New Zealand Volcanic Ash Advisory System

1
New Zealand Volcanic Ash Advisory System
(NZVAAS)
June 2004 Peter Lechner Head of Business Plann
ing and Reporting Meteorological Authority and Te
chnical Specialist Civil Aviation Authority of Ne
w Zealand

2
Volcanic Ash Aviation

• The Risk and the Reality
• Background and Development
• Our Volcanoes
• System Responsibilities
• Alert levels and Volcanic Hazard Areas
• Experience

3
An Increasing Risk

• Enhanced jet engine technology
• Growth of air traffic volumes
• Increasing risk of volcanic activity over time

4
Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand, 1996
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Airspace Closures 1995/6

• Cost
• Airlines 10million
• CAA 0.5million
• Others ?

6
Ash Distribution
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The CAA Experience
CAA management of air traffic in a changing and
sometimes chaotic ash environment is difficult,
expensive and potentially ineffective.

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Volcanic Threat to NZ Aviation
Kaikohe-Bay of Islands Whangarei Auckland Field
Egmont Reporoa Maroa Taupo Tongariro Ng
auruhoe
Ruapehu Rotorua Okataina
White Island Mayor Is. Whale Is. Rumbles I -
V Curtis Is. Brimstone Is. Macauley Is. Raoul
Is.
Monowai Seamont Unnamed x 3

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Volcanic Ash Issues

• Alerts and observations of eruptions
• Tracking and drift prediction
• Information flow
• Air space management
• Airline discretion
• Education
• System ownership and funding

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Collaborative Development

• Aircraft operators
• MetService
• Airways Corporation
• Civil Aviation Authority
• Institute Geological Nuclear Sciences

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VARs
NZVAAS - 1
NOTAM
Aircraft Operators
VAR feedback
Alert level eruption information
SIGMET (RTF etc)
Normal pre-flight Met. information
SIGMET (AFTN)
MetService
ACNZ
IGNS
Electronic visual eruption status informati
on
Confirm or deny information
VAR by RTF
Satellite or other eruption Information
NOTAM Request ( confirmation)
VAR by fax (post flight)
Independent observations or liaison
Other people
Volcano
VAR feedback
12
NZVAAS - 2
CAA Responsibility

• To ensure a satisfactory means exists whereby
  civil aviation aircraft operations can be safely
  carried out near volcanic ash.
  
• The CAA is not responsible for providing any
  service to airlines to directly assist them with
  such operations.

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NZVAAS - 3
CAA Role

• Review the effectiveness of the volcanic ash
  information system from time to time.
  
• Ensure ACNZ, MetService and IGNS have any
  delegations or permissions required under the
  Civil Aviation Act 1990 to carry out their roles.
  
• Publish, in the appropriate medium, a clear
  statement of how the volcanic ash information
  system works in New Zealand.
  
• Continue to publish any appropriate educational
  or technical information on aircraft operation in
  or near volcanic ash, the volcanic situation in
  New Zealand or any other relevant material.
• Establish any new Volcanic Hazard Zones (VHZ)
  that may be needed to cover volcanoes other than
  those contemplated.
  

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VARs
NZVAAS - 4
NOTAM
Aircraft Operators
VAR feedback
Alert level eruption information
SIGMET (RTF etc)
Normal pre-flight Met. information
SIGMET (AFTN)
MetService
ACNZ
IGNS
Electronic visual eruption status informati
on
Confirm or deny information
VAR by RTF
Satellite or other eruption Information
NOTAM Request ( confirmation)
VAR by fax (post flight)
Independent observations or liaison
Other people
Volcano
VAR feedback
15
VARs
NZVAAS - 5
NOTAM
Aircraft Operators
VAR feedback
Alert level eruption information
SIGMET (RTF etc)
Normal pre-flight Met. information
SIGMET (AFTN)
MetService
ACNZ
IGNS
Electronic visual eruption status informati
on
Confirm or deny information
VAR by RTF
Satellite or other eruption Information
NOTAM Request ( confirmation)
VAR by fax (post flight)
Independent observations or liaison
Other people
Volcano
VAR feedback
16
VARs
NZVAAS - 6
NOTAM
Aircraft Operators
VAR feedback
Alert level eruption information
SIGMET (RTF etc)
Normal pre-flight Met. information
SIGMET (AFTN)
MetService
ACNZ
IGNS
Electronic visual eruption status informati
on
Confirm or deny information
VAR by RTF
Satellite or other eruption Information
NOTAM Request ( confirmation)
VAR by fax (post flight)
Independent observations or liaison
Other people
Volcano
VAR feedback
17
VARs
NZVAAS - 7
NOTAM
Aircraft Operators
VAR feedback
Alert level eruption information
SIGMET (RTF etc)
Normal pre-flight Met. information
SIGMET (AFTN)
MetService
ACNZ
IGNS
Electronic visual eruption status informati
on
Confirm or deny information
VAR by RTF
Satellite or other eruption Information
NOTAM Request ( confirmation)
VAR by fax (post flight)
Independent observations or liaison
Other people
Volcano
VAR feedback
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Volcano Alert Levels
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Volcanic Hazard Zone Limits
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Volcanic Hazard Zones
For Alert Level 3 VHZ 16nm radius, ground lev
el to FL 330
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Operator Discretion

• Airlines now decide where and when they can
  safely operate during a volcanic event
  
• Only possible through the conjoint and
  co-operative provision of NZVAAS

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Summary

• Threat of volcanic ash in aviation is increasing
• NZVAAS implemented to mitigate that risk at a
  local level
  
• NZVAAS supplements ICAO IAVW
• A high level of good information is available
• NZVAAS permits aircraft operations to safely
  continue in proximity to ash
  
• It is a low cost scalable operation

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Conclusion

• NZVAAS
• An effective system for New Zealand
• Its success stems from
• formal arrangements and systems, and
• co-operative and collaborative relationships