EUR/NAT VOLCEX16 debrief & VOLCEX17 planning meetings & VOLCEX/SG/12 summary
SUMMARY OF THE
DEBRIEF MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN AND NORTH ATLANTIC
VOLCANIC ASH
EXERCISE in 2016 (EUR/NAT VOLCEX16)
&
PLANNING MEETING OF VOLCEX17
&
VOLCEX/SG/12
(Reykjavik, 15-16 November 2016)
1. Introduction
1.1 The Debrief Meeting of the European and North Atlantic Volcanic Ash Exercise in
2016 (EUR/NAT VOLCEX16) was held in Reykjavik, Iceland on 15 November 2016 and hosted by
Isavia.
1.2 The meeting was chaired by Nigel Gait, UK MET Office and co-rapporteur of the
EUR/NAT VOLCEX/SG. The Secretary of the meeting was Mr. Christopher Keohan from the ICAO
EUR/NAT Office, Paris.
1.3 The meeting was attended by 47 experts representing 16 States, 2 airlines, 1 research
institution and 4 International Organizations (Eurocontrol, IATA, IFALPA and ICAO). The list of
participants and contact list are presented at Appendix A and Appendix B respectively.
1.4 The meeting adopted the updated provisional agenda as provided in Appendix C.
2. Recapitulation of Exercise VOLCEX16
2.1 The meeting recalled the VOLCEX16 Exercise Scenario that involved a simulated
eruption of Bárðarbunga in Iceland starting at 0500 UTC on 11 Oct 2016 lasting until 1600 on 12 Oct
2016. The volcanic ash plume impacted north western Europe on Day 1 and extended to northcentral
Europe on Day 2 with forecast positions past 1600 UTC that extended into central Europe, Baltic and
Russian Federation. Stakeholders actively participated in VOLCEX16 from 0800 to 1600 UTC on
both days.
2.2 VAAC London generated the Volcanic Ash Advisories (VAA) and Volcanic Ash
Advisories in Graphical Form (VAG) and the UK MET generated Volcanic Ash Concentration Charts
at 6 hourly intervals in support to the EUR/NAT Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan on the first day of
the exercise and both Volcanic Ash Concentration Charts and Volcanic Ash Column Mass Loading
Charts on the second day of the exercise. Airlines had the opportunity to test their Safety Risk
Assessment (SRA) using Volcanic Ash Concentration Charts on the first day and Volcanic Ash
Column Mass Loading on the second day of the exercise.
2.3 Teleconferences organized by Network Manager discussed the current Air Traffic
Management (ATM) network situation (based on Air Traffic Flow Management (ATFM) simulation)
as well as outlook (based on VAAC charts) for the following 24 hours.
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2.4 In addition, the current ATM situation and responsiveness to airline operators need for
operational flexibility was discussed based on a screenshot from ATFM simulation tool that showed:
1) all flights rerouting around larger areas of high ash concentration (exercise assumption); 2)
cancelled flights departing to and from airports located under areas of high ash concentration; and 3)
ATFM delays necessary due to rerouting.
2.5 Participants of VOLCEX16 included 41 airline operators, IATA, Aircraft Operator
Crisis Coordination Cell (AOCCC), European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell (EACCC), Network
Manager, 23 ANSPs, MWOs from 17 States, NOFs from 16 States, 21 Regulators, VAAC London
(VAAC Toulouse backup), and 6 other organisations.
2.6 The meeting recalled the aims and objectives of VOLCEX16 which are reproduced
here within.
Exercise the merged EUR/NAT Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan (EUR Doc 019, NAT Doc
006, Part II)
o For individual States: test the effectiveness of their national procedures in accordance
with the ICAO plan;
o For all participants: test the effectiveness of local (organizational) volcanic ash
contingency plans and/or procedures;
o Exercise the origination, dissemination, reception and use of volcanic ash related
aeronautical/meteorological information (including VAA/VAG, VA concentration
charts – day 1 and column mass loading charts and data – day 2, VA SIGMET and
NOTAM and special air-reports on volcanic activity); ensure that NOTAM are in
accordance with the ICAO EUR/NAT Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan; and
o Evaluate the utility of VA threshold (column mass loading methodology) charts and
data;
Exercise and evaluate crisis coordination between the various stakeholders through EACCC
(the European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell) and the Aircraft Operator Crisis
Coordination Cell (AOCCC);
Test the ATM responsiveness to need of AO operational flexibility;
Test dissemination of special air-reports on volcanic ash, their upload and display on the NM
NOP Portal/EVITA Tool;
Test the effectiveness of EVITA with VA concentration charts (day 1) compared with new
proposed VA column mass loading charts (day 2); and
Conduct table top exercise on comparison of current concentration charts and proposed ash
column mass loading charts (10 June 2016). Results to be reported to EANPG COG (second
week of October 2016).
3. Exercise VOLCEX16 lessons learned, recommendations and conclusions
3.1 The meeting was provided presentations by ICAO, United Kingdom (VAAC London),
IATA on behalf of airline operators, Eurocontrol Network Manager, and IFALPA. These
presentations can be accessed on the ICAO Portal under group name VOLCEXSG VOLCEX16
VOLCEX16 Debrief.
EUR/NAT VOLCEX16 debrief & VOLCEX17 planning meetings & VOLCEX/SG/12 summary 3
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3.2 Based on the presentations and meeting input, the meeting agreed to the following
recommendations:
Modify EVITA;
o More user friendly (to be used without specific training) in line with work flows being
developed by n-Conect user groups;
Supplementary product improvements;
o Column Mass Loading (CML) products not approved;
o VAACs London and Toulouse to provide suggested changes to the supplementary
products including a review of the fixed vertical levels;
o Circulate to VOLCEX/SG for feedback;
o Agreed proposal to be provided to EANPG COG and NAT IMG;
o EANPG COG and NAT IMG consider change management process, if applicable; and
o Revised proposal to be tested in the next VOLCEX;
Continue practicing ATM response considering;
o Knowledge of SRA approach from States;
o Greater concentration of traffic at low and mid-levels; and
o Non-standard re-route options and opportunities provided by ANSPs (promoted by
airspace users) promulgated in an efficient manner (e.g. via NM NOP);
Communications;
o Consider chat forum (enabled with n-Conect); and
o VAACs to participate in the beginning of the teleconferences and answer questions
before exiting the telcon (e.g. first 10 minutes of telcon to preserve their time for their
duties) and avoid duplicate briefings for individual ANSPs;
Co-operation
o The long term aim is for fully harmonized procedures for forecast ash concentrations
(low, medium, according to VAAC supplementary products) to be agreed upon by all
States in the EUR Region
Upload special air-reports on volcanic ash on NOP portal/EVITA tool;
o Fix software bug in geographic coordinates (e.g. E longitude remains E);
o Consolidate position section to one section;
o Consolidate MET section to one section;
o Include option to report SO2;
EUR/NAT VOLCEX16 debrief & VOLCEX17 planning meetings & VOLCEX/SG/12 summary 4
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o Have these messages plotted; and
o Consider having this tool possibly available for other phenomena (e.g. Turbulence) in
non-crisis situations;
NOTAM;
o States should comply to Annex 15 and the merged EUR/NAT VACP in providing
NOTAM which points to existing volcanic ash information and does not reproduce
the ash cloud dimensions (or concentration of ash);
Next Exercise Directive to include;
o Reminder to use EXERCISE three times in the message header and footer for all VA
messages for VOLCEX events since exercises must not interfere with real-time ops;
o Emphasis on final date of posting of Directive;
o Preparatory telcons for AOs and ANSPs;
o Exercise Directing Staff (DISTAFF);
o Cross-border FIR coordination on SIGMET (or link to this guidance material);
o Participants that support AOs (e.g. Computer Flight Plan Service Provider) noting their
status in the meeting would be to support AOs;
o Verification of receipt of special air-reports on volcanic ash and SO2 at VAACs and
NM to ensure both get the same reports;
o Simulate re-routing scenario in advance based on assumptions made (AOs avoid high
concentration ash); and
o Considering inclusion in Exercise Directives of NAT tracks based on location of the
forecast of volcanic ash when exercising Icelandic eruptions;
Note that the next Exercise involving an eruption on Iceland should consider
extending the exercise to Day 3 to involve more States, or adapted to the weather
scenario selected.
4. VOLCEX17 planning meeting
4.1 The meeting reviewed outcomes of the VOLCEX16 debrief meeting to shed light on
the objectives to be developed for the next volcanic ash exercise called VOLCEX17. The meeting
agreed to the following objectives:
Exercise the merged EUR/NAT Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan (EUR Doc 019, NAT Doc
006, Part II);
o For individual States: test the effectiveness of their national procedures in accordance
with the ICAO plan;
o For all participants: test the effectiveness of local (organizational) volcanic ash
contingency plans and/or procedures; and
EUR/NAT VOLCEX16 debrief & VOLCEX17 planning meetings & VOLCEX/SG/12 summary 5
June 2010
o Exercise the origination, dissemination, reception and use of volcanic ash related
aeronautical/meteorological information (including VAA/VAG, VA supplementary
information, VA SIGMET and NOTAM and special air-reports on volcanic activity);
ensure that NOTAM are in accordance with Annex 15 and the ICAO EUR/NAT
Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan;
Exercise and evaluate crisis coordination between the various stakeholders through EACCC
(the European Aviation Crisis Coordination Cell) and the Aircraft Operator Crisis
Coordination Cell (AOCCC);
Test the ATM responsiveness to need of AO operational flexibility;
Test transmission/dissemination of special air-reports on volcanic ash, their upload and
display on the NM NOP Portal/EVITA Tool and verify number of reports received at NM and
VAACs; and
Test cross-border SIGMET coordination.
4.2 In addition, a greater use of the ‘annotated satellite picture’ in future exercises to
identify areas of ‘discernible ash’ was expected.
4.3 The meeting placed priority on populating the Directing Staff (DISTAFF) for
VOLCEX17 which is reproduced here within.
EUR/NAT VOLCEX16 debrief & VOLCEX17 planning meetings & VOLCEX/SG/12 summary 6
June 2010
Organization Name Job Title E-mail Address Office
Phone
Number
EXERCISE
LEADER
Portugal
Jose AMARAL
ICAO Christopher
KEOHAN
Regional
Officer -
MET
[email protected] +33 1 46
41 85 16
ECTL Kenneth THOMAS Head of
Network
Operations
Management
Coordination
[email protected] +32 2 729
9792
+32 472
528242
+32 2 729
9028 fax
NM NM Exercise
Team
nt
……..
VAAC
Toulouse
VAAC
Manager
ANSP Jose AMARAL [email protected]
Regulator Portugal
NOF Santo Giuseppe
SGRO
MWO Meteo France
IATA Carlo VERELST Manager
ATM
Infrastructure
Europe
+32 2 729
97 51
4.4 The meeting also agreed to the following VOLCEX17 attributes and milestones.
Attributes
Volcano Name: Terceira (volcano no. 382050)
Location: Azores (Portugal)
Eruption time: 28 Nov 2016 tbd UTC (small exercise VAAC Toulouse and Portugal Day 0)
Duration: 29, 30 Nov 2017 (Exercise from 0800-1600 UTC both days)
o VAAC products issued every 6 hours
o First operational telcon at 1000 UTC, second operational telcon of day at 1330 UTC
Plume attributes:
o day 1 (29 Nov 17): Issued by VAAC Toulouse:
o day 2 (30 Nov 17): Issued by VAAC Toulouse:
o The plume was expected to be carried by a westerly wind (with some north/south
perturbations possible) to impact the Mediterranean belt.
Milestones
End of April 2017 – VAAC products available
10 Aug 2017 – initial draft available to all the DISTAFF
EUR/NAT VOLCEX16 debrief & VOLCEX17 planning meetings & VOLCEX/SG/12 summary 7
June 2010
29 Sep 2017 – Final VOLCEX17 Exercise Directive available
Mid-Oct 2017 – first preparatory telcons Regulators/ANSPs/MWOs/NOFs, AOs (separate)
End-Oct 2017 – second preparatory telcons Regulators/ANSPs/MWOs/NOFs, AOs
(separate), if deemed necessary
28, 29 Nov 2017 – VOLCEX17
7 Dec 2017 – individual reports due from participants
14 Dec 2017 – consolidated reports due
significant findings should be provided in lessons learned and
recommendations
3rd
week Jan 2018 - VOLCEX17 debrief meeting and VOLCEX18 planning meeting, Santa
Maria (tbc by host)
1st week Feb 2018 – VOLCEX17 final report posted on the ICAO EUR/NAT RO website
5. VOLCEX/SG/12
5.1 The meeting agreed to the updated VOLCEX/SG future work programme as provided
at Appendix D.
6. Any other business
6.1 The meeting thanked Isavia for hosting this series of volcanic ash exercise meetings
and the meeting concluded at 1500 on 16 November 2016.
_______________________
VOLCEX16 Debrief & VOLCEX17 Planning & VOLCEX/SG/12
15-16 November 2016 (Reykjavik, Iceland)
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Last updated: 02/12/16
CANADA
Darcy ARNOLD
Darryl HORN
DENMARK
Kim ROSING-ASVID
FINLAND
Erik BERG
Pekka KIVI
FRANCE
Alexis CLINET
Philippe HUSSON
Patrick SIMON
GERMANY
Bodo ERHARDT
HUNGARY
József TÖRŐCSIK
Zsuzsa RIGÓ
Júlia MICZKI
Gyula GYŐRI
Andrea WASSER
ICELAND
Arni GUDBRANDSSON
Birgir Örn ÓLAFSSON
Óskar Tryggvi SVAVARSSON
ITALY
Giuliano CELLI
Mauro COLTELLI
Vasco LOCCI
Giovanni MACEDONIO
Angelo ROMITO
Danilo PANCOTTI
Augusto PROIETTI
Santo Giuseppe SGRO
IRELAND
Declan MANGAN
LATVIA
Peteris ZACESTS
NETHERLANDS
Rob VAN DER BOOM
NORWAY
Line HAMMERLUND
Ira SCHAUG-PETTERSEN
PORTUGAL
José AMARAL
Joao Paulo FRIAS CORREIA
Antonio BEJA
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Alexey BUEVICH
SWEDEN
Thomas JÖNSSON
UNITED KINGDOM
Nigel GAIT
Ian LISK
Anton MUSCAT
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Bob GIANGUILIO
Steve SMITH
ICELANDAIR
Kari NIELSSON
EUROCONTROL
Daniela GHEORGHE
Nick RHODES
Kenneth THOMAS
IATA
Carlo VERELST
ICAO
Chris KEOHAN
IFALPA
Klaus SIEVERS
UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND
Uta REICHARDT
Appendix A
VOLCEX16 Debrief & VOLCEX17 Planning & VOLCEX/SG/12
15-16 November 2016 (Reykjavik, Iceland)
CONTACT LIST
Last updated: 02/12/16
CANADA
Darcy ARNOLD [email protected]
Darryl HORN [email protected]
DENMARK
Kim ROSING-ASVID [email protected]
FINLAND
Erik BERG [email protected]
Pekka KIVI [email protected]
FRANCE
Alexis CLINET [email protected]
Philippe HUSSON [email protected]
Patrick SIMON [email protected]
GERMANY
Bodo ERHARDT [email protected]
HUNGARY
József TÖRŐCSIK [email protected]
Zsuzsa RIGÓ [email protected]
Júlia MICZKI [email protected]
Gyula GYŐRI [email protected]
Andrea WASSER [email protected]
ICELAND
Árni GUÐBRANDSSON [email protected]
Birgir Örn ÓLAFSSON [email protected]
Óskar Tryggvi SVAVARSSON
ITALY
Giuliano CELLI [email protected]
Mauro COLTELLI [email protected]
Vasco LOCCI [email protected]
Giovanni MACEDONIO [email protected]
Angelo ROMITO [email protected]
Danilo PANCOTTI [email protected]
Augusto PROIETTI [email protected]
Santo Giuseppe SGRO [email protected]
IRELAND
Declan MANGAN [email protected]
LATVIA
Peteris ZACESTS [email protected]
NETHERLANDS
Rob VAN DER BOOM [email protected]
NORWAY
Line HAMMERLUND [email protected]
Ira SCHAUG-PETTERSEN [email protected]
PORTUGAL
José AMARAL [email protected]
Joao Paulo FRIAS CORREIA [email protected]
Antonio BEJA [email protected]
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Alexey BUEVICH [email protected]
SWEDEN
Thomas JÖNSSON [email protected]
UNITED KINGDOM
Nigel GAIT [email protected]
Ian LISK [email protected]
Anton MUSCAT [email protected]
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Bob GIANGUILIO
Steve SMITH [email protected]
ICELANDAIR
Kari NIELSSON [email protected]
EUROCONTROL
Daniela GHEORGHE [email protected]
Nick RHODES [email protected]
Kenneth THOMAS [email protected]
IATA
Carlo VERELST [email protected]
ICAO
Chris KEOHAN [email protected]
Appendix B
VOLCEX16 Debrief & VOLCEX17 Planning & VOLCEX/SG/12
15-16 November 2016 (Reykjavik, Iceland)
CONTACT LIST
Last updated: 02/12/16
IFALPA
Klaus SIEVERS [email protected]
UNIVERSITY OF ICELAND
Uta REICHARDT [email protected]
Tel.: National 01 46 41 85 85
Fax: National 01 46 41 85 00 E-mail: [email protected]
International +33 1 46 41 85 85 International +33 1 46 41 85 00 Web: www.icao.int/EURNAT/
Appendix C - Agenda
EUR/NAT VOLCEX16 DEBRIEF MEETING
15 November 2016
Isavia Air Navigation – Isavia Reykjavikurflugvelli 101, Reykjavik, Iceland
Provisional Agenda
15 November 2016
Time Item Lead
0830 Registration --
0900 Welcome and opening of the meeting, including:
Purpose and conduct of the Debrief Meeting; and
Adoption of the provisional agenda.
Secretary
0915 Recapitulation of Exercise VOLCEX16, including:
Scenario;
Participating agencies and Directing Staff
(DISTAFF); and
Aims and Objectives.
Exercise Leader
0930 Exercise VOLCEX16 lessons learned,
recommendations and conclusions:
Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres;
Meteorological Watch Offices;
Air Navigation Service Providers;
Exercise Leader
based on the
Initial Exercise
Reports submitted
1030 Coffee break --
1100 Exercise VOLCEX16 lessons learned,
recommendations and conclusions:
International NOTAM Offices;
Aircraft Operators and IATA;
Exercise Leader
based on the
Initial Exercise
Reports submitted
1230 Lunch break --
1345 Exercise VOLCEX16 lessons learned,
recommendations and conclusions:
National supervisory authorities;
Eurocontrol; and
Others
Exercise Leader
based on the
Initial Exercise
Reports submitted
1500 Coffee break --
…/…
EUR/NAT 16-0408.MET – Convening Volcex16 Deb Volcex17 Plan VOLCEXSG12 2/4
15 November 2016
Time Item Lead
1530 Key messages arising from Exercise VOLCEX16:
Taking into consideration the aims and objectives of
Exercise VOLCEX16, and based on the lessons learned,
recommendations and conclusions discussed, the meeting
will identify those key messages to be put for the
consideration of the European and North Atlantic Volcanic
Ash Exercises Steering Group (EUR/NAT VOLCEX/SG)
or where appropriate, EANPG COG and NAT IMG,
particularly in the context of the Volcanic Ash
Contingency Plan for the EUR/NAT Region.
Exercise Leader
1630 Any other business Secretary
1700 Close --
_______________________
EUR/NAT 16-0408.MET – Convening Volcex16 Deb Volcex17 Plan VOLCEXSG12 3/4
Attachment 2
EUR/NAT VOLCEX17 PLANNING and VOLCEX/SG/12 MEETINGs
16 November 2016
Isavia Air Navigation – Isavia Reykjavikurflugvelli 101, Reykjavik, Iceland
Provisional Agenda
16 November 2016
Time Item Lead
0900 Welcome and opening of the meeting
Purpose and conduct of the Planning Meeting;
Tour de table; and
Adoption of the provisional agenda
Secretary
0915 Review of:
Proposed column mass loading products; and
Updates related to the dissemination of special air-
reports sent to EUROCONTROL NM
NOP/EVITA
VAACs
Eurocontrol
1030 Coffee break --
1045 VOLCEX17 framework (following guidelines provided
in Appendix F of Doc 9766 and OPINS), including:
Determination of Exercise Leader and Directing
Staff;
Participants including States, International
Organizations, airlines and other bodies;
Exercise aims and objectives noting changes
associated with VACP in EUR and NAT Regions
Exercise Leader
1230 Lunch break --
1345 Exercise scenario planning, including:
Exercise volcano;
Exercise duration;
Role of VAACs, MWOs, ACCs, Network
Manager, MATMC, EACCC, volcano
observatory, IATA and airline operators, national
supervisory authorities, and other players;
Communications
Exercise Directives;
Initial Exercise Reports;
Exercise Debrief; and
Final Exercise Report
Exercise Leader
1515 Coffee break --
1530 Exercise scenario planning (continued)
EUR/NAT 16-0408.MET – Convening Volcex16 Deb Volcex17 Plan VOLCEXSG12 4/4
16 November 2016
Time Item Lead
VOLCEX/SG/12
Adapt VOLCEX/SG future work programme;
Any other business
_____________________
APPENDIX D – EUR/NAT VOLCEX/SG FUTURE WORK PROGRAMME
Updated 30 November 2016
2017 TO 2019
Date Activity Location
29, 30 November
2017 VOLCEX17 Volcano in Azores,
Portugal (Terceira)
3rd
week January 2018 Debrief meeting for VOLCEX17
Planning meeting for VOLCEX18
VOLCEX/SG/13
Santa Maria, Portugal
(to be confirmed by
host)
Autumn 2018 VOLCEX18 Iceland or Italy
Late 2018/2019 Debrief meeting for VOLCEX18
Planning meeting for VOLCEX19
VOLCEX/SG/14
Oslo, Norway or Italy
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