTC) of first eruption.

3.3       Item C – Name of volcano, and number of volcano as listed
in ICAO Doc 9691 Manual on Volcanic Ash, Radioactive
Material and Toxic Chemical Clouds, Appendix H, and on the World Map of
Volcanoes and Principal Aeronautical Features.

3.4       Item D – Latitude/Longitude of the volcano in whole
degrees or radial and distance of volcano from NAVAID, as listed in the ICAO
Doc 9691 Manual on Volcanic Ash, Radioactive Material and
Toxic Chemical Clouds, Appendix H, and on the World Map of Volcanoes
and Principal Aeronautical Features.

3.5       Item E – Colour code for level of alert indicating
volcanic activity, including any previous level of alert colour code as
follows:

<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="582">
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="185">
Level of alert colour code
</td>
<td valign="top" width="397">
Status of activity of volcano
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="185">
GREEN ALERT
</td>
<td valign="top" width="397">
Volcano is in normal, non-eruptive state.
or, after a change from a higher alert level:
Volcanic activity considered to have ceased, and
 volcano reverted to its normal, non-eruptive state.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="185">
YELLOW ALERT
</td>
<td valign="top" width="397">
Volcano is experiencing signs of elevated unrest
 above known background levels.
or, after a change from higher alert level:
Volcanic activity has decreased significantly
 but continues to be closely monitored for possible renewed increase.
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="185">
ORANGE ALERT
</td>
<td valign="top" width="397">
Volcano is exhibiting heightened unrest with
 increased likelihood of eruption.
or,
Volcanic eruption is underway with no or minor
 ash emission [specify ash-plume height, if possible].
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="top" width="185">
RED ALERT
</td>
<td valign="top" width="397">
Eruption is forecasted to be imminent with
 significant emission of ash into the atmosphere likely.
or,
Eruption is underway with significant emission
 of ash into the atmosphere
[specify ash-plume height, if possible].
</td>
</tr>
</table>

The colour code for the
level of alert indicating the status of activity of the volcano and any change
from a previous status of activity shall be provided to the area control
centre by the responsible vulcanological agency in the Member State concerned,
e.g. ‘RED ALERT FOLLOWING YELLOW’ OR ‘GREEN ALERT FOLLOWING ORANGE’.

3.6       Item F – If volcanic ash cloud of operational significance
is reported, the horizontal extent and base/top of the ash cloud shall be
indicated using latitude/longitude (in whole degrees) and altitudes in
thousands of metres (feet) and/or radial and distance from source volcano.
Information initially may be based only on special air-report, but subsequent
information may be more detailed based on advice from the responsible
meteorological watch office and/or volcanic ash advisory centre.

3.7       Item G – Forecast direction of movement of the ash cloud
at selected levels shall be indicated based on advice from the responsible
meteorological watch office and/or volcanic ash advisory centre.

3.8       Item H – Air routes and portions of air routes and flight
levels affected, or expected to become affected, shall be indicated.

3.9       Item I – Closure of airspace, air routes or portions of
air routes, and availability of alternative routes, shall be indicated.

3.10    Item
J
– Source of the information, e.g. ‘special air-report’ or ‘vulcanological
agency’, etc. The source of information shall always be indicated, whether an
eruption has actually occurred or ash cloud reported, or not.

3.11    Item
K
– Any operationally significant information, additional to the foregoing,
shall be included in plain language.