Establishment of Doha FIR

1 INTRODUCTION

2 LOCATION INDICATOR

3 AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

3.4.1 Aircraft reports
In Doha FIR, pilots are requested to pass special aircraft observations as soon as possible to the appropriate ATS unit by voice communications whenever any of the following conditions are encountered or observed:

1. moderate or severe turbulence;
2. moderate or severe icing;
3. severe mountain wave;
4. thunderstorms, without hail, that are obscured, embedded, widespread or in squall lines;
5. thunderstorms, with hail, that are obscured, embedded, widespread or in squall lines;
6. heavy dust storm or heavy sandstorm;
7. volcanic ash cloud;

3.4.2 SIGMET and AIRMET service

SIGMET and AIRMET for Doha FIR is issued by the competent Meteorological Watch Office which is responsible for the preparation and dissemination of SIGMETs to appropriate ACC within its own FIR.

Aircraft in flight should be warned by the ACC of the occurrence or expected occurrence of one or more of the following SIGMET phenomena:

1. thunderstorm, with or without hail (see Note 1);
2. tropical cyclone;
3. freezing rain;
4. severe turbulence;
5. severe icing;
6. severe mountain waves;
7. heavy sand/dust storm;
8. volcanic ash cloud.

Note 1: This refers only to thunderstorms (including, if necessary, cumulonimbus cloud which is not accompanied by a thunderstorm) widespread within an area with little or no separation (FRQ), along a line with little or no separation (SQL), embedded in cloud layers (EMBD), or concealed in cloud layers or concealed by haze (OBSC).

Usually, SIGMET messages are identified by the letters WS and are valid for 4 hours, but those referring to tropical cyclones and volcanic ash will be identified by WC and WV respectively (for these two a further outlook for up to 6 hours may be included and are re-issued if they are to remain valid after the original period expires). They can be cancelled or amended within the period of validity. SIGMETs are numbered sequentially from 0001 UTC each day. SIGMET information is disseminated by the Area Control Centre Qatar for the Doha FIR and by ATS units for their own area of responsibility.

4 RULES APPLICABLE TO IFR FLIGHTS WITHIN CONTROLLED AIRSPACE

5 ATC SURVEILLANCE SERVICES AND PROCEDURES

6 ALTIMETER SETTING PROCEDURES

7 ADDRESSING OF FLIGHT PLAN MESSAGES

Note: Flight movement messages in this context comprise flight plan messages, amendment messages relating thereto and flight plan cancellation messages. ICAO ATM - DOC 4444, chapter 11 para. 11.2.1.1.3 refers.

7.2.1 Category of flight (IFR, VFR or both)
All flight plans and departures messages for flights operating through or within the Doha FIR must include addresses OTDFZQZX.

8 AIR TRAFFIC SERVICES AIRSPACE (FIR, TMA and CTA)

9 ATS ROUTES (AREA NAVIGATION ROUTES)

10 EN-ROUTE HOLDING

11 NAME-CODE DESIGNATORS FOR SIGNIFICANT POINTS

12 AIRSPACE LAYOUT

12.1 Refer to the attachment for the graphic portrayal of airspace layout.

13 VALIDITY

14 UPDATES