Using AFPEx to request Meteorological Data
The Aeronautical Fixed Telecommunications Network is not only used to transfer flight plan data, it is also used to transfer meteorological data. METARs, TAFs and SIGMETs may be requested from the Meteorological Database held at Eurocontrol in Brussels. Follow the steps below to request Meteorological data.
- Select the Free Text ATS Message option from the ATS menu of AFPEx.
- Enter
EBBRYZYXinto the first Addressees box. - Enter
RQM(Request Met) into the message body followed by:/SAto request a METAR/FCto request a 9-hour TAF/FTto request a 24- or 30-hour TAF/WSto request all SIGMETs for the specified FIRs
- This is followed immediately by the ICAO designators for the Aerodromes (or FIRs if requesting SIGMETs), separated by commas.
- Type Ctrl-E to check the message format before clicking Send.
- The requested data will be sent from the OPTMET database and appear as Pending Messages and in your AFPEx in folder.
Examples:
RQM/SAEGLL- - to request the METAR for Heathrow
RQM/SAEGLC,EGKK- - to request the METARs for London City and Gatwick
RQM/FCEGLF- - to request the 9-hour TAF for Farnborough
RQM/FTEGGW,EGSS- - to request the 24- or 30-hour TAFs for Luton and Stansted
RQM/WSEGTT- - to request all SIGMETs for the London FIR
These requests may be combined into one message in the following format:
RQM/SAEGLL,EGKK/FTEGLL,EGKK/WSEGTT- - to request the METARs and TAFs for Heathrow and Gatwick; and all SIGMETs for the London FIR
Requesting a 9-hour TAF (FC) or a 24/30-hour TAF (FT) from an aerodrome that doesn't issue them (e.g. Heathrow only issues 30-hour TAFs) will return a response of unknown.