Reference: Flight Plan

Table of Contents

General instructions

  • Adhere closely to the prescribed format
  • Report hours in Universal Time Coordinated (UTC).
  • Use the 24-hour clock (e.g. 1800, 0930, etc.).
  • Complete item 19 as indicated. It will facilitate help by search and rescue (SAR) services.
  • Coordinates shall be in degrees and minutes (e.g. 6725N01215E)

Flight plan items

Item 7: Aircraft Identification (Maximum 7 characters)

Insert one of the following:

  1. The registration marking of the aircraft (LNABC, N1234GA)
  2. The ICAO designator for the aircraft operating agency, followed by a flight number.
  3. The call sign determined by the military authorities

Item 8: Flight rules and type of flight

Flight rules (1 character)

Insert one of the following letters to denote the category of flight rules with which the pilot intends to comply:

  • I if the entire flight will be operated under the IFR rules
  • V if the entire flight will be operated under the VFR rules
  • Y if the flight initially will be operated under the IFR, followed by one or more subsequent changes of flight rules or *
  • Z if the flight initially will be operated under the VFR, followed by one or more subsequent changes of flight rules *

* – specify in item 15 the point at where a change of flight rules is planned.

Type of Flight (1 character)

Insert one of the following letters to denote the type of flight:

  • S if scheduled air services
  • N if non-scheduled air transport operations
  • G if general aviation
  • M if military
  • X if other than any of the defined categories above *

* – specify in item 18 under RMK/ if reason for specific handling by ATS is needed.

Item 9: Number and Type of aircraft

Number (1 or 2 characters)

Insert number of aircraft, but only if more than one

Type of aircraft (2 to 4 characters)

Insert the appropriate designator as specified by ICAO Doc 8643, or, if no designator assigned insert ZZZZ and specify in item 18 the (numbers and) type(s) of aircraft preceeded by TYP/

Wake Turbulence Category (1 character)

Insert one of the following letters to indicate the wake turbulence category of the aircraft:

  • L – Light, to indicate a MTOW of 7.000 kg or less.
  • M – Medium, to indicate a MTOW less than 136.000 kg but more than 7.000 kg (15.000 lb).
  • H – Heavy, to indicate an aircraft type with a MTOW of 136.000 kg (300.000 lb) or more.
  • J – Super

Item 10: Equipment

Radio Communication, Navigation and Approach Aid equipment

Use the follwing indicators to indicate the status of the radio communication, navigation and approach aid equipment:

  • The letter N to indicate that no radio communication, navigation or approach aid equipment for the route to be flown is carried or the equipment is unserviceable.
  • The letter S to indicate that the standard radio communication, navigation and approach ais equipment for the route to be flown is carried and serviceable. See note 1
  • One or more of the following letters to indicate the serviceable radio communication, navigation and approach aid equipment:
Code Description
A GBAS landing system
B LPV (APV with SBAS)
C LORAN C
D DME
E1 FMC WPR ACARS
E2 D-FIS ACARS
E3 PDC ACARS
F ADF
G GNSS See note 2
H HF RTF
I Inertial Navigation
J1 CPDLC ATN VDL Mode 2 (See Note 3)
J2 CPDLC FANS 1/A HFDL
J3 CPDLC FANS 1/A VDL Mode 4
J4 CPDLC FANS 1/A VDL Mode 2
J5 CPDLC FANS 1/A SATCOM (INMARSAT)
J6 CPDLC FANS 1/A SATCOM (MTSAT)
J7 CPDLC FANS 1/A SATCOM (Iridium)
K (MLS)
L ILS
M1 ATC RTF SATCOM (INMARSAT)
M2 ATC RTF (MTSAT)
M3 ATC RTF (Iridium)
O VOR
P1-P9 Reserved for RCP
R PBN approved (See Note 4)
T TACAN
U UHF RTF
V VHF RTF
W RVSM approved
X MNPS approved
Y VHF with 8.33 kHz channel spacing capability
Z Other equipment carried or other capabilities (see note 5)

A maximum of two of the following letters shall be used to indicate the serviceable surveillance equipment in the equipment indicator of that flight plan, where the second indicator, if used, must be ‘D’:

  • Note 1 If the letter S is used, standard equipment is considered to be VHF RTF, VOR and ILS
  • Note 2 If the letter G is used, the types of external GNSS augmentation, if any, are specified in Item 18 following the indicator NAV/ and separated by a space.
  • Note 3 See RTCA/EUROCAE Interoperability Requirements Standard for ATN Baseline 1 (ATN B1 INTEROP Standard – DO-280B/ED-110B) for data link services air traffic control clearance and information/air traffic control communications management/air traffic control microphone check
  • Note 4 If the letter R is used, the performance-based navigation levels that can be met are specified in Item 18 following the indicator PBN/. Guidance material on the application of performance-based navigation to a specific route segment, route or area is contained in the Performance-based Navigation (PBN) Manual (Doc 9613)
  • Note 5 If the letter Z is used, specify in Item 18 the other equipment carried or other capabilities, preceded by COM/ , NAV/ and/or DAT, as appropriate
  • Note 6 Information on navigation capability is provided to ATC for clearance and routing purposes

Radio Communication, Navigation and Approach Aid equipment

SSR Mode S

INSERT N if no surveillance equipment for the route to be flown is carried, or the equipment is unserviceable, or

INSERT one or more of the following descriptors, to a maximum of 20 characters, to describe the serviceable surveillance equipment and/or capabilities on board:

SSR Modes A and C
Code Description
A Transponder-Mode A (4 digits – 4096 codes)
C Transponder-Mode A (4 digits – 4096 codes) and Mode C
E Transponder-Mode S including aircraft identification – pressure-altitude and extended squitter (ADS-B) capability
H Transponder-Mode S including aircraft identification – pressure-altitude and enhanced surveillance capability
I Transponder-Mode S including aircraft identification transmission but no pressure-altitude transmission
L Transponder-Mode S including aircraft identification – pressure-altitude – extended squitter (ADS-B) and enhanced surveillance capability
P Transponder-Mode S including pressure-altitude but no aircraft identification capability
S Transponder-Mode S including both pressure-altitude and aircraft identification transmission
X Transponder-Mode S with neither aircraft identification nor pressure-altitude capability

Note: Enhanced surveillance capability is the ability of the aircraft to down-link aircraft derived data via a Mode S transponder.

The following letter shall be used to indicate the ADS equipment:

ADS-B
Code Description
B1 ADS-B with dedicated 1 090 MHz ADS-B ?out? capability
B2 ADS-B with dedicated 1 090 MHz ADS-B ?out? and ?in? capability
U1 ADS-B "out" capability using UAT
U2 ADS-B "out" and "in" capability using UAT
V1 ADS-B "out" capability using VDL Mode 4
V2 ADS-B "out" and "in" capability using VDL Mode 4
ADS-C
Code Description
D1 ADS-C with FANS 1/A capabilities
G1 ADS-C with ATN capabilities

Alphanumeric characters not indicated above are reserved. Example: ADE3RV/HB2U2V2G1
Note: Additional surveillance application should be listed in Item 18 following the indicator SUR/

Item 13: Departure Aerodrome and Time (8 characters)

Insert the ICAO four letter Location Indicator of the departure aerodrome, or if no location indicator assigned, insert ZZZZ and specify in item 18, preceded by DEP/ the name of the aerodrome and position in LAT/LONG (e.g. DEP/RISOER PSN 5843N00914E)

Item 15: Route

Cruising Speed (maximum 5 characters)

Insert the first cruising speed as the True Airspeed for the first or whole portion of the flight, in terms of:

Code Description
N – for Knots – followed by 4 numbers (e.g. N0220)
K – for Kilometres per hour – followed by 4 numbers (e.g. K0350)
M – for Max number -when so prescribed by the appropriate ATS authority to the nearest hundredths of unit mach followed by 3 numbers (e.g. M082)

Cruising level (maximum 5 characters)

Insert the planned cruising level for the first or the whole portion of the route to be flown, in terms of:

Code Description
F Flight level followed by 3 numbers (e.g. F085)
A Altitude in hundreds of feet followed by 3 numbers (e.g. A100)
S Standard Metric level* in tens of metres S followed by 4 numbers (e.g. S1130)
M Altitude* in tens of metres followed by 4 numbers (e.g. M0840)
VFR for flights where the flight is not planned to be flown at a specific cruising level –  the letters VFR

* When so prescribed by the appropriate ATS authorities.

Route

Including changes of speed, level an/or flight rules. (Note that this is an abbreviated instruction)

Flight along designated ATS routes

Insert the designator of the first route, or the letters DCT followed by the point of joining the route. Then insert each point at which a change of route, speed, level or flight rules is planned, followed by the designator of the next route segment.

Flight outside designated routes

Include at least each point where a change of speed, level or flight rule is planned.

Note: For VFR flights it is also recommended to insert a point approximately every 30 minutes flying time.

Item 16: Destination Aerodrome and EET

Destination Aerodrome and estimated elapsed time: (8 characters)

Insert the ICAO four letter location indicator of the destination aerodrome followed by the total estimated elapsed time, or if no designator has been assigned, insert ZZZZ followed by the EET and specify in item 18 the name and position of the aerodrome preceeded by DEST/ the name of the aerodrome and position in LAT/LONG (e.g. DEST/VERDAL PSN 6348N01127E).

Alternate aerodromes

Insert the ICAO four letter location indicator of not more than two aerodromes, or, if no designator has been assigned, insert ZZZZ and specify in item 18 the name and position of the aerodrome preceeded by ALTN/ the name of the aerodrome and position in LAT/LONG (e.g. ALTN/VERDAL PSN 6348N01127E).

Date of flight

Date of flight indicates the day the flight will take place in 6-figure format (YYMMDD).

Item 18: Other information

Note! No other indicator than the ones shown below may be used.

Insert 0 (zero) if no other information, or, any other necessary information in the preferred sequence shown below, in the form of an appropriate indicator followed by an oblique stroke and the information to be recorded.

Code Description
NAV/ other than specified under PBN/
COM/ equipment not listed in item 10a
DAT/ equipment not listed in item 10a
SUR/ equipment not listed in item 10b
DEP/
DEST/
DOF/
reg/
EET/ Significant points or FIR boundary designators and accumulated estimated elapsed times from take-off to such points or FIR boundaries
SEL/
TYP/
CODE/
DLE/ En-route delay or holding. Point must be present in route. Insert point and duration of DLE in field 18: Example: -DLE/TOR0030
OPR/
ORGN/
PER/
ALTN/
RALT/
TALT/
RIF/
RMK/

STS (Special ATS-handling)

STS/, Reason for special handling by ATS, e.g. a search and rescue mission, as follows:

Code Description
ALTRV for a flight operated in accordance with an altitude reservation
ATFMX for a flight approved for exemption from ATFM measures by the appropriate ATS authority
FFR fire-fighting
FLTCK flight check for calibration of navaids
HAZMAT for a flight carrying hazardous material
HEAD a flight with Head of State status
HOSP for a medical flight declared by medical authorities
HUM for a flight operating on a humanitarian mission
MARSA for a flight for which a military entity assumes responsibility for separation of military aircraft
MEDIEVAL for a life critical medical emergency evacuation
NONRVSM for a non-RVSM capable flight intending to operate in RVSM airspace
SAR for a flight engaged in a search and rescue mission
STATE for a flight engaged in military- customs or police services

Other reasons for special handling by ATS shall be denoted under the designator RMK/.

PBN (Performance Based Navigation)

PBN/ Indication of RNAV and/or RNP capabilities. Include as many of the descriptors below, as apply to the flight, up to a maximum of 8 entries, i.e. a total of not more than 16 characters.

Code Description
A1 RNAV 10 (RNP 10)
B1 RNAV 5 all permitted sensors
B2 RNAV 5 GNSS
B3 RNAV 5 DME/DME
B4 RNAV 5 VOR/DME
B5 RNAV 5 INS or IRS
B6 RNAV 5 LORANC
C1 RNAV 2 all permitted sensors
C2 RNAV 2 GNSS
C3 RNAV 2 DME/DME
C4 RNAV 2 DME/DME/IRU
D1 RNAV 1 all permitted sensors
D2 RNAV 1 GNSS
D3 RNAV 1 DME/DME
D4 RNAV 1 DME/DME/IRU
L1 RNP 4
O1 Basic RNP 1 all permitted sensors
O2 Basic RNP 1 GNSS
O3 Basic RNP 1 DME/DME
O4 Basic RNP 1 DME/DME/IRU
S1 RNP APCH
S2 RNP APCH with BARO-VNAV
T1 RNP AR APCH with RF (special authorization required)
T2 RNP AR APCH without RF (special authorization required)

Item 19: Supplementary Information

This information is not filed with the plan, but is kept at the unit where the plan was filed. In case of emergency the supplementary information will be transmitted to the appropriate rescue agencies.

Endurance

After E/ insert a 4 number group giving the fuel endurance in hours and minutes.

Persons on Board

After P/ insert the total number of persons (passengers and crew) on board, when required by the appropriate ATS authority. Insert TBN (to be notified) if the total number of persons is not known when filing.

Emergency and Survival Equipment

Radio
  • cross out U if UHF on frequency 243.0 MHz is carried
  • cross out V if VHF on frequency 121.5 MHz is carried
  • cross out E if emergency location beacon – aircraft (ELBA) is available
Survival Equipment
  • cross out all indications of survival equipment is carried
  • cross out P if polar survival equipment is carried
  • cross out D if desert survival equipment is carried
  • cross out M if maritime survival equipment is carried. Note: this refers to equipment in addition to the lifejackets in the following section
  • cross out J if jungle survival equipment is carried.
Jackets
  • cross out all indicators if lifejackets are carried
  • cross out L if lifejackets are fitted with lights
  • cross out F if jackets are equipped with fluoroscein
  • cross out U of V or both as in R/ above to indicate radio capability of jackets, if any
Dinghies/Number
  • cross out indicators Dinghies and Cover if dinghies are carried, and insert number of dinghies carried and;
  • (CAPACITY) insert total capacity, in persons, of all dinghied carried, and
  • (COVER) cross out indicator Cover if dinghies are not covered and
  • (COLOUR) insert colour of dinghies if carried.

A/ (AIRCRAFT COLOUR AND MARKINGS)

Insert colour of aircraft and significant markings

N/ (REMARKS)

Indicate any other survival equipment carried and any other remarks regarding survival equipment.

C/ (PILOT)

Insert name of pilot in command

Empty Flight Plan Form

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Flight Plan.pdf

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