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In aviation, an Aeronautical Information Publication (or AIP) is defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization as a publication issued by or with the authority of a state and containing aeronautical information of a lasting character essential to air navigation. It is designed to be a manual containing thorough details of regulations, procedures and other information pertinent to flying aircraft in the particular country to which it relates. It is usually issued by or on behalf of the respective civil aviation administration.

Overview

The structure and contents of AIPs are standardized by international agreement through ICAO. AIPs normally have three parts – GEN (general), ENR (en route) and AD (aerodromes). The document contains many charts; most of these are in the AD section where details and charts of all public aerodromes are published.

AIPs are kept up-to-date by regular revision on a fixed cycle. For operationally significant changes in information, the cycle known as the AIRAC (Aeronautical Information Regulation And Control) cycle, first introduced in 1964, is used: revisions are produced every 56 days (double AIRAC cycle) or every 28 days (single AIRAC cycle). These changes are received well in advance so that users of the aeronautical data can update their flight management systems (FMS). For insignificant changes, the published calendar dates are used.

In some countries the AIP is informally known as the Airman's Manual or the Air Pilot.

Electronic AIP

EUROCONTROL has published a specification for an electronic AIP (eAIP). The eAIP Specification aims to harmonise the structure and presentation of AIPs for digital media. In this respect, a digital AIP is a digital version of the paper AIP, usually available in PDF format, while an electronic AIP is available in PDF as well as other formats, more suitable for reading on the screen and for electronic data exchange. Many countries around the world provide digital AIPs either on CD-ROM subscription or on a Web site. The external links section below lists AIPs which aim to follow the EUROCONTROL eAIP Specification.

AIRAC effective dates (28-day cycle)

The current AIRAC cycle is 2412 (effective 28 Nov 2024).

Note: * = leap year containing 29 Feb (2024, 2028, 2032, 2036, etc.)

See also

• Civil aviation authority
• Air navigation service provider
• List of CANSO members

References

• "ICAO Annex 15: Aeronautical Information Services". ICAO. Archived from the original on 5 January 2017. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
• "AIRAC Adherence and AIRAC Calendar 2010–2020". EUROCONTROL Aeronautical Information Management (AIM). Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
• Eurocontrol AIRAC calendar until 2022
• "ICAO Aeronautical Information Services Manual (DOC 8126; AN/872; 6th Edition; 2003) Chapter 2. Provision of raw data 2.6 Aeronautical information regulation and control (AIRAC)" (PDF). ICAO. Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 October 2020. Retrieved 5 February 2021.

Notes

1. AuthorATAdmin. "The Word of the Week: AIRAC – AVIAtest". Retrieved 8 May 2023.
2. "EUROCONTROL – eAIP Specification". Archived from the original on 2 April 2019. Retrieved 15 August 2015.
3. EUROCONTROL – Electronic Aeronautical Information Publications (eAIP)

External links

• Online AIPs by country (curated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University)

• Online AIPs by country Archived 25 February 2021 at the Wayback Machine (curated by the ICAO)
• FAA International Flight Information Manager (IFIM)

EUROCONTROL:

• Air traffic control
• Air navigation
• Government publications
• Aviation publications