scope:

FOREWORD

INTRODUCTION

The Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS) consists of two volumes as follows:

Volume I - Flight Procedures

Volume II - Construction of Visual and Instrument Flight Procedures

The division of the PANS-OPS into the two volumes was accomplished in 1979 as a result of an extensive amendment to the obstacle clearance criteria and the construction of approach-to-land procedures. Prior to 1979, all PANS-OPS material was contained in a single document. Table A shows the origin of amendments together with a list of the principal subjects involved and the dates on which the PANS-OPS and the amendments were approved by the Council and when they became applicable.

Volume I - Flight Procedures describes operational procedures recommended for the guidance of flight operations personnel and flight crew. It also outlines the various parameters on which the criteria in Volume II are based so as to illustrate the need to adhere strictly to the published procedures in order to achieve and maintain an acceptable level of safety in operations.

Volume II - Construction of Visual and Instrument Flight Procedures is intended for the guidance of procedures specialists and describes the essential areas and obstacle clearance requirements for the achievement of safe, regular instrument flight operations. It provides the basic guidelines to States, and those operators and organizations producing instrument flight charts that will result in uniform practices at all aerodromes where instrument flight procedures are carried out.

Both volumes present coverage of operational practices that are beyond the scope of Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) but with respect to which a measure of international uniformity is desirable.

The design of procedures in accordance with PANS-OPS criteria assumes normal operations. It is the responsibility of the operator to provide contingency procedures for abnormal and emergency operations.

COMMENTARY ON THE MATERIAL CONTAINED IN VOLUME I

Part I - Flight Procedures - General

Section 1 - Definitions, abbreviations and acronyms

This section contains a description of the terminology to assist in the interpretation of terms which are used in the procedures and have a particular technical meaning. In some cases, the terms are defined in other ICAO documents. A list of abbreviations and acronyms is also provided.

Section 2 - General principles

Section 2 provides general principles to flight procedures such as accuracy to fixes and turn area construction.

Section 3 - Departure procedures

The specifications concerning instrument departure procedures were developed by the Obstacle Clearance Panel (OCP) in 1983. The material contained in Volume I was developed from criteria contained in Volume II and prepared for the use of flight operations personnel and flight crew.

The procedures include areas and obstacle clearance criteria for the instrument departure phase of flight covering the airborne portion of the take-off and climb to a point where obstacle clearance criteria associated with the next phase of flight are applicable. Minimum flight altitudes for each ATS route are determined and promulgated by each Contracting State in accordance with Annex 11, Chapter 2, 2.21.

Contingency procedures are required to provide for any situation in which the aeroplane is unable to utilize these instrument departure procedures. It is the responsibility of the operator to ensure that the performance requirements of Annex 6 are met by the provision of contingency procedures.

Section 4 - Arrival and approach procedures

These procedures were first developed by the Operations Division in 1949 and were approved by the Council for inclusion in the PANS-OPS in 1951 and have since been amended a number of times. In 1966, the Obstacle Clearance Panel (OCP) was created to update these procedures for application to all types of aeroplanes taking into account requirements for subsonic multi-jet aeroplanes and technical developments with respect to standard radio navigation aids. As a result of this work, instrument approach procedures were completely revised. The new procedures were incorporated in 1980 in the First Edition of Volume I of PANS-OPS (Amendment 14).

Section 5 - En-route criteria

En-route obstacle clearance criteria were added to the document on 7 November 1996 as a result of the tenth meeting of the Obstacle Clearance Panel. The criteria were amended in 2004 to include simplified en-route criteria.

Section 6 - Holding procedures

The specifications concerning holding procedures were first developed by the Operations Division in 1949 and were approved by the Council for inclusion in the PANS-OPS in 1951. A major revision of this matter was accomplished in 1965 as a result of the work of the Holding Procedures Panel (HOP). The material developed by the HOP was subsequently divided in 1979 and that part of the material concerning flight operations was incorporated in PANS-OPS, Volume I, and the material covering the construction of holding procedures incorporated in Volume II. In 1982, as a result of the work of the Obstacle Clearance Panel, new material and changes to the old material were introduced concerning VOR/DME holding, use of holding procedures by helicopters, buffer areas and entry procedures. In 1986, changes were introduced concerning the VOR TO/FROM indication error zone, and holding speeds, particularly above 4 250 m (14 000 ft).

Section 7 - Noise abatement procedures

Noise abatement procedures were developed by the Operations Panel (OPSP) and approved by the Council for inclusion in the PANS-OPS in 1983. These procedures were amended in 2001 by the Committee of Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP).

For related provisions, see Annex 16, Volume I, and Annex 6, Part I.

Section 8 - Procedures for use by helicopters

Conditions under which the criteria in Part I may be applied to helicopters are specified in this section, which was revised at the third meeting of the HELIOPS Panel to include provisions on operational constraints on helicopter descent gradient and minimum final approach airspeeds. As a result of the fourth meeting of the HELIOPS Panel, specifications concerning flight procedures and the obstacle clearance criteria for use by helicopters only are included in this section.

Section 9 - Procedures for the establishment of aerodrome operating minima

Note.- This material is under development and no text is presently available. For related material, see Annex 6.

Part II - Flight Procedures - RNAV and Satellite-based

Section 1- General

This section contains general information on area navigation (RNAV) and satellite-based flight procedures. Material on TAA, SBAS and GBAS were added as a result of the thirteenth meeting of the Obstacle Clearance Panel (Amendment 13).

Section 2 - Departure procedures

Area navigation (RNAV) departure material regarding VOR/DME and DME/DME was included in 1995 (Amendment 9). Material on basic GNSS and RNP was added in 2001 (Amendment 11), and SBAS and GBAS in 2004 (Amendment 12).

Section 3 - Arrival and non-precision approach procedures

Area navigation (RNAV) approach material regarding VOR/DME and DME material was included in 1993 (Amendment 7). Material on basic GNSS and RNP was added in 2001 (Amendment 11), and GBAS in 2004 (Amendment 13).

Section 4 - Approach procedures with vertical guidance

Material on barometric vertical navigation (baro-VNAV) was added in 2001 (Amendment 11).

Section 5 - Precision approach procedures

Material on GBAS Category I was added in 2004 (Amendment 13).

Section 6 - RNAV holding

Area navigation (RNAV) holding procedures based on VOR/DME were included as a result of the ninth meeting of the Obstacle Clearance Panel, to become applicable in 1993 (Amendment 7).

Section 7 - En route

Material on RNAV and RNP routes was added in 1998 (Amendment 11).

Part III - Aircraft Operating Procedures

Section 1 - Altimeter setting procedures

The altimeter setting procedures were developed from the basic principles established by the third session of the Operations Division in 1949 and are the result of evolution through the recommendations of a number of Regional Air Navigation Meetings. They formerly appeared as Part 1 of the Regional Supplementary Procedures (Doc 7030) and had previously been approved by the Council for use in the majority of ICAO regions as supplementary procedures. Part 1 of Doc 7030 now contains only regional procedures which are supplementary to the procedures contained in this document. The incorporation of these procedures in the PANS-OPS was approved by the Council in 1961 on the understanding that this action was not to be construed as a decision of principle on the question of flight levels or on the relative merits of metres or feet for altimetry purposes. Subsequently the Council approved the definitions of flight level and transition altitude. To comply with Amendment 13 to Annex 5, the primary unit of atmospheric pressure was changed to hectopascal (hPa) in 1979.

Section 2 - Simultaneous operations on parallel or near-parallel instrument runways

In 1990 as a result of the work of an air navigation study group, new material was included concerning specifications, procedures and guidance material relating to simultaneous operations on parallel or near-parallel instrument runways, including the minimum distances between runways.

Section 3 - Secondary surveillance radar (SSR) transponder operating procedures

These procedures were originally developed at the Sixth Air Navigation Conference in 1969. The operating procedures are intended to provide international standardization for the safe and efficient use of SSR and to minimize the workload and voice procedures for pilots and controllers.

Section 4 - Operational flight information

Material related to Operational Flight Information was added to the PANS-OPS as a result of conclusion 9/30 of ASIA/PAC Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group.

Section 5 - Standard operating procedures (SOPs) and checklists

Material related to standard operating procedures was added to the PANS-OPS as result of conclusion 9/30 of ASIA/PAC Air Navigation Planning and Implementation Regional Group.

Section 6 - Voice communication procedures and controller-pilot data link communications procedures

Note.- This material is under development and while no text is presently available in this document, provisions and procedures relevant to aircraft operations have been combined with those concerning the provision of air traffic services in Annex 10, Volume II, and the Procedures for Air Navigation Services - Air Traffic Management (PANS-ATM) (Doc 4444).

STATUS

Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS) do not have the same status as SARPs. While the latter are adopted by the Council in pursuance of Article 37 of the Convention and are subject to the full procedure of Article 90, PANS are approved by the Council and are recommended to Contracting States for worldwide application.

IMPLEMENTATION

The implementation of procedures is the responsibility of Contracting States; they are applied in actual operations only after, and in so far as States have enforced them. However, with a view to facilitating their processing towards implementation by States, they have been prepared in a language which will permit direct use by operations personnel. While uniform application of the basic procedures in this document is very desirable, latitude is permitted for the development of detailed procedures which may be needed to satisfy local conditions.

PUBLICATION OF DIFFERENCES

The PANS do not carry the status afforded to Standards adopted by the Council as Annexes to the Convention and, therefore, do not come within the obligation imposed by Article 38 of the Convention to notify differences in the event of non-implementation.

However, attention of States is drawn to the provision of Annex 15 related to the publication in their Aeronautical Information Publications of lists of significant differences between their procedures and the related ICAO procedures.

PROMULGATION OF INFORMATION

The establishment and withdrawal of and changes to facilities, services and procedures affecting aircraft operations provided in accordance with the procedures specified in this document should be notified and take effect in accordance with the provisions of Annex 15.

UNITS OF MEASUREMENT

Units of measurement are given in accordance with the provisions contained in Annex 5, Fourth Edition. In those cases where the use of an alternative non-SI unit is permitted, the non-SI unit is shown in brackets immediately following the primary SI unit. In all cases the value of the non-SI unit is considered to be operationally equivalent to the primary SI unit in the context in which it is applied. Unless otherwise indicated, the allowable tolerances (accuracy) are indicated by the number of significant figures given and, in this regard, it is to be understood in this document that all zero digits, either to the right or left of the decimal marker, are significant figures.