This AIC provides notification and contains information for guidance and awareness for concerned stakeholders in respect of the implementation requirements of 8.33 kHz channel spacing below FL195 in the ICAO EUR region according to EC Regulation (EU) No 1079/2012 of 16 November 2012 (further on Regulation) published in Official Journal of the European Union EN L 320, dated 17.11.2012.
It contains additional actual information to that published in the Hungarian AIC 3/05 dated 01 November 2005.
2. Scope of the Regulation
Note: Within this AIC, radio means any installed, portable or handheld device designed to transmit and/or receive transmissions in the aeronautical VHF band.
2.1 The Regulation applies to the following:
2.1.1 All radios operating in the 117,975-137 MHz band (‘the VHF band’) allocated to the aeronautical mobile route service, including systems, their constituents and associated procedures;
2.1.2 Flight data processing systems serving air traffic control units providing services to general air traffic, their constituents and associated procedures;
2.1.3 All flights operating as general air traffic, within the airspace of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (‘ICAO’) EUR region where Member States are responsible for the provision of air traffic services in accordance with Regulation (EC) No 550/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council.
2.2 The conversion requirements shall not apply to frequency assignments:
- that will remain in 25 channel spacing on the following frequencies:
- the emergency frequency (121,5 MHz)
- the auxiliary frequency for search and rescue operations (123,1 MHz);
- the VHF digital link (VDL) frequencies (136,725 MHz, 136,775 MHz, 136,825 MHz, 136,875 MHz, 136,925 MHz and 136,975 MHz);
- the aircraft communications addressing and reporting system (ACARS) frequencies (131,525 MHz, 131,725 MHz and 131,825 MHz);
- where offset carrier operation within a 25 kHz channel spacing is utilised.
2.3 Radios intended to operate exclusively in one or more frequency assignments that will remain in 25 kHz channel spacing shall not be required to have the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3. Key Requirements of the Regulation
This AIC does not fully reproduce the content of the Regulation, which contains detailed requirements and places obligations on a wide range of organisations, including manufacturers, users or owners of radio equipment, air navigation service providers, airport and aircraft operators, including General Aviation aircraft. However, the key requirements of the Regulation are detailed below.
3.1 Interoperability and performance requirements of radio equipment
3.1.1 From 17 November 2013 all radios placed on the EU market, shall be 8,33 kHz channel spacing capable.
3.1.2 Air navigation service providers, operators and other users or owners of radios shall ensure that all radio equipment put into service or upgraded from 17 November 2013, includes the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.1.3 Aircraft for which the individual certificates of airworthiness or individual flight permits are first issued in the Union from 17 November 2013 and have a radio equipage requirement, shall be fitted with radios having the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.1.4 By 31 December 2017 at the latest all radios shall have the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability with the exception of ground radios operated by air navigation service providers.
3.1.5 In addition to 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability, the equipment referred to in paragraphs 3.1.1. – 3.1.4. shall be able to tune to 25 kHz spaced channels.
3.2 Obligations of operators
3.2.1 An operator shall not operate an aircraft above FL 195 unless the aircraft radio equipment has the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.2.2 From 1 January 2014 an operator shall not operate an aircraft flying under instrument flight rules in airspace class A, B or C of the Member States: Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Hungary, Netherlands, Austria and United Kingdom unless the aircraft radio equipment has the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.An operator shall not operate an aircraft flying under visual flight rules in areas operating in 8,33 kHz channel spacing unless the aircraft radio equipment has the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.2.3 From 1 January 2018 an operator shall not operate an aircraft in airspace where carriage of radio is required unless the aircraft radio equipment has the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.3 Requirements on 8,33 kHz conversions
3.3.1 For sectors with a lower level at or above FL 195 all voice frequency assignments shall be converted to 8,33 kHz channel spacing.
3.3.2 From 1 January 2015, all operational control communication frequency assignments in the central register shall be 8,33 kHz channel spacing frequency assignments.
3.3.3 By 31 December 2018 at the latest, all frequency assignments shall be converted to 8,33 kHz channel spacing with the exception of:
- frequency assignments that stay in 25 kHz as a result of a safety requirement;
- 25 kHz frequency assignments used to accommodate State aircraft.
3.4 Arrangements for State aircraft
3.4.1 Transport-type State aircraft operating flights above FL 195 shall be equipped with radios having the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.4.2 Non-transport-type State aircraft operating flights above FL 195 shall be equipped with radios having the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.4.3 When procurement constraints prevent compliance with paragraph 3.4.2. Member States shall ensure that non-transport- type State aircraft operating flights above FL 195 are equipped with radios having the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability by 31 December 2015 at the latest.
3.4.4 New State aircraft entering into service from 1 January 2014 shall be equipped with radios having the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.4.5 From 1 January 2014, whenever the radios installed on-board the State aircraft are subject to radio upgrades, the new radios shall have the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability.
3.4.6 All State aircraft shall be equipped with radios having the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability by 31 December 2018 at the latest.
3.4.7 Member States shall communicate to the Commission by 30 June 2018 at the latest the list of State aircraft that cannot be equipped with radios having the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability in accordance with paragraph 3.4.6.
3.4.8 Where procurement constraints prevent compliance with paragraph 3.4.6., Member States shall also provide to the Commission by 30 June 2018 at the latest the date by which the aircraft concerned will be equipped with radios having the 8,33 kHz channel spacing capability. That date shall not be later than 31 December 2020.
3.4.9 Paragraph 3.4.6.shall not apply in respect of State aircraft that will be withdrawn from operational service by 31 December 2025.
3.5 Additional requirements
3.5.1 Operators shall ensure that the personnel operating radio equipment are made duly aware of this Regulation, that they are adequately trained to use this equipment and that instructions are available in the cockpit where feasible.
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