AIS/AIM(STAFF)CHALLENGES

INTHEAFIREGION

GLOBALAIMKAMPALAUGANDA24 TH MAY2017

PRESENTATIONBY:HAMISIKISESA
 THEAFIREGIONCOVERAGE

CoversAfrica

Oceanic areas

Land Masses

Between25Wand75EandSouthtotheSouthPole
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 BACKGROUND
According to annex 15 , the ICAO document which has its origin in
Article 37 of the Chicago Convention. The role of AIS is to ensure the
flow of information/data necessary for the safety, regularity and
efficiency of international air navigation.
AIS/AIM is the authoritative government source for collecting,
validating, storing, maintaining, and disseminating aeronautical data
all over the States territories.
develops, publishes and disseminates the aeronautical charts
and products
develops and maintains the flight procedures and airways.
Thus, AI/AIM provides supports for the aviation industry to meets the
demand for the increased capacity, efficiency, and predictability in
the airspace, routes, and airports.

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BACKGROUNDContinues.
ICAO has a number of programmes that assist AFI region
States to achieve effective implementation of the ICAO SARPs
and Policies. These SARPS have been effective commitments
and resources for these States to reach international standard
that benefits the whole world.

RelationshipbetweenICAO,MemberStates,Serviceproviders
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 BACKGROUNDContinues.

The success of AIS/AIM cadres in the AFI region is a attributed by the

commitment of the member States to adopt the ICAO
recommendations.
In spite of the success of the AIS/AIM cadres in the region, there are
many challenges facing the staff . Many of these challenges are caused
by the two actors in aviation industry namely:
( i) ICAO itself and
(ii) the Member States

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AIS/AIM(STAFF)CHALLENGESByICAO
To date, there is no specific training programme to lead initial, recurrent
and specialization to AIS/AIM staff. Ofcourse States were provided
Training Development Manual interpretation and its implementation is
different among members in the region. Yet there are no Career
advancement courses developed for AIS/AIM staff.
AIS Manuals Inefficiency, Chapter 3 verse.1.2.3 states An AIS should
be established as a separate entity within a civil aviation administration.
This could be as an entity with direct responsibility to the head of the civil
aviation administration or as an entity at the same level of other air
navigation services, such as the Aerodrome (AGA) Division,
Communications (COM) Division or Air Traffic Services (ATS) Division. It
should not be established as a part of any of these divisions. In addition,
AIS officers should be remunerated at least at the same level as
personnel in the AGA, COM and ATS divisions.
The structure of AIS/AIM in CAAs or ANSPs is still not uniform.
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CHALLENGESByICAOCont
Remuneration of AIS/AIM staff has never been at least equally as it is
stated. In some States you could find AIS/AIM staff paid in local
currency while others paid in US dollars. There is no equivalence at all.
ICAO has never necessitated the certification of AIS/AIM staff . Even
with the multiactivity nature as contains Cartography, COM,
PANSOPS personnel etc, together with the decision making support
AIS/AIM staff provides to certified FOOs, Pilots and ATCs. The risk of
working as amateurs to this sensitive profession (AIS/AIM) has never
been realized.
To large extent there are delays in updating the documents : For
example, the AIS Manual (Doc 8126) makes its usability almost
irrelevant , the PANSAIM is still not provided to date. Many things
have changed and they have not been accommodated. Where do
AIS/AIM staff rely then?
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CHALLENGESByICAOCont
Stages provided on the Roadmap for transition from AIS to AIM are
not detailed to assist member States in the region to successful
transition. In actual sense they are lists of stages to do but not
detailed how! Again there is no evaluation on whether you do it right
or wrong. No wonder some States are behind the implementations.
Beyond the bounds, the Roadmap assumed CAAs, METs, Airport
Authorities are one body. Which is not the case in the AFI region. The
later were less involved in all the plans in the region, yet there are
plans for systems interoperability.

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AIS/AIM(STAFF)CHALLENGESBystates
States inability to understand, transform and adopt the ICAO
Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) objectives that ensures
continuity and harmonization among the modernization
programmes.
AIS/AIM staff have been left behind plans, have not been
collaborated in many aviation developments in their places of
work, they dont know much about the Aviation System Block
Upgrade (ASBU) ,Performancebased Navigation (PBN), Safety
Management System (SMS ) etc.
As operational personnel, AIS/AIM staff have not been involved in
State Safety Programme (SSP) and all human performance risk
management issues as they are considered to have no direct
impact on safety. Rather, they are not appreciated.

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CHALLENGESCont
States Political Instability: This has affected the AIS/AIM staff
working in various areas. Example in Somalia and South Sudan, due
to insecurities at some times, the AIS/AIM staff migrated to Gigiri
UN Complex in Nairobi, Kenya.
States Regulations: When Regulatory bodies dont play well their
roles, then the ICAO documents will have no jurisdiction with States
laws. Therefore, the AIS/AIM staff practices and demands for their
rights as stipulated on manuals etc. will not be exercised.
Ontheotherhandbeingarareprofession,makesAIS/AIMtohave
lownumberofstaffthatmakeitunpopular ,itscontributioninthe
aviationnotremarkableandhencelessprivileged.

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CHALLENGESCont
Ineffective leadership: New technological changes drives AIS to run
to AIM, thus exposes our leaders primitiveness and inability to
interpret these new issues , to impart them to AIS/AIM staff. This
indirectly blocks adoption of changes in AIS/AIM.
Lack of readiness: Top leaders in our organizations have not been able
to see the values and the contribution of AIS/AIM in industry, thus
they lack seriousness and readiness in prioritizing AIS/AIM on budget
issues that could initiate and eventually complete AIS/AIM projects.
Lack of familiarization programs: There are no programs for exchange
of AIS/AIM staff that could develop skills, give exposure and build
competence equity regionally.

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CHALLENGESCont
The course contents for initial AIS courses provided have not been
sufficient enough to provide the AIS/AIM staff with high level of
competency. There is too much unfamiliarity and unknowingness of
most basic aviation issues. In this way, strengths and weaknesses
of these staff are easily seen.
Cost of Trainings: Most AIS/AIM courses are tailor made and are very
expensive as a result very few staff gets opportunity to train while
the rest works by experience. For this, there is an increasing gap of
knowledge between staff.
Cost of working tools: The modern working facilities such as the
AIM software, AIM Solutions, Publishing Solutions etc , are very
expensive most states cant afford unless bought on installments
bases as long plan projects. Again, there are cases of venders
Bankrupts that left States unserved.

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 CHALLENGESCont
Living alone the absence of a common structure for AIS/AIM as it
appears in the CAAs &ANSPs organization structures, the combination
of units on AIS/AIM has never been the same too.
Few States have made their AIS/AIM a pool containing failures from
other cadres and with non AIS activities
The activities such as;
Revenue collection (Collection of fees)
Permits issuance (over flight/landing/ diplomatic) etc.
Turns to be the main responsibilities for AIS/AIM staff. Thus undermines
the AIS/AIM profession and have led to lots of misunderstandings on its
legality professionally.
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COMMONAIS/AIMUNITS
PANSOPSUNIT

AIPPUBLICATIONUNIT

COM&/
AERODROMEUNIT
DATABASEUNIT
NOTAMUNIT

AERONAUTICALCHARTS
UNIT
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CHALLENGESCont.

The higher the number of competency units, the higher the diversity
of responsibilities and therefore, the intricacy in having a common
profession name: Today member States in the region have
Aeronautical Information Officers(AIOs),
Aeronautical Information Technicians(AITs),
Aeronautical Information Management Specialists(AIMs),
Aeronautical Information Management Officers (AIMo)etc.
There is no common name for this profession.

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Recommendations
ICAOshould:
Set a common and very effective AIS/AIM Training Curriculum not training
development manual alone.
Build a career pathway for AIS/AIM staff that explores the available training
opportunities within the cadre, but also build the prerequisites for
trainings on the imminent working position. Example; PANSOPS training.
Groomed to AIS/AIM Inspectors .
Insist on AIS/AIM staff involvement in all air navigation improvement
programmes including SMS, SSP etc. Giving more awareness on the ICAO
Global Air Navigation Plan (GANP) objectives and strengthening the States
ability to transform and adopt these plans.
Establish an AIS/AIM Certification needs to professionalize all staff working
in the cadre, same way as it is done in ATS, Pilots, FOOs etc. Or else certify
some AIS/AIM staff who are working in critical units .

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 PROPOSEDCAREERPATHWAYFORAIM

AIMPUB

AERODROME NOTAM AMDB PANSOPS

AERONAUTICAL
CHARTS

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Recommendationscont
MemberStates:
Top leaders in the organizations should be the first to understand the
plans and direction of the AIS/AIM cadres and be able to forecast
and finally implement the plans. In that way allocation of enough
budgets could be possible to carter for trainings, project
implementations, familiarization programs etc.
Should simplify the regulation approvals by Ministers to delegate
the approval powers to CAAs Top leader(DGs) instead of a long
process to domesticate the SARPS. Automatically that will speed their
implementation and enhance the bind of law .

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Thankyou!
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