Contact:AIM Belgium AFS: EBVAYOYX Email: aip.production@skeyes.be | AIC Belgium and Luxembourg  | AIC 006/2023 Effective from 05 OCT 2023 Published on 21 SEP 2023 |
Contact:AIM Belgium AFS: EBVAYOYX Email: aip.production@skeyes.be | AIC Belgium and Luxembourg | AIC 006/2023 Effective from 05 OCT 2023 Published on 21 SEP 2023 |
This AIC provides notification to Aircraft Operators, Airports and Air Navigation Service Providers (ANSPs) concerning a mandate for area navigation equipment and procedures for aircraft inbound and outbound to/from all public aerodromes in the Belgian part of the Brussels FIR.
The mandate will address area navigation and required navigation performance capabilities of both Belgian and non-Belgian registered aircraft.
From 09 NOV 2017 an RNAV 1 operations approval or equivalent authorization is required for all IFR GAT flights inbound and outbound to/from the following aerodromes:
From 25 JAN 2024 an RNAV 1 operations approval or equivalent authorization will be also required for all IFR GAT flights inbound and outbound to/from the following aerodromes:
Meaning that this mandate apply to all public aerodromes in the Belgian part of the Brussels FIR.
The currently existing conventional routes and procedures associated with the introduction of RNAV 1 will be progressively phased out to complete the transition to a PBN-compliant environment.
The geographical scope of the mandate affects published Holdings, STARs, transitions to Final Approach inbound to, and SIDs outbound from, the aerodromes referenced in paragraph 2 with connectivity to the en-route network.
Where an aerodrome does not have existent IFR route connectivity today, there will be no requirement to change that system and the aerodrome can continue to receive aircraft and depart aircraft under their current arrangements, subject to the ANSP (ATC) being able to meet air traffic demand and provide the required service.
Access to STARs/Transitions to Final Approach and SIDs belonging to aerodromes referenced in paragraph 2, by aircraft operating to/from peripheral airports will still be accommodated by ATC subject to demand. Those operators must fulfil the RNAV 1 technical and operational requirements.
The mandate does not apply to aircraft transiting sectors across the Brussels FIR.
The mandate does not apply to VFR operations or helicopter operations in the Brussels FIR.
Note 1: Nothing in this AIC prevents aerodromes not herein notified from introducing area navigation procedures on a non-mandatory basis.
Note 2: The mandate does not apply to VFR flights into and out of the aerodromes notified herein.
Note 3: Training of conventional IFR procedures at the aerodromes notified herein is not affected by the mandate. Training of conventional IFR procedures cannot be interpreted as an exemption from the operator’s obligations to fulfil the RNAV 1 technical and operational requirements. In any case, the aircraft shall be suitably equipped to conduct RNAV 1 operations.
Where an operator has failed to obtain their RNAV 1 approval due to circumstances beyond their control, the Belgian CAA may grant a Temporary Exemption to an operator requesting it subject to one of the following conditions being satisfied:
State aircraft using the aerodromes referenced in paragraph 2 will be granted a general exemption from the mandate, although aircraft that routinely use the civil ATS structure as GAT, shall be certificated to equivalent standards of performance in relation to accuracy, integrity, continuity and most importantly, are interoperable with respect to aircraft functionality and the ability to conduct required operations.
An exemption from the mandate issued at the discretion of the Belgian CAA and coordinated with ATC will be available for certain operations e.g., humanitarian disaster relief, one-off maintenance or emergency flights in accordance with the Flight Priority Category.
Flights with the aerodrome of departure and aerodrome of destination being the same are exempted from the mandate.
The exemption request should be submitted electronically to the Belgian CAA, for the attention of Head of Airspace department with supporting documents at the following address:
Email: CivilAir@mobilit.fgov.be
AIC 004/2023 is hereby cancelled.