Contact

Post:

Air Traffic Control the Netherlands
Aeronautical Information Service
P.O. Box 75200
1117 ZT Schiphol
The Netherlands

Tel: +31 (0)20 406 3521

Fax: +31 (0)20 406 3532

AFS: EHAAYOYX

AIC-B_en 09/2011

Publication date 22 JAN 2015

REVISED

REQUIREMENTS FOR ALLOCATING ICAO LOCATION INDICATORS

1 GENERAL

The purpose of this AIC-B is to provide information on the requirements for allocating location indicators. Recent applications have shown that there is uncertainty as to the function of a location indicator and in what cases allocation takes place.

2 ALLOCATION OF LOCATION INDICATORS

On request of air navigation service providers (ANSP), designated as such by Act on Aviation, location indicators are allocated by the Civil Aviation Authority the Netherlands (CAA-NL) in accordance with ICAO Annex 9, 10, Document 7910 and national legislation. The CAA-NL applies in addition to the provisions of these ICAO documents, the following principles for allocating location indicators.

Location indicators are allocated to:

Location indicators are not allocated to other aerodromes.

3 LEGISLATION

3.1 Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012, Degree on Air Traffic 2014, and Flight Plan Regulation

A location indicator has an important function in the (international) exchange of aeronautical messages and/or digital data between aeronautical fixed stations. Flight plan information will be exchanged via the aeronautical fixed telecommunication network (AFTN) which is part of the aeronautical fixed service (AFS). The main goal of this service is to exchange aviation related messages between (international) air navigation service providers.

Filing a flight plan is regulated by SERA.4001 of the EU Implementing Regulation, article 16 of the Degree on Air Traffic, and article 2 and 3 of the Flight Plan Regulation.

SERA.4001 stipulates:

A flight plan shall be submitted prior to the operation of:

  1. any flight or portion thereof to be provided with air traffic control service;
  2. any IFR flight within advisory airspace;
  3. any flight within or into areas, or along routes designated by the competent authority, to facilitate the provision of flight information, alerting and search and rescue services;
  4. any flight within or into areas or along routes designated by the competent authority, to facilitate coordination with appropriate military units or with air traffic services units in adjacent States in order to avoid the possible need for interception for the purpose of identification;
  5. any flight across international borders, unless otherwise prescribed by the States concerned;
  6. any flight planned to operate at night, if leaving the vicinity of an aerodrome.

In addition article 16, paragraph 1 of the Degree on Air Traffic 2014 (Besluit Luchtverkeer 2014):

  1. By regulation of Our Minister, routes and flights, as specified in Section 4 of the Annex to Regulation (EU) no. 923/2012, may be designated where it is required to file a flight plan. A regulation will be established to support:
    1. the flight information service, alerting service or search and rescue; or
    2. coordination with relevant military units or with air traffic service units in adjacent States.
  2. Our Minister may lay down rules with regard to the contents, closing and compliance with the flight plan, referred to in Section 4 of the Annex to Regulation (EU) no. 923/2012.

Further more in article 2 of the Flight Plan Regulation (Regeling Vliegplannen):

  1. Without prejudice to Regulation (EU) No 923/2012, SERA.4001 a flight plan shall be submitted prior to the operation of:
    1. any IFR flight with the Amsterdam FIR;
    2. any flight in the North Sea area Amsterdam to the exclusion of flights with state aircraft in accordance with article 14, paragraph 3, of the Air Traffic Service regulation.

For VFR flights to and from a national airport located in uncontrolled airspace, it is not required to submit a flight plan. The second paragraph of article 3 of the Flight Plan Regulation states that a flight plan can be submitted for a VFR flight if the pilot in command wants to facilitate potential provision of search and rescue.

3.2 Customs Regulation (Algemene Douaneregeling), art. 2:1

Airports which are not designated as an international airport and as such not mentioned in article 2:1 of the customs regulation, may not accommodate international flights. Such airports have the status of national airport. Designation will be done by the customs authorities of the Ministry of Finance if all requirements are fulfilled. For further information contact the customs office in your region.

3.3 Civil Aeronautical Information Regulation (Regeling Burgerluchtvaartinlichtingen), art. 15

Article 15 of the Civil Aeronautical Information Regulation indicates the designation as national/international airport as well. The airport status implies obligations to the airport authorities to provide specific aeronautical information.

3.4 ICAO Annex 9 - Facilitation

Based on ICAO Annex 9, the AIP Netherlands (GEN 1.2) contains rules and regulations on the entry, transit and departure clearance of aircraft set forth by the Minister of Infrastructure and Environment. All flights to, from or over the Dutch territory and landings within that area must be conducted in accordance with applicable Dutch legislation for civil aviation.

Aircraft from abroad coming to Dutch territory or going abroad again, have to land first on and finally depart from an international airport. AIP chapter AD 1.3 contains a list with all international airports within the Netherlands.

3.5 Schengen agreement

The Schengen agreement describes the free trade between contracting states. Flights between contracting states are by definition international flights and subject to the provisions of ICAO Annex 9 and national legislation.

Therefore flights to and from Schengen states must depart from or land at an international airport.

4 ICAO DEFINITIONS

Annex 9
International airport: any airport designated by the Contracting State in whose territory it is situated as an airport of entry and departure for international air traffic, where the formalities incident to customs, immigration, public health, animal and plant quarantine and similar procedures are carried out.

Annex 10 Volume II and Doc 7910
Aeronautical fixed station: a station in the aeronautical fixed service.

Aeronautical fixed service (AFS): a telecommunication service between specified fixed points provided primarily for the safety of air navigation and for the regular, efficient and economical operation of air services.

Aeronautical fixed telecommunication network (AFTN): a worldwide system of aeronautical fixed circuits provided, as part of the aeronautical fixed service, for the exchange of messages and/or digital data between aeronautical fixed stations having the same or compatible communications characteristics.

Location indicator: a four-letter code group formulated in accordance with rules prescribed by ICAO and assigned to the location of an aeronautical fixed station.

5 FURTHER INFORMATION

For more information you can contact the information centre of the CAA NL.

Post:

Information centre of the Civil Aviation Authority
P.O. Box 90653
2509 LR Den Haag
The Netherlands

Tel: +31 (0)88 489 0000

Email: Via the link 'Contact met de ILT' on the website www.ilent.nl. You will receive a response within 5 working days.

6 DOCUMENT CONTROL

AIC-B 09/11 (29 DEC 11) is cancelled herewith.

ISSN: 1386-6613