Electronic AIP (eAIP)
The first steps in digital AIM
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Content
 Why
 What
 How
 Current status
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Why
 The paperless trend in aviation
● no time spent inserting paper amendments
● estimated 4 hours saved per week for a pilot
● avoid carrying heavy paper on board
 “Electronic Flight Bag (EFB)”
● class 1 = carry-on laptop, not for critical phases of flight
(training, flight planning, reference)
● class 2 = laptop mounted in the cockpit, may be used in
all phases of flight
● class 3 = permanently mounted display, installed avionics
● business jet operators leading the way
● Boeing 777, class 3 EFB, with own ship position
● Airbus – Airline In-flight Information System
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Example - AIRBUS 380
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Paper based AIS information publication process
Electronic
documents
AIP
AIS
Office
Solution for
automation: AIXM
?
AIP document
users
-Briefing
Offices
-VFR/IFR pilots
-…
Why
- Read
- Extract small
amounts of
data
Flight manuals
Data users
- Commercial data providers
- Large airline
- CFMU
- ...
Legend
- Extract large
amounts of
data
Charts
ARINC 424
FMS Data
Operational databases
Automated data processing
Manual data processing
Physical distribution
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Why
State A
eAIP needed
harmonisation &
standardisation
eAIP - State A
eAIP - State D
eAIP - State B
AIP - State E
State B
State E
State D
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Why
 Electronic Aeronautical Information Publications
● In the search for quality, efficiency and economy, by 1997-1998,
Aeronautical Information Services (AIS) of the European States have
started publishing electronic version of their AIP
● Due to lack of a standard -> divergent implementations
(heterogeneous technical solutions, navigation structures and
presentation formats)
 eAIP Specification
● In response to a clear need for harmonisation and coordination
● Electronic AIP (eAIP) Specification developed by EUROCONTROL
● initially done as part of the AIS AHEAD Programme (improve the
management, techniques and performance of AIS in Europe)
● Since 2004 -> maintained and further enhanced by the
Aeronautical Information Management (AIM) Domain of EATM
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
What
 AIXM approach –> data modelling
● Data Exchange -> XML Schema
 eAIP approach –> document modelling
● Document Type Definition (DTD)
● The purpose of a DTD is to define the legal building blocks of an XML
document (document structure)
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
XML structured data (DTD)
What
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<e:ENR-4.3 id="ENR-4.3" Toc="Yes" Number="ENR 4.3">
<e:Title>Name-code designations for significant points</e:Title>
<e:Designated-point-table Updated="No">
<e:Designated-point id="SP-LINUX" Updated="Inserted"
Updated-ref="AMDT-2000-01"
Listed="Yes">
<e:Designated-point-ident>LINUX</e:Designated-point-ident>
<e:Latitude>423500N</e:Latitude>
<e:Longitude>0370122W</e:Longitude>
</e:Designated-point>
<e:Designated-point id="SP-ABOLA" Listed="Yes" Updated="No">
<e:Designated-point-ident>ABOLA</e:Designated-point-ident>
<e:Latitude>
<e:Deleted id="UPDT-2000-01-001" Updated-ref="AMDT-2000-01"
Updated="Deleted">000000N</e:Deleted>
<e:Inserted id="UPDT-2000-01-002" Updated-ref="AMDT-2000-01"
Updated="Inserted">544306N</e:Inserted>
</e:Latitude>
<e:Longitude>0102222W</e:Longitude>
</e:Designated-point> Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
...
What result
XML to HTML stylesheet
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
What result
Visualise changes in text
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
What result
Visualise changes in text
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
What result
Make
changes
visible
Visualise changes in graphics
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
What result
XML to PDF stylesheet
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
What
 EUROCONTROL eAIP
● Specification: the eAIP defines an electronic format and the general
usage process
● Publication: the eAIP is designed to be published, be it on screen or
on paper and used by people;
● Exchange: to a certain extent, the eAIP can be used for computer-tocomputer data exchange
 Not a software tool
● however, proof of concept “MakeAIP” software package is provided
● industry to provide advanced editing & supporting software
 Fully compatible with the ICAO SARPS
● complete solution, encompassing all elements of the IAIP (Integrated
Aeronautical Information Package)
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
What
 Advantages for users of an eAIP:
●
●
●
●
●
possibility to visualise changes (both in text and graphics)
better followed ICAO AIP structure - enforced by the DTD
no maintenance effort
no postal delays (if distributed through the Internet)
available at hand for the whole company (no need to go to the
library)
● easy archiving (legal, statistical, etc.)
● proven authenticity of the document (if digitally signed by AIS)
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
What
 Advantages for producers of an eAIP:
● better AIP (consistency, integrity , usability), derived products
● 60-70% of users do no longer ask for paper amendments
● technological leap forward (XML is likely to become the "AIS
language")
● reduced risk and cost as compared to isolated development
● reduced costs for internal “free” copies
● easier to create integrated/regional AIPs
● easy archiving (legal, etc.)
● possibility to digitally sign the document
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
How to create one
 Production tools
● See “Related Links” on eAIP Web site
● eAIP production tools offered by industry
 Examples
● Slovenia
● using custom software based on
XMLMindXMLEditor
● Portugal
● using custom software based on FrameMaker
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
How to create one
eAIP Slovenia - Chronology
- First steps towards eAIP in March 1999
- eAIP was in PDF only
- March 2000 PDF AIP published on CAA website
- July 2001 – pilot client to Eurocontrol eAIP project
- Nov 2001 – start of XML file production (XML Spy)
- Nov 2003 – eAIP (HTML & PDF) published on the CAA
website
- Jun 2004 – preparation for eAIP on CD and ANSP website
- 12 May 2005 – initial version of new eAIP published on CD,
web and paper (HTML and PDF)
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
How to create one
Workflow
Generate AIXM
selector
New AIP Data
Pre-publish
HTML eAIP
Modify XML files
SDO Update
required
No
Make XML changes
No
Publication OK ?
Yes
Update SDO
get AIXM snapshot
Create new
AIS Package
Yes
Export eAIP
Publish
HTML and PDF
eAIP
Update EAD PAMS
Print paper
Update Website
Burn CD
Update P3,
AISAGORA…
Compare eAIS
Packages (eAIP Diff)
Validate XML files
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
How to create one
eAIP Slovenia link
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
How to create one
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
How to create one
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
How to create one
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
How to create one
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Current status
 eAIP Specification version 1.1.0
● www.eurocontrol.int/eaip
 Implementations to date
● Slovenia, Belgium and Luxembourg, Armenia,
Moldova, The Netherlands, Slovak Republic,
Portugal, Latvia, Azerbaijan, Taipei FIR, Hungary
 In development
● Czech Republic, Sweden, Turkey, Egypt, Japan,
etc.
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Current status
 eAIP storage and visualisation in EAD
● EAD offers AIP for consultation in PAMS
● Originally, PDF only
● eAIP is better adapted to screen presentations than
PDF
● Since November 2004, EAD (release 2) offers
support for eAIP in PAMS
● Migrating States are expected to load and maintain
their eAIP in PAMS, in addition to the default PDF
version (not mandatory)
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
eAIP in EAD
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Future Enhancements
DTD support
for bilingual
editing in a
single XML
source
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Future Enhancements
annotate eAIP
with PERM
NOTAM or
client notes
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
Conclusion
Paperless AIS information publication process
AIS
Office
AIP document
users
-Briefing
Offices
-VFR/IFR pilots
-…
eAIP Production Tool
(Editing Software
connected to database)
AIS data
management function
Local / regional (EAD)
database (AIXM compatible)
Flight manuals
Data users
- Commercial data providers
- Large airlines
- CFMU
-…
Legend
- Exchange
large amounts
of data
Charts
ARINC 424
FMS Data
Operational databases
Automated data processing
Manual data processing
Physical distribution
Singapore Workshop – Technical Focus - 16 June 2008
- Read
- Custom view
- Extract small
amounts of
data