Aviation | Resources | Introduction
Introduction
The provision of aeronautical meteorological services is highly standardized and harmonized through standards, recommended practices and procedures developed by WMO and ICAO and published principally in WMO Technical Regulations (WMO-No. 49), Volume II/ICAO Annex 3, Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation.
In addition to these Technical Regulations, WMO develops and publishes guidance material aimed at facilitating the implementation of the standards, recommended practices and procedures by the Members. The development of both technical regulations and guidance material is assisted by technical experts involved in the work of the WMO technical commissions and other constituent bodies.
Standards, Recommended Practices and Procedures of WMO
The WMO Technical Regulations comprise standard practices and procedures and recommended practices and procedures. The definitions of these two types of Regulations are as follows:
The standard practices and procedures:
- Shall be the practices and procedures which it is necessary that Members follow or implement; and therefore
- Shall have the status of requirements in a technical resolution in respect of which Article 9 (b) of the Convention is applicable; and
- Shall invariably be distinguished by the use of the term shall in the English text, and by suitable equivalent terms in the Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish texts.
The recommended practices and procedures:
- Shall be the practices and procedures which it is desirable that Members follow or implement; and therefore
- Shall have the status of recommendations to Members, to which Article 9 (b) of the Convention shall not be applied;
- Shall be distinguished by the use of the term should in the English text (except where otherwise provided by decision of Congress) and by suitable equivalent terms in the Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish texts.
The regulatory material promulgated by the WMO is contained strictly in the WMO Technical Regulations (WMO-No.49) and its Annexes (Manuals). Complementary non-regulatory material is published by WMO as guides, technical notes or other supplementary documents aimed at facilitating the implementation of the WMO standards, recommended practices and procedures by the Members.
Standards, Recommended Practices and Procedures of ICAO
Similar to WMO for meteorology, ICAO establishes a global regulatory framework for international civil aviation. In accordance with Article 37 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, ICAO "shall adopt and amend from time to time, as may be necessary, international standards and recommended practices and procedures dealing with:
- Communications systems and air navigation aids, including ground marking.
- Characteristics of airports and landing areas.
- Rules of the air and air traffic control practices.
- Licensing of operating and mechanical personnel.
- Airworthiness of aircraft.
- Registration and identification of aircraft.
- Collection and exchange of meteorological information.
- Log books.
- Aeronautical maps and charts.
- Customs and immigration procedures.
- Aircraft in distress and investigation of accidents."
As alluded above, the international standards, recommended practices and procedures relating to aeronautical meteorology are contained in ICAO Annex 3 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation, Meteorological Service for International Air Navigation.
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