Definition

VAACs are responsible for advising aviation of the location and movement of volcanic ash clouds.

Description

There are 9 VAACs covering the world as part of the International Airways Volcano Watch (IAVW) established by International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Each of the nine centres under the IAVW responds to reports of volcanic ash within their region and provides forecasts to the aviation community of ash cloud extent and movement. Observations may come from ground stations and volcano observatories, aircraft in flight or orbiting satellites. The ash warnings issued are in the form of Volcanic Ash Advisories and SIGMETs describing the current and future extent of ash.

Map showing the areas of responsibility for each of the nine VAACs (ICAO, 2017)

Further Reading

ICAO

• ICAO Doc 9974:"Flight Safety and Volcanic Ash" - First Edition 2012
• ICAO Handbook for International Airways Volcano Watch. This handbook is no longer subject to ICAO revision except for 'Part 5 - Contacts' for which they have set up a specific "latest version"
• ICAO EUR Doc 019, NAT Doc 006 Part II: "Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan", July 2016

EUROCONTROL

• Volcanic Ash Safety in Air Traffic Management - A White Paper, August 2011
• Project Volcanic Ash Safety (Presentation), EUROCONTROL, Univ. Politehnica of Bucharest & ROMATSA

UK CAA

• CAP 1236: Guidance regarding flight operations in the vicinity of volcanic ash