GEN 3.4 COMMUNICATION SERVICES

1. RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITY

The authority responsible for the administration of CNS Services in the Muscat FIR is the CAA, a department of the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Postal Address: Civil Aviation Authority
P. O. Box 1
POSTAL CODE 111
MUSCAT
Sultanate of Oman
Telephone: (968) 24 354865
Telefax: (968) 24 354506
Email: Nil

2. AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY

The communication services listed in paragraph 3. following are provided for aeronautical users within the Muscat FIR. Responsibility for the day-to-day operation of these services is vested in department of CNS, CAA. Inquiries, suggestions or complaints regarding aeronautical telecommunications services should be referred to the said officer or to CAA, as appropriate.

3. TYPES OF SERVICE

3.1 Radio Navigation Service

The following types of radio aids to navigation are available:

Instrument Landing System (ILS)

VHF Omnidirectional Radio Range (VOR)

Distance-Measuring Equipment (DME)

Surveillance Radar Element (SRE)

3.2 Mobile Service

The aeronautical stations maintain a continuous watch on their stated frequencies during the published hours of service unless otherwise notified.

An aircraft should normally communicate with the A/G control radio station that exercises control in the area in which the aircraft is flying. Aircraft shall maintain a continuous watch on the appropriate frequency of the control station and shall not abandon watch, except in an emergency, without informing the control radio station.

3.3 Fixed Service

Messages to be transmitted over the AFS (AFTN/ AMHS) are accepted only if they satisfy the requirements of:

a) Annex 10, Vol II, Chapter 3, 3.3;

b) are prepared in the form specified in ICAO Annex 10;

c) the text of an individual AFS message does not exceed 200 groups.

3.4 Broadcasting Service

Nil.

3.5 Interpilot Air-to-Air Communication

In accordance with regional agreements, 123.450 MHz is designated as the air-to-air VHF communications channel. Use of this channel will enable aircraft engaged in flights over remote and oceanic areas out of range of VHF ground stations to exchange necessary operational information and to facilitate the resolution of operational problems.

3.6 Language used: English.

4. REQUIREMENTS AND CONDITIONS

4.1 The requirements of the CAA for the carriage of radio equipment is contained in the Civil Aviation Regulations.

4.2 The prescribed radio equipment listed in Column 1 of the following table is hereby notified for the purposes of the aforementioned CAR in respect of flights conducted in the circumstances listed in Column 2 of the said table. The said equipment shall be serviceable at the time of flight. Unserviceability of equipment that precludes compliance with the following table requires immediate notification to the appropriate ATS unit.

Radio Equipment to be carried	Circumstances of Flight
Column1	Column 2
VHF RTF with appropriate frequencies listed in ENR 3 and the respective AD 2 section	IFR/VFR in CAS; SVFR in Salalah and Muscat CTR
VOR* ADF	IFR in CAS
DME*	IFR in CAS
SSR Transponder with Mode A 4096 Codes and Mode C capability	All aircraft entering or operating within the Muscat FIR.
ILS and MKR Receiver	When landing at Muscat or Salalah airports if prevailing meteorological conditions would require an instrument approach procedure to be carried out.

For the purpose of this sub-paragraph, CAS is deemed to include all AWYs on which a Control Service is provided.

* Unless the appropriate air traffic control unit otherwise permits in relation to the particular flight and provided that the aircraft complies with any instructions which the air traffic control unit may give in the particular case.

5. APPLICABLE ICAO DOCUMENTS

The SARPS, PANS and SUPPS contained in the following documents are applied, with the exceptions (Differences) noted hereunder:

Annex 10	Aeronautical Telecommunications
Doc 7030	Regional Supplementary Procedures (SUPPS), Part 2
Doc 7910	Location Indicators
Doc 8400	ICAO Abbreviations and Codes (PANS-ABC)
Doc 8585	Designators for Aircraft Operating Agencies, Aeronautical Authorities and Services
Doc 8643	Aircraft Type Designators

5.1 Differences from ICAO SARPS, PANS and SUPPS

Nil.

6. EXPLANATION OF ENR 4.1 AND TABLES 18 and 19 IN CHAPTER AD 2.

The coordinates listed in those tables refer to the transmitting antenna. With the exception of VHF marker beacons associated with ILS, geographical coordinates are provided for all radio navigation facilities. For the convenience of users a MAG bearing and distance from the ARP, or other appropriate location, is additionally provided in the remarks-column for facilities utilized in instrument approach procedures.

All facilities are operated by the CAA with the exception of those otherwise indicated in the remarks-column.

Facilities marked *are not approved for IFR operation and do not conform to CAA standards of maintenance and/or flight checks. Use of these facilities is at the risk of the user and the CAA accepts no responsibility for their use.

Unless otherwise specified, description of VOR/DME restrictions in the remarks-column relate to inclusive radials, clockwise directions and

AERONAUTICAL FIXED SERVICES - TELEGRAPH

AERONAUTICAL FIXED SERVICES - TELEPHONE