The Civil Aviation (Meteorological Service for Air Navigation) Regulations, 2025
2. Interpretation
2. Interpretation
In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires —"aerodrome" means a defined area on land or water (including any buildings, installations and equipment) intended to be used either wholly or in part for the arrival, departure and surface movement of aircraft;"aerodrome climatological summary" means concise summary of specified meteorological elements at an aerodrome, based on statistical data;"aerodrome climatological table" means a table providing statistical data on the observed occurrence of one or more meteorological elements at an aerodrome;"aeroplane" means a power-driven heavier-than-air aircraft, deriving its lift in flight chiefly from aerodynamic reactions on surfaces which remain fixed under given conditions of flight;"aerodrome control tower" means a unit established to provide air traffic control service to aerodrome traffic;"aerodrome meteorological office" means an office designated to provide meteorological service for aerodromes serving air navigation;"aerodrome reference point" means the designated geographical location of an aerodrome;"aeronautical fixed service (AFS)" means a telecommunication service between specified fixed points provided primarily for the safety of air navigation and for the regular, efficient and economical operation of air services;"aeronautical fixed telecommunication network (AFTN)" means a worldwide system of aeronautical fixed circuits provided, as part of the aeronautical fixed service, for the exchange of messages or digital data between aeronautical fixed stations having the same or compatible communications characteristics;"aeronautical meteorological station" means a station designated to make observations and meteorological reports for use in air navigation;"aeronautical mobile service" means a mobile service between aeronautical stations and aircraft stations, or between aircraft stations, in which survival craft stations may participate; emergency position-indicating radio beacon stations may also participate in this service on designated distress and emergency frequencies;"aeronautical telecommunication service" means a telecommunication service provided for any aeronautical purpose;"aeronautical telecommunication station" means a station in the aeronautical telecommunication service;"aircraft" means any machine that can derive support in the atmosphere from the reactions of the air other than the reactions of the air against the earth's surface;"aircraft observation" means the evaluation of one or more meteorological elements made from an aircraft in flight;"AIRMET information" means Information issued by a meteorological watch office concerning the occurrence or expected occurrence of specified en-route weather phenomena which may affect the safety of low-level aircraft operations and which was not already included in the forecast issued for low-level flights in the flight information region concerned or sub-area thereof;"air-report" means a report from an aircraft in flight prepared in conformity with requirements for position, and operational or meteorological reporting;"air traffic services unit" means a generic term meaning variously, air traffic control unit, flight information centre or air traffic services reporting office;"alternate aerodrome" means an aerodrome to which an aircraft may proceed when it becomes either impossible or inadvisable to proceed to or to land at the aerodrome of intended landing where the necessary services and facilities are available, where aircraft performance requirements can be met and which is operational at the expected time of use. Alternate aerodromes include the following—(a)take-off alternate which is an alternate aerodrome at which an aircraft would be able to land shall this become necessary shortly after take-off and it is not possible to use the aerodrome of departure;(b)en-route alternate which is an alternate aerodrome at which an aircraft would be able to land in the event that a diversion becomes necessary while en-route;(c)destination alternate which is an alternate aerodrome at which an aircraft would be able to land shall it become either impossible or inadvisable to land at the aerodrome of intended landing;"altitude" means the vertical distance of a level, a point or an object considered as a point, measured from mean sea level (MSL);"approach control unit" means a unit established to provide air traffic control service to controlled flights arriving at, or departing from, one or more aerodromes;"appropriate ATS provider" means the relevant ATS provider designated by Kenya responsible for providing air traffic services in the airspace concerned;"area control centre" means a unit established to provide air traffic control service to controlled flights in control areas under its jurisdiction;"Authority" means Kenya Civil Aviation Authority;"automatic dependent surveillance (ADS)" means a surveillance technique in which aircraft automatically provide, via a data link, data derived from on-board navigation and position-fixing systems, including aircraft identification, four-dimensional position and additional data as appropriate;"ADS-C" means automatic dependent surveillance-contract;"briefing" means oral commentary on existing or expected meteorological conditions;"cloud of operational significance" means a cloud with the height of cloud base below 1500m (5000 feet) or below the highest minimum sector altitude, whichever is greater, or a cumulonimbus cloud or a towering cumulus cloud at any height;"consultation" means discussion with a meteorologist or another qualified person of existing or expected meteorological conditions relating to flight operations; a discussion includes answers to questions;"control area" means a controlled airspace extending upwards from a specified limit above the earth;"cruising level" means a level maintained during a significant portion of a flight;"data link-VOLMET (D-VOLMET)" means Provision of current aerodrome routine meteorological reports (METAR) and aerodrome special meteorological reports (SPECI), aerodrome forecasts (TAF), SIGMET, special air-reports not covered by a SIGMET and, where available, AIRMET via data link;"direct speech" means a direct aeronautical fixed service (AFS) telephone circuit, for direct exchange of voice between air traffic services (ATS) units and other service providers;"flight crew member" means a licensed crew member charged with duties essential to the operation of an aircraft during a flight duty period;"flight documentation" means written or printed documents, including charts or forms, containing meteorological information for a flight;"flight information centre" means a unit established to provide flight information service and alerting service;"flight level" means a surface of constant atmospheric pressure which is related to a specific pressure datum, 1013.2 hectopascals (hPa), and is separated from other such surfaces by specific pressure intervals;"forecast" means a statement of expected meteorological conditions for a specified time or period, and for a specified area or portion of airspace;"grid point data in digital form" means computer processed meteorological data for a set of regularly spaced points on a chart, for transmission from a meteorological computer to another computer in a code form suitable for automated use;"hectopascal (hPa)" means a metric (SI) measurement unit of pressure equivalent to millibar;"height" means the vertical distance of a level, a point or an object considered as a point, measured from a specified datum;"human factors principles" means Principles which apply to aeronautical design, certification, training, operations and maintenance and which seek safe interface between the human and other system components by proper consideration to human performance;"ICAO meteorological information exchange model (IWXXM)" means a data model for representing aeronautical meteorological information;"International airways volcano watch (IAVW)" means International arrangements for monitoring and providing warnings to aircraft of volcanic ash in the atmosphere;"Kenya volcano observatory" means a volcano observatory, designated by regional air navigation agreement, to monitor active or potentially active volcanoes within Nairobi flight information region and to provide information on volcanic activity to its associated area control centre/flight information centre, meteorological watch office and volcanic ash advisory centre;"level" means a generic term relating to the vertical position of an aircraft in flight and meaning variously height, altitude or flight level;"meteorological authority" means the authority providing or arranging for the provision of meteorological service for air navigation in Kenya;"meteorological bulletin" means a text comprising meteorological information preceded by an appropriate heading;"meteorological information" means meteorological report, analysis, forecast, and any other statement relating to existing or expected meteorological conditions;"meteorological office" means an office designated to provide meteorological service for air navigation;"meteorological report" means a statement of observed meteorological conditions related to a specified time and location;"meteorological satellite" means an artificial earth satellite making meteorological observations and transmitting these observations to earth;"minimum sector altitude" means the lowest altitude which may be used which will provide a minimum clearance of 300M (1,000 feet) above all objects located in an area contained within a sector of a circle of 46 km (25 NM) radius centred on a significant point, the aerodrome reference point (ARP) or the heliport reference point (HRP);"observation (meteorological)" means the evaluation of one or more meteorological elements;"operational control" means the exercise of authority over the initiation, continuation, diversion or termination of a flight in the interest of the safety of the aircraft and the regularity and efficiency of the flight;"operational flight plan" means the operator's plan for the safe conduct of the flight based on considerations of aeroplane performance, other operating limitations and relevant expected conditions on the route to be followed and at the aerodromes concerned;"operator" means a person, organization or enterprise engaged in or offering to engage in an aircraft operation;"person" includes an entity, company or association or body of persons, corporate or incorporate;"pilot-in-command" means the pilot designated by the operator, or in the case of general aviation, the owner, as being in command and charged with the safe conduct of a flight;"prevailing visibility" means the greatest visibility value, observed in accordance with the definition of "visibility", which is reached within at least half the horizon circle or within at least half of the surface of the aerodrome. These areas could comprise contiguous or non-contiguous sectors. This value may be assessed by human observation or instrumented systems. When instruments are installed, they are used to obtain the best estimate of the prevailing visibility;"prognostic chart" means a forecast of a specified meteorological element(s) for a specified time or period and a specified surface or portion of airspace, depicted graphically on a chart;"quality assurance" means Part of quality management focused on providing confidence that quality requirements will be fulfilled (ISO 9000*);"quality control" means Part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality requirements (ISO 9000*);"quality management" means Coordinated activities to direct and control an organization with regard to quality (ISO 9000*);"regional air navigation agreement" means an Agreement approved by the Council of ICAO normally on the advice of a regional air navigation meeting;"rescue coordination centre" means a unit responsible for promoting efficient organization of search and rescue services and for coordinating the conduct of search and rescue operations within a search and rescue region;"runway" means a defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft;"runway visual range (RVR)" means the range over which the pilot of an aircraft on the centre line of a runway can see the runway surface markings or the lights delineating the runway or identifying its centre line;"search and rescue services unit" means a generic term meaning, as the case may be, rescue coordination centre, rescue sub centre or alerting post;"SIGMET information" means information issued by a meteorological watch office concerning the occurrence or expected occurrence of specified en-route weather and other phenomena in the atmosphere that may affect the safety of aircraft operations;"space weather centre (SWXC)" means a centre designated to monitor and provide advisory information on space weather phenomena expected to affect high-frequency radio communications, communications via satellite, GNSS-based navigation and surveillance systems or pose a radiation risk to aircraft occupants;"threshold" means the beginning of that portion of the runway usable for landing;"touchdown zone" means the portion of a runway, beyond the threshold, where it is intended landing aeroplanes first contact the runway;"tropical cyclone" means generic term for a non-frontal synoptic-scale cyclone originating over tropical or sub-tropical waters with organized convection and definite cyclonic surface wind circulation;"visibility" means visibility for aeronautical purposes is the greater of—(a)the greatest distance at which a black object of suitable dimensions, situated near the ground, can be seen and recognized when observed against a bright background;(b)the greatest distance at which lights in the vicinity of 1,000 candelas can be seen and identified against an unlit background;"volcanic ash advisory centre (VAAC)" means a meteorological centre designated by regional air navigation agreement to provide advisory information to meteorological watch offices, area control centres, flight information centres, world area forecast centres and international OPMET databanks regarding the lateral and vertical extent and forecast movement of volcanic ash in the atmosphere following volcanic eruptions;"VOLMET" means Meteorological information for aircraft in flight;"VOLMET broadcast" means Provision, as appropriate, of current METAR, SPECI, TAF and SIGMET by means of continuous and repetitive voice broadcasts;"world area forecast centre (WAFC)" means a meteorological centre designated to prepare and issue significant weather forecasts and upper-air forecasts in digital form on a global basis direct to States using the aeronautical fixed service Internet based services;"world area forecast system (WAFS)" means a worldwide system by which world area forecast centres provide aeronautical meteorological en-route forecasts in uniform standardized formats.Source: Kenya Law