Implementation of Reduced Vertical Separation Minima (RVSM) within South African airspace

1. This serves as Notice of Intent to implement RVSM in South Africa.

2. Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) is vertical separation of aircraft by 1000 ft normally above FL 290. Only State certified RVSM compliant aircraft, will be cleared to operate within RVSM airspace in South Africa. Aircraft that are not RVSM compliant (State aircraft) will only be cleared to operate within RVSM airspace in South Africa after prior coordination with the appropriate centre. Two Thousand feet (2000 ft) vertical separation will be applied to such aircraft. RVSM will be implemented in South Africa in accordance with ICAO regional agreements. ICAO recommends that State authorities and operators use FAA Interim Guidance 91-RVSM (as amended): Joint Airworthiness Authorities (JAA) Temporary Guidance Leaflet 6 {TGL 6) or equivalent State documents as the basis for approving aircraft and operator for RVSM.

3. The RVSM Implementation Task Force has concluded that the actual date/time of implementation of RVSM within the AFI Region, will be determined taking into account:

· The completion of the activities reflected in the AFI Strategy/Action plan.

· The development of a Pre Implementation Safety Case (PISC), which includes an acceptable Collision Risk Assessment (CRA) and its subsequent approval by the ICAO Air Navigation Council (ANC).

· The approval by the ICAO ANC of the AFI RVSM Regional Supplementary Procedures (DOC 7030/4) relating to RVSM.

Note 1: Operators are to note that the results of the second CRA indicate an improvement in the level of safety from 65X10^-9 to 15 X10^-9 as measured against the ICAO Target Level of Safety (TLS) which has been set at 5x10^-9.

As a result of this improvement, the RVSM Task Force has recommended that RVSM be implemented on target date 25^th September 2008. This recommendation has been ratified by the AFI Planning and Implementation Regional Group (APIRG).

The process as reflected above is still in progress, with the PISC due for presentation to the ANC by end of January 2008, while the ICAO ANC has approved the publication of the AFI RVSM Regional Supplementary Procedures (DOC 7030/4) relating to RVSM.

Note 2: Operators should nevertheless be prepared for RVSM operations in the selected airspace before implementation in order to be able to benefit from such an environment immediately it is available, and to avoid last-minute delays in aircraft equipage as well as the inconvenience and penalties associated with exclusion from the RVSM environment.

4. The AFI Region has established that the task of monitoring safety in conjunction with implementation of RVSM and RNAV/RNP in the AFI Region be assigned to South Africa, in the form of the Regional Monitoring Agency (ARMA). Current information and RVSM approval documents, including revisions, can be found on the websites maintained by the FAA, EUROCONTROL and SATMA, as well as on individual State websites, until such time as the information is available locally.

4.1 FAA, EUROCONTROL and, SATMA RVSM websites:

(a) <http://www.faa.gov/ats/ato/rvsm1.htm>

(b) <http://ecacnav.com>

(c) <http://www.satmasat.com/

5. The RVSM Documentation section of the FAA, EUROCONTROL and ICAO East and Southern Africa Office (ESAF) websites contain guidance on aircraft/operator approval. Operators must commence coordination with the SACAA as soon as possible to ensure that they are approved to conduct RVSM operations, which will be confirmed by AlP Supplement in due course.

6. Further information on the aircraft and operator approval process, may be obtained from the SACAA Flight Operations Department Tel: +27 11 545 1000. Information on policy, planning and implementation issues for RVSM can be obtained from the Air Traffic and Navigation Services Company Ltd. (ATNS) which has been delegated by ICAO to act as the AFI Regional Monitoring Agency (ARMA). Tel: +27 11 928 6433, Fax: +27 11 928 6420 or RVSM National Program Manager (Tel:+27 11 961 0123, Fax: +27 11 961 0403)