# Presentation: 571282

## The 2nd International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety

- <date/time>

**The 2nd International Conference on Volcanic Ash and Aviation Safety**

**VOLCANIC ASH  IMPACT  ON  INTERNATIONAL**
**AIRPORT OF MEXICO CITY (AICM),  DUE TO**
**EMISSIONS OF POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO**** **
**HUMBERTO RODRIGUEZ**
**Washington, D. C. June 21-24, 2004**

## AICM FEATURES

**ABOUT 831 OPERATIONS TAKE PLACE DAILY**
**LAST YEAR  ABOUT 21 MILLION PASSENGERS USED THE AICM**
**IT IS LOCATED IN THE NE MEXICO CITY AREA AT 35NM  NW  OF  POPOCATEPETL  VOLCANO**
**ELEVATION: 7316 FT **
**GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION: 19° 25’N - 99° 05’W**

## AICM

**AICM**

## VOLCAN POPOCATEPETL,  17-DICIEMBRE-2000

**VOLCAN POPOCATEPETL,  17-DICIEMBRE-2000**

## POPO

**POPO**

**AICM**

**35NM**

## POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO FEATURES

-  **IT IS LOCATED ABOUT 35NM (64.8KM)  SE OF AICM AT 19.0°N 98.6°W**
** ****AN AGE OF 700,000 YEARS**
** ****ELEVATION OF 5,465 m (18,034FT)**
** ****POPOCATEPETL MEANS: “MONTAÑA QUE HUMEA” (SMOKING MOUNTAIN)**
** ****SINCE DECEMBER 1994, IT STARTED A NEW ERUPTIVE PHASE.**

## Slide 7

## WHAT IS SENEAM?

- SENEAM  MEANS: **SE**RVICIOS A LA **N**AVEGACION EN EL **E**SPACIO** A**EREO **M**EXICANO
- SENEAM   IS  AN  AGENCY THAT BELONGS  TO THE COMMUNICATION AND TRANSPORTATION MINISTRY (Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes-SCT)
- IT WAS CREATED BY THE MEXICAN GOVERNMENT ON OCTOBER 1978
- SENEAM PROVIDES THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:
- AERONAUTIC METEOROLOGY
- AIR  TRAFFIC SERVICES (ATS)
- COMMUNICATIONS
- FLIGHT INFORMATION
- AIRWAYS
- SENEAM PROVIDES THESE SERVICES TO 59  AIRPORTS  IN MEXICO

## THE CAPMA OF SENEAM

**CAPMA** MEANS: CENTRO DE ANALISIS Y PRONOSTICOS METEOROLOGICOS AERONAUTICOS
- THE MISSION OF THE CAPMA IS: TO PROVIDE PRESENT AND FORECAST METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION TO NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT OPERATIONS, WHICH TAKE PLACE IN THE MEXICAN  AIR SPACE.
- IT OPERATES 24 HRS A  DAY,  365 DAYS OF THE YEAR
- ABOUT 50 METEOROLOGISTS WORK IN THE CAPMA OF SENEAM
- IT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT METEOROLOGICAL  OFFICE  NATION WIDE
- THE CAPMA ISSUES 59 TERMINAL FORECAST (TAF) DAILY
- IT HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO  ISSUE THE VOLCANIC ASH **SIGMETS****  **** **

## CIRCULATION

**CIRCULATION**

- WINTER CIRCULATION

- SUMMER CIRCULATION

## THE JUNE 30, 1997 CASE 

**THE JUNE 30, 1997 CASE **

-    OCCURRED AT  19:26 HRS LT (**0026** UTC JULY 01, 1997).
-  THE CREW OF AVIACSA AIRLINE OBSERVED THE ASH CLOUD AT
-    19:26 HRS LT (0026 UTC JULY 01, 1997), AND NOTIFIED THIS TO ACC MEX
-  AT  19:30 HRS. LT (0030UTC) CENAPRED ALERTED CAPMA OF SENEAM
-    ABOUT  A  SIGNIFICANT VOLCANIC ASH  ERUPTION.
-  CAPMA  ALERTS DGAC AN ISSUES  SIGMET 1A AT 0035UTC
-  THE WIND OVER MEXICO CITY IN MIDDLE AN UPPER LEVES WAS
-    FROM SE ACCORDING SOUNDING OF 0000UTC JULY 01, 1997.
-  THE AICM WAS CLOSED AT **0220**UTC (JULY 01, 1997).  _**IT IS ABOUT 2 HRS.  LATE FROM INITIAL EVENT. **_
-  AT  07:13 HRS. LT (1213UTC JULY 01,1997) THE RANWAY 05R WAS OPENNED
-  **THE AICM WAS CLOSED FOR ABOUT 10 HRS.**

## ECONOMIC IMPACT AT THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OF MEXICO CITY DUE TO POPOCATEPETL VOLCANIC ASH (JUNE 30, 1997)

- SOURCE: DGAC, SCT, 1997.

## ECONOMIC IMPACT AT THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OF MEXICO CITY DUE TO POPOCATEPETL VOLCANIC ASH (JUNE 30, 1997)

- SOURCE: DGAC, SCT, 1997.

- TOTAL:  $ 5,176,835.00 USD

## THE JULY 19, 2003 CASE

** ****THIS EVENT STARTED AT  09:20 HRS. LT.  WITH A DENSE VOLCANIC ASH COLUMN WHICH REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF MORE THAN 28,000 FT. **
** ****THE WIND AT 18000 FT WAS BLOWING FROM ESE AT 8-10KT CARRING THE ASH TO  MEXICO CITY AREA.  **
** ****THE VOLCANIC ASH ARRIVED AICM AT 13:25 HRS LT**
**THE VOLCANIC ASH AFFECTED MEXICO CITY, MAINLY ITS SOUTH AREA. **
** ****THE  AICM  WAS  CLOSED FOR ABOUT 6 MINUTES. **

- SOURCE: CENAPRED, ATS (SENEAM).

## AICM

- POPOCATEPETL VOLCANO

- CENIZA VOLCANICA

**LARGE LANDSLIDES**

## AFFECTED AREA

**AFFECTED AREA**

## Slide 17

## Slide 18

## METAR REPORTS OF MMMX (AICM)

**MMMX 191845Z 03003KT 5SM ****VA**** HZ FU SCT025 BKN200 21/09 A3038 RMK 10299 ****CENIZA VOLCANICA LIGERA SBR STN**
**MMMX 191945Z 08003KT 5SM ****VA**** HZ FU SC025TCU BKN200 22/09 A3036 RMK 20299 VA MVNG SW DSNT CB 2 QUAD**
**MMMX 192045Z 11016KT 6SM ****VA**** VCRA SCT025CB BKN080 BKN200 22/07 A3036 RMK 96393 VA MVNG  W PCPN SE**
**SPECI MMMX 192116Z 13013G23KT 4SM -TSRA BKN025CB BKN080  OVC200 18/11 A3036  RMK 96393 -TSRAB12 BINOVC ****VA MVNG W**** -RA VRBL RA**
**MMMX 192145Z 13015KT 5SM -RA BKN025CB BKN080 OVC200 17/11 A3036 RMK  96399 TSE38 -RA VRBL RA **
**SPECI MMMX 192203Z 16008KT 6SM ****VA**** VC-RA FEW020 SCT025CB BKN080 OVC200 17/12 A3036 RMK 96399 -RAE59 OCNL DROPS OVHD VA MVNG W PCPN 4 QUAD BINOVC SE**
**MMMX 192245Z 16009KT 7SM ****VA**** SCT020 SCT025CB BKN080 OVC200 18/12 A3033 RMK 96399 HZY DSNT PCPN 4 QUAD BINOVC VA MVNG WNW**

**METAR REPORTS OF MMMX (AICM)**
**JULY  19, 2003**

## CENIZA VOLCANICA SOBRE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO, 19-JULIO-2003

**CENIZA VOLCANICA SOBRE LA CIUDAD DE MEXICO, 19-JULIO-2003**
**(PERIODICO REFORMA, FOTO: CARLOS MILANES) **

## CIUDAD DE MEXICO,  19-JULIO-2003

**CIUDAD DE MEXICO,  19-JULIO-2003**
**(CORTESIA PERIODICO REFORMA)**

## CIUDAD DE MEXICO,  19 DE JULIO 2003 

**CIUDAD DE MEXICO,  19 DE JULIO 2003 **
**(CORTESIA PERIODICO REFORMA)**

## CIUDAD DE MEXICO 19-JUL-2003

**CIUDAD DE MEXICO 19-JUL-2003**

- FOTO CORTESIA DEL PEERIODICO REFORMA

## ECONOMIC IMPACT AT THE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT OF MEXICO CITY DUE TO POPOCATEPETL VOLCANIC ASH (JULY  19, 2003)

## CAPMA OF

**SENEAM**

**VAAC  OF**
**WASHINGTON**

**CENAPRED**

**ATS**

**PILOTS**

**DGAC**

**CIVIL **
**PROTECTION**

**COMMUNICATION DIAGRAM BETWEEN DIFFERENT OFFICES**
** ****AND SENEAM FOR THE VOLCANIC ASH INFORMATION**
** **

## VOLCANIC   ASH   SIGMETS

- Actually the CAPMA of  SENEAM is issuing SIGMETS of volcanic ash of the volcanoes Popocatepetl and Volcan de Fuego de Colima.
- Since 1996, the CAPMA of  SENEAM was designated as the unique Center where all volcanic ash information should be concentrated in order to issue  SIGMETS as soon as the information is received.
- In Mexico, The Pilots, Controllers (ATC MEX), Weather Observers, and CENAPRED (National Disaster Prevention Center), are the main sources of  this kind of information.
- As soon as the CAPMA receives a volcanic ash report,  we let the Washington VAAC (Volcanic Ash Advisory Center) knows  by giving them details of the event. Also, we ask for information  about  the extension  and  movement of the ash cloud.

## SUMMARY OF THE PROCEDURES TO ISSUE SIGMETS AT SENEAM

- 1)  As soon as the CAPMA receives a volcanic ash report, the **Supervisor** issues a  SIGMET. This can happen at any time.
- 2)  The supervisor makes a call to  Washington to let the VAAC knows  about  emission of volcanic ash. Also, He asks for  more information.
- 3)  The     supervisor    alerts     civil aviation authorities (DGAC), and makes a review of the meteorological conditions.
- 4)  When the volcanic ash statement from the VAAC of Washington is received, the supervisor  compares this information with the initial SIGMET. If it is necessary,  He will issue another SIGMET.

- 5)  The supervisor issues a bulletin, in plain language, to give more information  to users about the volcanic ash event.
- 6)  Each event receives special attention until the SIGMET is canceled.
- 7)  The supervisor double check if the SIGMET and bulletins  were properly  issued  and  transmitted. He has to get  back  copies of the messages he made.
- 8)  All information of each event must be maintained in a clipboard for further studies.

## CONCLUSIONS

- THE AVIATION SAFETY  MUST BE OUR FIRST PRIORITY
- ALERT PILOTS AND AIRLINES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE ABOUT VOLCANIC ASH PLUMES TO MITIGATE NEGATIVE IMPACTS LIKE THOSE WE HAVE HAD IN THE AICM..
- THE JUNE 30, 1997 EVENT  HAD A HIGH ECONOMIC IMPACT COMPARED WITH THE JULY 19, 2003 CASE.
- THE COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION BETWEEN CAPMA AND  VAAC OF WASHINGTON, CENAPRED AND DGAC HAVE BEEN IMPROVED SIGNIFICANTLY, SINCE THE JUNE 30, 1997 CASE.
- MAINTAIN A PERMANENT VOLCANO WATCH (THE  HELP  OF   PILOTS  IS  VERY IMPORTANT)
- THE MEXICAN AVIATION WEATHER SERVICE  NEEDS TO HAVE APPROPRIATE  EQUIPMENT  AND FACILITIES FOR BETTER MONITORING, SUCH AS:
- WIND PROFILER
- DOPPLER WEATHER RADAR  (HIGH RESOLUTION)
- APPROPRIATE  SOFTWARE TO PROCESS  SATELLITE DATA
- INCREASE  RADIOSONDE  NETWORK  DENSITY.
- TRAINING PROGRAMS

## THANK  YOU