Navigating AIPs: What You Need to Know

Have you ever filed a flight plan and received a message back which looks something like this: 

REF FPL DTG 091202 N105XA WADD-WSSL,PLEASE REFILE FPL. 

AIP SINGAPORE ENR 3.2 ROUTE REFERS. 

One of the challenges facing our pilots, dispatchers, and support staff is the often-difficult task of finding information pertaining airspace guidelines and regulations. Information can be hard to find, lack clarity, or even be difficult to translate. With the departure time rapidly approaching, these stressful situations can lead to delayed missions or worse yet, grounded flights. In this installment of Jump Seat we will navigate the complex world of Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs) and where you can find important information to assist with planning your missions.  

Structure 

AIPs have a standardized format and structure, with ICAO providing the guidelines. Within AIPs you will find them organized into four sections: 

AIP/e-AIP 

General (GEN)

• Rules for entry, transit, and departures of aircraft, passengers, and cargo 
• Contact information 
• List of navigation aids 
• Local regulations and requirements 
• Fees and airspace charges 

En Route (ENR)

• Airspace classification 
• Air traffic flow management 
• Flight planning information 
• Airway and waypoint information 
• En route charts 

Aerodrome (AD)

• Aerodrome and heliport information 
• Charts 

Amendments (AMDT)

• Amendments to the AIP outside of the published AIRAC cycles 

Supplements (SUPs)

• Supplementary information not included in the AIP 
• Temporary warning/danger areas 
• Information about new procedures 

Aeronautical Information Circular (AICs) 

• Information which does not qualify to be included in the AIP or published as a NOTAM 
• Flight safety 
• Legislative matters 
• Preferred routes 

The access to AIPs, however, can be challenging. The practice of publishing AIPs has come a long way from the paper and CD-ROM era, with the vast majority of ICAO member states publishing their information on the internet. Many AIPs can be accessed without a need for a login (i.e. Singapore and United Arab Emirates) while some require a user to create a free account. Frustratingly though, some countries such as Mexico, have access to the AIP restricted behind a paywall.   

AIRAC Cycles 

AIPs are typically published every 28 days (single cycle) or 56 days (double cycle), though some countries update their data less frequently. These cycles are known as Aeronautical Information Regulation and Control (AIRAC) cycles. During these cycles air navigation authorities will publish changes to airways, airport names, location identifiers, and much more. Upcoming AIRAC effective dates can be found here on ICAO’s website. 

Preferred Routes 

While AIPs are standardized in their structure, that does not necessarily mean you will find the information you are looking for in the same spot. Take routing for instance. Finding the preferred routing within an AIP can be a frustrating experience and an exercise in patience. This critical information can be found in various places, but there are areas of the AIP where you can reliably find this critical piece of information.  

En-Route 3 ATS Routes (ENR) Section

• The AIP for Singapore displays important route information in ENR 3 – ATS Routes. After navigating to this section, you will need to choose section ENR 3.1 or ENR 3.2 and select an airway. In our example from the article introduction, the rejection message indicates airway T22. By selecting the airway and referencing the Route remarks we can see preferred arrivals into Seletar Airport (WSSL).

En Route 1.8 and 1.10 (ENR) Sections

• In the En Route section of the AIP you will find Regional Supplementary Procedures (ENR 1.8) and Flight Planning (ENR 1.10). Iceland publishes detailed departure and arrival routes in section ENR 1.8. For example, you can find Keflavik Airport (BIKF) departure routes:

Preferred Route Websites

• For some countries, such as the United States and Brazil, you can find dedicated websites which store preferred route information. Routes for the United States can be found here while Brazil can be found here.

AIP Tips & Useful Information

In addition to preferred routes, AIPs contain a wealth of important information to assist your flight operations.

Part 1 – GEN 1.2, 1.3, and 1.4: These sections contain guidelines for when overflight and/or landing permission is required. 

Part 2 – ENR 1.10: Rules regarding flight plan submission, including information on how far in advance flight plans should be filed prior to the Estimated Off-block Time (EOBT)

Part 2 – ENR 6: In this section you can find published airway charts. This can be useful when trying to plan for upcoming changes to navigation data.



Part 3 – AD: in sub-section AD2 Aerodromes you can find information about the aerodrome including operating hours, available services, rescue & firefighting services, runway data, and airport procedures. Once you’ve selected an airport you can typically find aerodrome charts and documents with published procedures as well. 

While many AIPs are published in English, some may default to native languages but have an option to toggle to a secondary language. Some AIPs also contain a search feature to help navigate the document, similar to Iceland’s.

Another useful feature in some AIPs, such as France, is the ability to export the section you are viewing to PDF. You will need to click the PDF icon on the page to download the file:

Planning a short domestic trip or a multi-leg trip spanning the globe can each pose their unique challenges. With ARINCDirect’s knowledgeable team of Flight Coordinators and subject matter experts in your virtual jump seat, you’re never alone. 

Did You Know?

• ARINCDirect’s Auto-Generated Routes incorporate published preferred routing, based on AIP guidance. Note that using the Requested FL feature or selecting the Ignore Route Restrictions checkbox could lead to a non-compliant route.

Useful Links

• Eurocontrol has a helpful website which links to AIPs from countries all over the world. 
• The Eurocontrol EAD site is a great resource with access to European AIPs in one location. 
• ICAO's AIRAC cycle list.