Flight information service

A flight information service (FIS) is a form of air traffic service which is available to any aircraft within a flight information region (FIR), as agreed internationally by ICAO.

It is defined as information pertinent to the safe and efficient conduct of flight, and includes information on other potentially conflicting traffic, possibly derived from radar, but stopping short of providing positive separation from that traffic.

Flight Information also includes:

FIS shall be provided to all aircraft which are provided with any air traffic controller (ATC) service or are otherwise known to air traffic service units. All air traffic service units will provide an FIS to any aircraft, in addition to their other tasks.

In most countries, an Aerodrome Flight Information Service (AFIS) is provided at airfields where, despite not being busy enough for full air traffic control, the traffic is such that some form of service is necessary. It can be seen as a half-way house between an uncontrolled and controlled airfield: As a part of the FIS, the AFIS provides pilots of aircraft with details of other known traffic taking off, landing and flying in the vicinity of the airfield.

AFIS is provided at the aerodrome and in the surrounding airspace. The airspace in the immediate vicinity of the aerodrome is internationally called TIZ – Traffic Information Zone (some nations have other words and abbreviates e.g. the UK as seen below). The traffic information zone is equivalent to the controlled aerodromes CTR – control zone. Above the TIZ most AFIS aerodromes have a TIA – Traffic Information Area equivalent to the controlled aerodromes TMA. The TIZ and TIA are most commonly airspace classification G but with the additional regulation of mandatory two-way radio communication., commonly called G+. In some nations the airspace classification F is also used.

The AFIS officer (abbreviated AFISO) provides flight information service including, traffic information, meteorological information, information on runway state and other information useful for the safe and efficient conduct of flight. The pilot must use this information and make up his own mind about certain aspects e.g. flight route. In TIZ and TIA the pilots are responsible for separation to other flights based on the information given by the AFISO.

AFIS airports most commonly are not equipped with radar, although there are those who have it in e.g. Denmark and Norway. It is therefore of utmost importance that the pilots call in and give accurate position reports so that the AFISO can relay appropriate traffic information.

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