ACP WGN03-WP20
11 May 2004
AERONAUTICAL COMMUNICATIONS PANEL(ACP)
WORKING GROUP N (NETWORKING) – 3RD MEETING
Montréal (Canada), 19th May – 28th May 2004
Support for binary messages in AMHS
Presented by EUROCONTROL
Summary
This paper recommends the support for binary messages in the context of AMHS,
to be included in the minimum global profile.
Support for binary messages in AMHS
Ref : ACP/MONTREAL 2004/SUPPORT BINARY MESSAGES IN AMHS/
1.
INTRODUCTION
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has decided to migrate to Binary
Universal Form for the Representation of meteorological data (BUFR) for Coded
Meteorological Messages. This matter had been considered by the MET Div Meeting
(2002), which recommended the development of a migration plan for the use of tabledriven code forms for the dissemination of METAR/SPECI and TAF.
The WMO decision to migrate from all alphanumeric codes to table-driven code forms
(TDCF) for information communication purposes will also require the migration to TDCF
for aeronautical meteorological codes. The migration should commence in 2007, when it
is expected that Amendment 74 to ICAO Annex 3 will authorise the exchange of
METARs, SPECIs and TAFs in BUFR encoded format, and be completed in 2015.
The implementation of AMHS ( ATS Message Handling Service) is being planned in
several regions based on the related ICAO AMHS SARPS.
AMHS provides the technical capabilities to support the exchange of binary coded
meteorological messages.
This paper recommends that the capability to exchange binary meteorological messages
shall be included in the minimum global AMHS profile.
1.1
2.
References
[1]
Transition planning - BUFR coded meteorological messages – EUR/AFSG7/WP13
[2]
Use of AMHS to
EUR/AFSG7/WP/5
[3]
Summary of discussions of the Aeronautical Fixed Services Group (AFSG) Seventh meeting - (Paris, 19 - 23 April 2004)
convey
BUFR
coded
meteorological
messages
–
AMHS IMPLEMENTATION IN THE EUR REGION
EUROCONTROL, on behalf of the COM Team members, has developed a first version of
the European ATS Message Service Profile. This document will become part of the EUR
AMHS Manual and will form the basis for implementation of AMHS in Europe. The profile
is currently under review by the Stakeholders.
2.1
Support for binary messages in EUR Profile
As a result of the EUROCONTROL COM Team meeting in February 2004, it was agreed
to include the support for binary messages in the European profile. Hence, the AMHS
operational systems, will be capable to exchange binary messages, in time for the start of
the WMO transition from 2007 onwards. While the technical work accommodating BUFR
in ATS MHS is progressing, a Task Force reporting to the EANPG is set up to analyse the
impact of the BUFR migration on observing systems, MET data switches, support
information systems and communications infrastructure. The AMHS implementation
planning will be influenced by the results of this task force, expected to be available by
the end of 2004.
2.2
Support for binary messages in the minimum Global
Profile
Based on the global nature of the WMO transition to binary messages, the COM team
members further requested the Agency representative to recommend to the working
group N the inclusion of the support for binary messages in the minimum global profile.
Version: 1.0
Date: 11 May 2004
Page: 2
Support for binary messages in AMHS
Ref : ACP/MONTREAL 2004/SUPPORT BINARY MESSAGES IN AMHS/
3.
BINARY MESSAGE SUPPORT IN AMHS STANDARDS
There are different means in the AMHS Standards to convey binary messages:
Undefined body parts, Undefined body part with text Manifest, External body parts, File
Transfer body parts, ….The G/G subgroup should investigate these different options with
the objective of selecting one mechanism, taken into account the status of current
implementations and cost considerations.
4.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The Working Group N is invited to agree on the following recommendations :
Version: 1.0
1.
To include the support for binary messages in the minimum global profile
2.
To task the G/G subgroup to select the appropriate mechanism in the AMHS
standards to convey binary messages
Date: 11 May 2004
Page: 3