LPS Slovakia: Airspace over the territory of the Slovak Republic - situation on 19-April-2010

Based on the teleconference of the European Commission, representatives of the Eurocontrol, air traffic services providers, aviation authorities and the facts presented in the various countries and professional associations on the basis of the operations and measurements were designed to be moved to a harmonized approach to resolve the problem of volcanic cloud over Europe. The conference has proposed 3 possible options:

1. option - the current scenario under the current assessment of the situation assess and make VAAC (Vulcanic Ash Advisory Center) to coordinate the closing of airspace under the cloud created by the model VAAC.

2. option - to provide as much information as possible to the aviation community, on the basis of these facts to make the decisions on which way to plan a flight. The actual conducting out of the flight will depend on the decisions of the pilot in command. It's similar to the approach in the U.S., where it is prohibited to fly within the volcanic cloud, including buffer distances from the point of eruption.

3. option - includes no flight zone in areas with a visible cloudy volcanic ash shown on satellite images including buffer area, which will be defined in the manner recommended by ICAO. The prediction of the progress and development of each cloud will be reported every 6 hours. States will introduce each of the zones, based on satellite information based on forecasts of cloud movement. Maps will be sent to the CFMU, including restrictions on flights over no flight zone.

The first draft of criteria for no flight zones including buffer zone should be available today evening with the fact that implementation should be put into operation no later than tomorrow from 08:00 hrs.

CET. Countries agree that it is possible to implement a temporary option No. 2 Decision of the representatives of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Slovak Republic and LPS Slovak Republic, state enterprise was on the 19th 04th 2010 at the meeting of the Task Force allow to conduct flights of commercial air transport in Bratislava FIR under the following conditions:

* allow flights to be declared by NOTAM, for the period from 14:30 hrs. CET for a maximum period of 48 hours with the possibility of further extension, or in case of worsening weather conditions in relation to the volcanic activity of the cancellation procedure;

* responsibility for conducting flight under specified conditions, is transferred to the aircraft operator. Operators of the aircraft will obtain all the available relevant data required for a flight;

* Slovak MET Institute will continuously monitor and evaluate the situation in the context of the current weather conditions and volcanic activity and will provide reports on current and forecast changes in the near term;

* the referred procedures will be evaluated and compared with the agreed procedure of representatives of the EC Member States and international organizations in civil aviation.

* this procedure was approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Slovak Republic representatives and LPS Slovak Republic, state enterprise . representatives.. No flight zone in the airspace of the Slovak Republic has been identified yet.