Introduction

This section provides an overview of the general requirements in relation to AMD. It is important to distinguish the notions that are used in the AMD context:

• AMD is geographic aerodrome information (i.e. features) and is addressed by ICAO requirements
• an  AMD set contains AMD and is addressed by ICAO requirements
• an aerodrome mapping database (AMDB) is a specific aerodrome mapping data set defined by industry requirements EUROCAE ED99() / RTCA DO272()

It is therefore important to use the qualifier AMDB with caution.

In general the idea is that (ICAO) AMD can be used as input to create AMDB content.

It should however be clear that the creation of an AMDB implies the satisfaction of the industry requirements when intended to be used for the listed Industry applications.

ICAO requirements

Data Catalogue

The Aeronautical Data Catalogue presents the scope of the data that should be collected and maintained by an AIS organization and includes data quality requirements. For more information please refer to PANS AIM Doc 10066 Appendix 1.

Not all data required by the Data Catalogue are available in the Aeronautical Information Publication. For specific information the data originator should obtain data from other source of information, e.g. aerodrome operator.

Data update requirements

Specific requirements for how data sets should be updated are contained in ICAO Annex 15, section 6.3:

       6.3.3.1 Data sets shall be amended or reissued at such regular intervals as may be necessary to keep them up to date.

6.3.3.2 Permanent changes and temporary changes of long duration (three months or longer) made available as digital data shall be issued in the form of a complete data set or a sub-set that includes only the differences from the previously issued complete data set.

       6.3.3.3 Recommendation.— When made available as a completely re-issued data set, the differences from the previously issued complete data set should be indicated.”

ICAO Doc 10066 PANS AIM Chapter 6.1 contains section Aeronautical Information Product Updates, where the provision and updates of digital data sets is described. 

The AMD follow the same rules and requirements regarding the provision and updates of data sets as AIP data set as described: Baseline data and updates

Industry requirements

The industry requirements for AMDB are driven by the applications that are intended to be enabled by AMDBs. These applications are documented in ED-99() and the associated industry requirements for AMDB cover aspects such as:

• content → feature catalogue → ED-99(), ED-119()
• quality → numerical requirements -> ED-99()
• relations between features → functional constraints → ED-99()
• geospatial relations between features→ geometrical constraints → ED-99()
• general constraints → for instance digitizing order etc... → ED-99()
• data format → application schema and information exchange model → ED-119()

Interpretation of ICAO requirements in relation to Industry requirements

ICAO requirements enable the provision of AMD in support of AMDB applications. When translating data between AIXM 5.1 and AMXM 2.0.0 it is important to be aware of any side effects and points of attention.

Some indicative aspects are provided below but these require close inspection when performing such data translation tasks:

Data Coding GuideLines

The complexities inherent to the encoding of aeronautical information and lack of harmonised approaches may lead to differences in the data. This in turn may lead to barriers to be surmounted when exploiting digital data in a network context.

To promote the harmonisation of digital data  there is a need for common data coding guidelines. When supported by precise and interpretable business rules, it is then possible to verify the compliance of digital data (e.g. AIXM data sets) versus the common data coding guidelines.

This will then result in more harmonised digital data to the benefit of the consumers of information.

In the context of this AMD supporting material the breakdown of data coding guidelines is as follows:

• the common data coding guidelines applicable to any AIXM 5.1 encoded data set
• the specific data coding guidelines applicable for: 
  • AMD sets encoded in AIXM 5.1 (), currently (July 2023) unspecified
  • AMDB as specified in ED-99(), ED-119(), also known as the functional and geometrical constraints

Continue to read about this topic in the section about information exchange models.