1 Purpose

The Air Traffic Management (ATM) Contingency Plan, Part I contains arrangements to ensure the continued safety of air navigation in the event of partial or total disruption of air traffic services in the Ulaanbaatar FIR in accordance with ICAO Annex 11 - Air Traffic Services, Chapter 2, paragraph 2.29.

The Contingency Plan provides the ATS procedures and contingency route structure using existing airways in most cases that will allow aircraft operators to transit the Ulaanbaatar FIR, in case of above mentioned event.

2. Air traffic management and contingency procedures

During the contingency critical period, ATS including ATC, may not be available, particularly with regard to availability of communications and radar services. In cases where service are not available, a NOTAM will be issued providing the relevant information, including an expected date and time of resumption of service. The contingency plan provides for limited flight information and alerting services to be provided by adjacent ACCs.

During the early stages of a contingency event, ATC may be overloaded and tactical action taken to reroute aircraft on alternative routes not included in this Plan.

In the event that ATS cannot be provided in the Ulaanbaatar FIR a NOTAM shall be issued indicating the following:

1. Time and date of the beginning of the contingency measures;

2. Airspace available for landing and overflying traffic and airspace to be avoided;

3. Details of the facilities and services available or not available and any limits on ATS provision (e.g., ACC, APP, TWR and FIS), including an expected date of restoration of services if available;

4. Information on the provisions made for alternative services;

5. Any changes to the ATS contingency routes contained in this plan;

6. Any special procedures to be followed by neighbouring ATS units not covered by this plan;

7. Any special procedures to be followed by pilots;

8. Any other details with respect to the disruption and actions being taken that aircraft operators may find useful.

Aircraft separation criteria will be applied in accordance with the Procedures for Air Navigation Services-Air Traffic Management (PANS-ATM, ICAO-Doc 4444) chapter 5 and the Civil Aviation Rules 75 of Mongolia.

Interruption of Surveillance Systems:

1. 15 minutes longitudinal separation shall be maintained;

2. Provide procedural control service;

3. Pilots are to report its position and flight level on each reporting points.

VFR flights shall not operate in the Control areas of Ulaanbaatar FIR.

Where possible, aircraft on long-haul international flights shall be given priority with respect to cruising levels.

The ACC providing ATC services will follow their emergency operating procedures and activate the appropriate level of contingency procedures in line with the Operational Coordination Agreement.

These procedures include the following:

1. The Ulaanbaatar ACC on determining that ATS may be reduced due to sudden weather phenomena, will inform pilots by the controller responsible of the emergency condition and advise if it is likely that the ACC will be evacuated and ATS suspended. In the event of it becoming necessary to evacuate the ACC building, the unit evacuation procedures will be activated, and time permitting, controllers will make an emergency evacuation transmission on the radio frequency in use providing pilots with alternate means of communication;

2. During the period the contingency procedures are in effect, flight plan and ATS messages must continue to be transmitted by operators to the Ulaanbaatar ACC via the AFTN using normal procedures.

During times of uncertainty when airspace closures seem possible, aircraft operators should be prepared for a possible change in routing while en-route, familiarization of the alternative routes outlined in this Contingency Plan, as well as those which may be promulgated by a State via NOTAM or AIP.

In the event of airspace closure that has not been promulgated, ATC should, if possible, broadcast to all aircraft in their airspace, what airspace is being closed and to stand by for further instructions.

ATS providers should recognize that when closures of airspace or airports are promulgated, individual airlines might have different company requirements as to their alternative routing. ATC should be alert to respond to any request by aircraft and react commensurate with safety.

3. Contingency route structure

In the event of disruption of the ATC services provided by Ulaanbaatar ACC, contingency routes will be introduced to ensure safety of flight and to facilitate limited flight operations commensurate with the prevailing conditions. Existing ATS routes form the basis of the contingency routes to be used, and a flight level assignment scheme introduced to minimize potential points of conflict and to limit the number of aircraft operating simultaneously in the system under reduced air traffic services. Additional contingency routes will be introduced as and when circumstances require, such as in the case of volcanic ash clouds forming.

Aircraft on long-haul international flights and special operations (e.g. Search and Rescue (SAR), State aircraft, humanitarian flights, etc), shall be afforded priority in accordance with this plan.

International operators affected by the suspension of all operations from Mongolian airports will be notified by the relevant airport authority when operations may be resumed, and flight planning information will be made available pertaining to that airport. International flights who have received such approval may be required to flight plan via domestic routes to join international contingency routes.

The contingency route structure for international flights is detailed in Appendix 1.

4. Pilots and operator procedures

Pilots need to be aware that in light of current international circumstances, a contingency routing requiring aircraft to operate off normal traffic flows, could result in an intercept by military aircraft. Aircraft operators must therefore be familiar with international intercept procedures contained in ICAO Annex 2 –Rules of the Air, paragraph 3.8 and Appendix 2, Sections 2 and 3.

Military authority may intercept civil aircraft if required. In such cases, the ICAO intercept procedures contained in Annex 2 will be followed, and pilots are to comply with instructions given by the pilot of the intercepting aircraft.

If circumstances lead to the closure of Mongolian airspace and no contingency routes are available aircraft will be required to route around Mongolian airspace. As much warning as possible will be provided by the appropriate ATS units in the event of the complete closure of Mongolian airspace.

Pilots need to continuously guard the VHF emergency frequency 121.5 MHz and should operate their transponder at all times during flight, regardless of whether the aircraft is within or outside airspace where secondary surveillance radar (SSR) is used for ATS purposes. Transponders should be set on a discrete code assigned by controller or select code 2000 if controller has not assigned a code.

5. Communication procedures

When operating within the contingency airspace of the Ulaanbaatar FIR, pilots should use normal radio communication procedures where ATS are available. These will be in accordance with the communication procedures in this Plan or as otherwise notified by NOTAM.

If communications are lost unexpectedly on the normal ATS frequencies, pilots should try the next applicable frequency, e.g. if en-route contact is lost then try the next appropriate frequency, that is, the next normal handover frequency. Pilots should also consider attempting to contact ATC on the last frequency where two-way communication had been established. In the absence of no communication with ATC, the pilot should continue to make routine position reports on the assigned frequency, and also broadcast positions on the specified contingency frequency.

A list of frequencies to be used for the contingency routes and the ATS units providing FIS and air-ground communication monitoring for Ulaanbaatar FIR is detailed at Appendix 1.