The Met Office is the sole Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) certificated by the UK Civil Aviation Authority to provide and disseminate a range of aviation forecast products and services, in accordance with ICAO Annex 3 to the Chicago Convention, Meteorological Service for international Air Navigation.
ICAO’s Annex 3 provides the main regulatory framework against which the UK is obliged to provide meteorological services, and which the Met Office delivers Met Services against. This ensures that the UK meets its obligations to ICAO to provide safe, efficient and regular air travel.
These services fall into the following main categories:
a) UK services.
b) The World Area Forecast System (WAFS), as provided by World Area Forecast Centre (WAFC) London, in coordination with WAFC Washington.
c) SADIS (Secure Aviation Data Information Service).
d) The Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC) London.
In addition to the ICAO Annex 3 determined services, a range of discretionary services that are determined as a requirement in the UK are also provided. Specific services such as Aviation R&D and the provision of information to NATS are examples of this.