AIS website gets a design overhaul

The NATS Aeronautical Information System (AIS) website is to get a new design on Thursday 12 August.

For four hours, from 0800-1200, a temporary site to provide Notam and the AIP will be in place while the new site is activated. Click here for that site.

The new-look site, which is managed by the Aeronautical Information Management team, will have new features including a rolling news brief, a user manual and other new functionality which will enable users to tailor which information they want to access.  This includes an interactive UAS restrictions map for drone users.

The data provided by AIS is freely available for both commercial and non-commercial pilots to find out regularly updated information, including charts and NOTAMs, to help them plan their trips, explained NATS.

NATS provides AIS as part of its CAA licence requirement, mirroring similar services provided by other ANSPs.  While the current system still meets its original requirements, new industry standards for the Internet Briefing System have since been introduced. The new site will meet those new standards and provide the opportunity to update branding and useability.

Chris Bray, Head of AIM, said, “We have tried to minimise the impact on our users by retaining a similar look and feel to the current system, but there will be a small number of changes that users will be required to make, including re-registering to use it, as passwords are hidden on the old site so we can’t transfer them.

“We also have an enormous number of dormant or unused accounts which we will be able to remove.  That means that we can help highlight new options for users who are using automated methods to brief very frequently. These measures will result in an improved experience for all other users.”

NATS warns that users with existing Pre-flight Information Bulletin (PIB) accounts will need to self-register a new account on 12 August because it is not possible to transfer existing passwords.

The new web address for the system is www.nats.aero/ais which has already replaced www.ais.org.uk.

A User Manual for the new site can be downloaded here.