AIP GEN 3.

5-1
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________

GEN 3.5 - METEOROLOGICAL SERVICES

1. Responsible Services

1.1. The Meteorological Services for civil aviation are provided by the India Meteorological Department,
Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Government of India.

Director General of Meteorology

India Meteorological Department
Mausam Bhavan, Lodhi Road,
New Delhi – 110003

Telephone : 91 11 2461 8241 to 8247

Fax : 91 11 2469 9216, 91 11 2462 3220
Telegram : DIRGENMET

Email : dgm@imdmail.gov.in
Website : www.imd.gov.in

2. Area of responsibility

2.1. Meteorological service is provided within the Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai FIR

3. Meteorological observations and reports

3.1. Meteorological observations and reports provided are listed at page GEN 3.5-4.

4. Abbreviation and Legend

Abbreviation Legend
A Current Weather Instrument System (CWIS), Skopograph, Ceilometer
A1 Current Weather Instrument System (CWIS), Skopograph
A2 Current Weather Instrument System (CWIS), Ceilometer
A3 Current Weather Instrument System (CWIS)
A/R As & when required
AMO Aerodrome Meteorological Office (Formerly Class I Met Office)
AMS Aerodrome Meteorological Station (Formerly Class III Met Office)
Distance Indicating Wind Equipment (DIWE), Ceiling Balloon, Search Light, Stevenson
B
Screen
C Wind wane, Cup anemometer, Stevenson Screen
HJ Observation from sun-rise to sun-set
H24 Continuous day and night service
HO Service available to meet operational requirements
HS Service available during hours of scheduled service
METAR Local routine report (in coded form)
MWO Meteorological Watch Office
P30 Prognostic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 300hPa
P25 Prognostic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 250hPa
P20 Prognostic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 200hPa
S Synoptic surface chart
SPECI Local Special Report (in coded form)
SW Prognostic significant weather chart
TREND Landing forecast appended to aviation weather reports

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
AIP GEN 3.5-2
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________
Abbreviation Legend
U85 Synoptic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 850hPa
U70 Synoptic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 700hPa
U50 Synoptic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 500hPa
U30 Synoptic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 300hPa
U25 Synoptic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 250hPa
U20 Synoptic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 200hPa
U15 Synoptic Upper air chart at constant pressure of 150hPa

5. Types of services

5.1. Area Forecast

5.1.1. Under the World Area Forecast system, WAFC London is responsible for the forecast of upper
winds, upper-air temperatures, direction, speed and height of maximum winds and tropopause
heights and temperatures. The products are valid for 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 hours after the time of
synoptic data (0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC) on which the forecasts are based. The grid point
data for upper wind and temperature are available for flight levels 50 (850hPa), 100 (700hPa), 140
(600hPa), 180 (500hPa), 240 (400hPa), 300 (300hPa), 340 (250hPa), 390 (200hPa) and 450
(150hPa).
5.1.2. Forecast of significant weather phenomena are also prepared by WAFC London, four times a day for
fixed valid times of 0000, 0600, 1200 and 1800 UTC. Significant weather charts for FL250-FL630 is
being used in India for the documentation of international flights as well as national long-haul
flights.
5.1.3. These charts are received by a Satellite Distribution System (SADIS) receive only antenna installed
at IMD-Delhi and disseminated through IMD’s communication channel to forecasting offices.
5.1.4. In addition, national SIGWX charts and prognostic charts are also being prepared by the four
Extended Analysis and Prognosis Center (EAPC) functioning at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and
Mumbai for the documentation of national short-haul flights.

5.2. Route and Aerodrome Forecasts

5.2.1. Route Forecast, aerodrome forecast, local forecasts and trend forecasts are issued by Aerodrome
Meteorological Office (Offices having forecasting facilities). During the closed hours of watch of
the offices with restricted forecasting hours, the necessary forecasts are issued by the meteorological
offices at state/regional centers. These forecasts for the Aeronautical Meteorological Stations
(offices not having forecasting facilities) are issued by associated AMOs.

5.3. Aerodrome Warning/Wind Shear Warnings

5.3.1. Aerodrome warnings are issued by Aerodrome Meteorological Offices functioning during the hours
of forecasting watch and give concise information of meteorological condition, which could
adversely affect aircraft on the ground, including parked aircraft and the aerodrome facilities and
services. In cases of aerodromes with Aeronautical Meteorological Stations, the associated
Aerodrome Meteorological Office, at the state centers or regional centers, issue these warnings, if
there is prior requisition.
5.3.2. These warnings are supplied to ATS units of Airports Authority of India for further dissemination
over the aerodrome to operators and other agencies.
5.3.3. Aerodrome warnings are issued for strong surface winds, tropical cyclones, thunderstorms, squall,
dust storm/sand storm, hail, frost, snow, freezing precipitation etc.
5.3.4. In addition, warnings for gliders and light aircraft and helicopters are issued and appended to the
Local forecast when the wind speed is expected to reach 17 knot or more.

6. Briefing and Display

6.1. In all Aerodrome Meteorological Office which are having forecasting facility, briefing is available to
the pilots and/or flight operations personnel about the prevailing and anticipated weather conditions.
Latest surface and upper-air synoptic charts, meteorological reports and forecasts of destination and its
alternate(s), SIGMET information, AIREP, prognostic charts, ground based weather radar information

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
AIP GEN 3.5-3
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________
and satellite cloud imagery are normally displayed in meteorological offices and are available for
consultation and briefing. Depending on the weather situation, the meteorological officer may insist
that the pilot in command of a flight be present personally for briefing. Briefing is also provided at
Aeronautical Meteorological Stations (where forecasting facility is not available) after obtaining the
same from its associated AMO.

7. Documentation

7.1. Documentation consists of –

7.1.1. Flight forecast in tabular form/pictorial cross sectional form/chart form
7.1.2. Terminal aerodrome forecasts of destination and alternate aerodrome
7.1.3. Take-off and ascent/descent data (wherever necessary) are provided to flights taking off from
airports within the country.

7.2. The chart form of forecast for domestic short-haul flights consists of prognostic significant weather
charts below FL460 and prognostic upper wind and temperature charts for the level 300hPa, 250hPa
and 200hPa prepared by four MWOs. The chart form of forecast for international and national long-
haul flights consists of charts obtained from WAFC as per para 5.1.1. Chart form of documentation is
prepared at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai and the same are made available for briefing at all
AMOs and AMSs concerned. Forecasts are normally given up to the next halt where a meteorological
forecasting office exists, when the duration of the halt is more than seventy-five minutes.

7.3. Return forecasts are provided for flights when the halt at the destination is less than 75 minutes and
there is no change of crew. If sufficient notice is given, arrangements are also made to provide
documentation even at airports without meteorological forecasting facility. If planned halt(s) at
intermediate airports are for long periods, a decision whether fresh forecasts will be required at
intermediate halt(s), will have to be taken by mutual consultation between the pilot and the
meteorological office at the original departure aerodrome taking into consideration the expected
weather developments.

7.4. A fresh forecast has to be obtained at intermediate halts when the period of validity of the route and/or
aerodrome forecasts supplied has elapsed or is expected to elapse before the completion of the flights
due to changes in the original plan. In such cases, the operator has to make arrangements to obtain
fresh forecast from the Aviation Meteorological Office at the original departure aerodrome or from the
nearest Aviation Meteorological Office. The responsibility for the collection and transmission of the
forecasts to the pilot at intermediate halts rests with the operator.

8. In-flight services

8.1. SIGMET: Significant Meteorological Information pertaining to the FIRs are issued by the
Meteorological Watch Office (MWO) at Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata & Mumbai and are known as
SIGMET. These are supplied to the ATS units at the Flight Information Center (FIC) and Area
Control Center (ACC) for the transmission to aircraft in flight (Refer Para 12)

8.2. VOLMET BROADCASTS: Current Weather Reports and Aerodrome Forecasts and SIGMETs of
certain stations are broadcast on HF from Kolkata and Mumbai at half hourly intervals. Details of
these broadcast are given in Para 12.

8.3. ATIS BROADCAST: Latest Weather Report of the airport, together with trend forecast valid for the
next 2 hours, is included in the Automatic Terminal Information Service (ATIS) broadcast from
Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata & Mumbai.

8.4. AD 2.11 of each aerodrome described in Part 3–Aerodrome (AD), Volume II gives metrological
information provided by each aerodrome.

INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
 AIP GEN 3.5-4
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

9. Meteorological Observatories and Reports

Type of Met reports and Observing

Name of station/Location Type and frequency of observatories/Automatic Hours of Climatological
supp. information system &
Indicator Observing Equipment operation Information
included site(s)
Agartala/VEAT Hourly + Half hourly from 2300-0730hrs METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 NIL
Agatti/VOAT Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI C HO NIL
Ahmedabad/VAAH Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Amritsar/VIAR Hourly + Half hourly from 0530-1130hrs METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Aurangabad/VAAU Hourly + Half hourly from 0030-0530hrs METAR/SPECI B H24 Nil
Bangalore/VOBG Hourly + Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Belgaum/VABM Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Bhavnagar/VABN Hourly + Half hourly from 0630-0800hrs METRA/SPECI B HJ Nil
Bhopal /VABP (Baigarh) Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B H24 Nil
Bhubneswar/VEBS Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI/TREND B H24 Nil
Cochin Intl / VOCI Half hourly METAR/SPECI A H24 Nil
Mumbai/VABB Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Mumbai (Juhu)/VAJJ Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Calcutta/VECC Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Coimbatore/VOCB Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HO + Night flights Available
Calicut/VOCL Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B H24 Nil
Cooch Behar/VECO Hourly + Half hourly METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Dehradun/VIDN As & when required (A/R) METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Delhi/VIDP Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Safdarjung-Delhi/VIDD Hourly + Half hourly METAR/SPECI B HJ Available
Dimapur/VEMR Hourly + Half hourly METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Fursatgunj/VIRB As & when required (A/R) METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Guwahati/VEGT Hourly + Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A HO Nil

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
 AIP GEN 3.5-5
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Type of Met reports and Observing

Name of station/Location Type and frequency of observatories/Automatic Hours of Climatological
supp. information system &
Indicator Observing Equipment operation Information
included site(s)
Hyderabad/VOHY Hourly + Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Imphal/VEIM Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI A HJ Nil
Indore /VAID Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B H24 NIL
Jabalpur/VAJB Hourly METAR/SPECI B HS NIL
Jaipur /VIJP Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI A H24 Nil
Jamshedpur VEJS Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Jharsuguda -- -- B -- Nil
Kailashahar/VEKR Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Kandla/VAKE As & when required (A/R) METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Keshod /VAKS Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Khajuraho/VAKJ Hourly METRA/SPECI C HJ Nil
Kota/VIKO Hourly METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Kulu/Bhuntar /VIBR Hourly METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
North Lakhimpur/VELR Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Ludhiana/VILD As & when required (A/R) METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Lucknow/VILK Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Chennai/VOMM Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Madurai/VOMD Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HO Nil
Mangalore(Bajpe)/ VOML Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Mohanbari/VEMN Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Nil
Nagpur/VANP Hourly + Half hourly to meet ops requirements METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Pantnagar /VIPT As & when required (A/R) METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Passighat/VEPG Hourly + Half hourly METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Patna/VEPT Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Pondicherry/VOPC Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI C HO Nil

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
 AIP GEN 3.5-6
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Type of Met reports and Observing

Name of station/Location Type and frequency of observatories/Automatic Hours of Climatological
supp. information system &
Indicator Observing Equipment operation Information
included site(s)
Porbandar/VAPR Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Raipur/VARP Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI C 0300--1230 Nil
Rajamundary/VORJ Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI C HO Nil
Rajkot/VARK Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B H24 Nil
Ranchi/ VERC Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Ratnagiri/VARG As & when required (A/R) METAR/SPECI C HJ Nil
Shillong/Barapani/VEBI Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI C HJ NIL
Surat/VASU As & when required (A/R) METAR/SPECI C HJ NIL
Tiruchirapalli/VOTI Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B H24 Available
Tirupati/VOTP Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HO Nil
Trivandrum/VOTV Hourly + Half hourly METAR/SPECI/TREND A H24 Available
Tuticorin/VOTK As & when required (A/R) METAR/SPECI C HO Nil
Udaipur/VAUD Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Vadodara/VABO Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Varanasi/VIBN Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B H24 Nil
Vijaywada/VOBZ Hourly + Half hourly during HO METAR/SPECI B HJ Nil
Sri Satya Sai/VOPN As & when required (A/R) METAR/ SPECI C HO As required

Notes:
1. Observations are recorded at:
a. Ahmadabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Nagpur, Tiruchirapalli and Thiruvananthapuram………… HH + 10 min & HH + 40 min
b. Kolkata, Kochi, Kozhikode & Patna ……………………………………………………………………. HH + 20 min & HH + 50 min
c. Amritsar, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow & Varanasi ………………………………………………………….. HH + 00 min & HH + 30 min
d. At all other stations ……………………………………………………………………………………… HH + 00 min & HH + 30 min
[HH = Full hour UTC]

2. SPECIs and additional reports are prepared whenever warranted, throughout the hours of watch.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
AIP GEN 3.5-7
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________
10. Notification required from operators

10.1. Notification from operators for flight documentation and other meteorological service or for a change
in the existing requirements should be received by the concerned Meteorological Office(s) sufficiently
in advance. Normally the minimum notice required for non-scheduled flights are as follows:

At AMOs
For 3 hours before ETD
(offices having forecasting facilities)
National
flights At AMS
18 to 24 hours before ETD
(offices without forecasting facilities)
AMOs at Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Guwahati, Hyderabad,
3 hours before ETD
Kolkata, Mumbai, Nagpur & Thiruvananthapuram
For
International At other AMOs 12 hours before ETD
flights
At AMSs 18-24 hours before ETD

11. Aircraft reports

11.1. Routine air reports at the following designated MET reporting points (as given on para 11.4 & 11.5)
shall be made by all aircraft.
11.2. Special observations shall be made whenever the following weather phenomenon are encountered or
observed-
i) severe turbulence; or
ii) severe icing; or
iii) severe mountain wave; or
iv) thunderstorm without hail, that are obscured, embedded, widespread or in squall lines; or
v) thunderstorm with hail, that are obscured, embedded, widespread or in squall lines; or
vi) heavy dust storm or heavy sandstorm; or
vii) volcanic ash cloud; or
viii) pre-eruption activity or a volcanic eruption

11.3. The meteorological office shall make arrangements with the appropriate ATS unit to ensure that –
i) Routine and special air-reports by voice communications, the ATS units relay them without
delay to their associated meteorological watch office
ii) Routine air-reports by data-link communications, the ATS units relay them without delay to
WAFCs; and
iii) Special air-reports by data-link communications, the ATS units relay them without delay to their
associated meteorological watch office and WAFCs.

11.4. Meteorological reporting points on National ATS routes

ATS Route Reporting points

Kolkata - Chennai SANON
Kolkata - Port Blair Crossing G472
Delhi - Kolkata KUSMI
Delhi - Chennai BHOPAL & GULBARGA
Delhi - Hyderabad - Bangalore BHOPAL
Delhi - Srinagar PATHANKOT
Mumbai - Chennai BELLARY
Mumbai - Cochin DABOLIM/GOA
Mumbai - Delhi PRATAPGARH
Mumbai - Kolkata AURANGABAD & NIPAD
Mumbai - Thiruvananthapuram DABOLIM/GOA

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
AIP GEN 3.5-8
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________
11.5. Meteorological reporting points on International ATS routes

Reporting point designator/

ATS Route FIR
Five letter name code
A451 Mumbai ANGAL
A451 Mumbai LEMAX
A452/G465 Mumbai ELKEL
A456 Delhi RABAN
A462 Kolkata BEMAK
A466 Delhi SAMAR
A474 Mumbai MURUS
A474/G465 Mumbai MONTO
A599 Kolkata CHILA
A791E/G208W/G472W Mumbai SASRO
A791W Mumbai/Delhi TASOP
A791W/A791E/A474 Mumbai PRATAPGARH
B459 Mumbai CLAVA
B459 Mumbai ATEMA
B459 Mumbai UBDOR
B466 Chennai ANOKO
B466 Chennai APASI
B466 Chennai AVNOS
B466W/B466E Chennai BELLARY
G208E/G472E Mumbai VASLA
G424 Mumbai VUTAS
G424/G450 Mumbai ALATO
G450 Mumbai/Kolkata NIPAD
G450 Mumbai ORLID
G452 Delhi TIGER
G472 Kolkata SAGOD
G472/N895 Kolkata SAGOD
G472/N895 Kolkata BUBKO
L301 Kolkata RINDA
L301 Mumbai RASKI
M770 Kolkata MEPEL
N563 Chennai MEMAK
P628 Chennai IGREX
P762 Chennai LULDA
R456 Mumbai KITAL
R456 Mumbai DONSA
R456 Mumbai ESMIT
R460 Delhi VARANASI
R472 Kolkata ATOGA

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
AIP GEN 3.5-9
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________
12. VOLMET service

Hours Aerodromes/ Content of report,

Name of Call-sign Freq Broadcast
of Heliports forecast &
Station Ident (KHz) Period
Service included remarks

Mumbai, Chennai SIGMET

H+25 0300
11387
to to Mumbai, Colombo, METAR
Mumbai 6676
H+30 1300 Chennai, Karachi, SPECI
Mumbai Radio
Male, Ahmedabad TREND
(A3J)
H+55 1300
Mumbai, Colombo,
2965 to to TAF
Male
H+60 0300
Kolkata, Delhi SIGMET
H-05 0300
11387
to to Kolkata, Delhi, METAR
Kolkata 6676
H+10 1300 Dhaka, Yangon, SPECI
Kolkata Radio
Katmandu TREND
(A3J)
H+35 1300
Kolkata, Delhi,
2965 to to TAF
Ho-Chi-Minh
H+40 0300

13. SIGMET Service

Name of
FIR or CTA Validity of ATS Unit
MWO/ Location Hours
Served SIGMET Served
Indicators

Chennai VOMM H24 Chennai FIR 4 hour FIC/ACC

Delhi VIDP H24 Delhi FIR 4 hour FIC/ACC

Kolkata VECC H24 Kolkata FIR 4 hour FIC/ACC

Mumbai VABB H24 Mumbai FIR 4 hour FIC/ACC

14. General

For the safety of air traffic, the meteorological offices maintain an Area Meteorological Watch and
Warning Service. This service consists partly of a continuous weather watch within the FIR and the
issuance of appropriate information (SIGMET) by Meteorological Watch Offices and partly of the issuing
of warning for the respective aerodrome by all aviation forecasting offices.

15. Area Meteorological Watch Service

15.1. The Area Meteorological Watch Service is performed by the following Meteorological Watch
Offices (MWO); Chennai, Delhi, Kolkata & Mumbai.

15.2. The MWO issue information in the form of SIGMET messages about the occurrence and/or expected
occurrence of one or more of the following phenomena within the FIR served by the MWO:

i) Thunderstorms
ii) Tropical Cyclone
iii) Turbulence
iv) Icing
v) Mountain waves

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
AIP GEN 3.5-10
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________
vi) Dust storm
vii) Sandstorm
viii) Volcanic ash cloud
ix) Cumulonimbus
x) Hail

15.3. The SIGMET are issued in abbreviations and plain language using ICAO abbreviations and are
numbered consecutively for each day commencing at 0001UTC. The period of validity of a SIGMET
message shall be not more than 6 hours and preferably not more than 4 hours.

15.4. The MWO transmit SIGMET issued by them, as well as SIGMET of adjacent MWO and also
SIGMET of other MWO to the Flight Information Centre (FIC) for the FIR concerned.

15.5. In addition to the issuance of SIGMET, the MWO inform the local FIC about the occurrence or
expected occurrence of thunderstorms, moderate icing, light to moderate hail, or moderate turbulence
within the FIR concerned. The information is intended for lower air-space.

16. Warning Services

16.1. Aerodrome warnings are issued by all forecasting offices and give the concise information of
meteorological conditions, which would adversely affect aircraft on the ground, including parked
aircraft and the aerodrome facilities and services, if one or several of the following phenomena are
expected to occur at the airport -
i) Wind – speed expected to reach 30 knots or more even in gusts, direction changing rapidly by 450
or more, wind speed before and after expected to be 20 knot or more
ii) Squall
iii) Tropical Cyclone
iv) Dust storm
v) Sandstorm
vi) Thunderstorm
vii) Hail
viii) Frost
ix) Hoar Frost or rime
x) Snow (including the expected or observed snow accumulation)
xi) Freezing precipitation
xii) Rising sand or dust
xiii) Volcanic ash

16.2. Warning for gliders and light aircraft and helicopters are issued when wind speed is expected to reach
17Kt or more.

16.3. Wind shear warning provide concise information of the observed or expected existence of wind shear
which could adversely affect aircraft on the approach path or take-off path or during circling approach
between runway level and 500 M above the level and aircraft on the runway during the landing roll or
take-off run.

16.4. These warning are issued in English and are issued only for the local aerodrome and are passed on to
local ATS units for further dissemination over the aerodrome to the operators etc.

17. Others automated meteorological services

17.1. Automated meteorological briefing is available through Automatic Self Briefing System (ASBS) at
Chennai airport.

18. ICAO documents

18.1. The standards and recommended practices and procedures contained in the following ICAO
documents are applicable to the meteorological practice in India.
i) Annex 3 Meteorological services for International Air Navigation
ii) Doc 7030 Regional Supplementary Procedures

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India
AIP GEN 3.5-11
INDIA 1 AUG 2007
______________________________________________________________________________________
iii) Doc 8400 PANS-ICAO Abbreviations and Codes
iv) Doc 8700 Air Navigation Plan - Mild - Asia Region
v) ROBEX Handbook

19. Departmental publications

19.1. The following publication issued by India Meteorological Department contained National
Regulations/Practices.
i) Manual on Meteorological Service for Aviation in India, 3rd Edition, 2006
ii) Aviation Weather Codes 1994

20. Differences from ICAO Standard and Recommended Practices (SARP)

The following differences exist between National Regulations/Practices and the provisions of Annex 3

Paragraphs Differences
3.4.2 AIRMET services are not provided

3.5.1, 3.5.2 3.6 Not applicable

4.1.5, 4.1.6, 4.1.7 Integrated automated system for dissemination in real-time not available

4.2 Agreement between AAI and IMD does not exist

4.6.33 RVR upto 2000M reported for national use

4.1.1.1. of Appendix 3 Wind instruments are not at a height of approximately 10M everywhere
Differentiation is made in averaging of winds. Done only at stations where digital
4.1.3.1 of Appendix 3
systems are installed
Prevailing visibility is not reported. In addition to local routine and local special
4.2.4.4 of Appendix 3 reports ‘ADDITIONAL’ reports are issued to local ATS units as a national
practice and not disseminated outside the aerodrome.
4.6.51, 4.5.4.1 (d) of Vertical visibility is reported only at airports where laser Ceilometer are
Appendix 3 functioning
4.7 No fully automatic observing system installed

5.3.1, 5.6 No report is being received. Reception of data through ADS is not implemented

1.2.2 of Appendix 5 Forecast of prevailing visibility is not given in TAF

1.2.5 of Appendix 5 Forecast temperature is not given in TAF

6.6.2, 7.2.1, 7.2.2, These forecasts are not issued in support of AIRMET and are not prepared as a
7.2.3, 9.2.1(h) GAMET area forecast
9.4.6 Flight documentation is preserved for 180 days
9.5.1 to 9.5.3 Automated Pre-Flight Information System provided only at Chennai airport
The prognostic significant weather charts cover the layers from sea level to FL460
4.3 to Appendix 8
for national flights
AFTN support not available for WAFC products. Direct speech at some
11.1.3, 11.1.4 & 11.1.5
aeronautical stations is not available
Not applicable. Local forecast is issued for the area covering 50NM around, as a
11.4, 11.5
national practice

_________

_____________________________________________________________________________________
Airports Authority of India