Aurora – The UK aeronautical data management portal
The UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and National Air Traffic Services Ltd (NATS) are working collaboratively with all stakeholders to support the implementation of Aeronautical Data Quality requirements in the United Kingdom by providing regulatory oversight of data chains from origination to publication by Aeronautical Information Services (AIS).
NATS as the service provider (AISP) is responsible for producing the UK Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) and is implementing a new data management portal and AIP production system under a project known as ‘Aurora’. This new system is designed to meet the requirements of ADQ-IR 73/2010 and CAP 1054 and will be made ready for operational use in early 2019.
A number of changes can be expected for those organizations (Data Originators) responsible for providing AIP change requests to AIS. One of the key changes is the establishment of Formal Arrangements and a new portal for the provision of aeronautical data and information to AIS. Usernames and passwords will be issued to all those that have registered during December 2018.
All those responsible for maintaining AIP data are required to ensure that it is up to date and reflects the correct values.
Updates to the AIP can be made in the Aurora portal either manually or by provision of one of the following three acceptable datasets:
Aerodrome survey data
- Survey Package in a zip file attached to change request
Airspace change data
- CAA WGS 84 spread sheet in a zip file attached to change request
RNAV Instrument flight procedures
- Draft chart and Coding Table in a zip file attached to change request
The transition to the Aurora enables closer adherence to ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices and to the requirements of ADQ-IR 73/2010. The AIP Cover Page has been used to describe the consequential changes to the format and content of AIS Products.
Additionally, the following information is available:
- The AIS website describes the products and services available to users.
- The webpage used for submitting AIP change proposals has been updated to reflect the future use of the AIS portal and includes information about registering as a new sponsor.
- A news update on the AIS website explains that AIRAC 01/2019 has been published using the Aurora system and the establishment of the new portal.
The AIS portal will become open for use to registered authorised data originators on the 3 January 2019 when the current change request process will cease to be available for data originators.
Those who submit or update AIP information will be able to access guidance material and training videos from within the Aurora portal. In addition there will be a series of online sessions run by AIM
to provide additional support.
Please contact support.aissupervisor@nats.co.uk if you have any questions about the Aurora system.
