 Chapter 10 Air Traffic Service Flight Plan

1. GENERAL
The Air Traffic Service flight plan is done by flight dispatch or, if required by authorities at remote
stations, by a pilot. It is the P-I-C’s responsibility to check that an ATS flight plan has been
submitted.

A copy of ATS flight plan will also be printed in the dispatch release message attached to the
Company flight plan of the flight concerned for further reference.

1.1. Unless a Repetitive Flight Plan (RPL) is filed and otherwise stated in the Country RAR, an
ATS flight plan should be submitted:

a. At least 60 min before departure (Estimated Off-Block Time)

b. During flight, at the time which will ensure its receipt by ATS at least 10 min before the
aircraft is estimated to reach the intended entry point into controlled area or advisory area
or the points of crossing airways or advisory route.

1.2. A flight plan should be amended or canceled and replaced by a new flight plan in the event
of a delay in excess of the given estimated off-block time of :

a. 30 min for controlled flight

b. 60 min for uncontrolled flight.

1.3. All clock times in an ATS flight plan shall be given in 4-digit UTC

2. INSTRUCTION FOR INSERTION OF ATS DATA (sample attached)

Complete items 7 to 18 unless ATS prescribes otherwise. Complete also item 19 when so
required to facilitate alerting or Search and Rescue services.

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2.1. ITEM 7 : AIRCRAFT IDENTIFICATION
a) Aircraft registration marks, or
b) 3-letter ICAO designator of the operator followed by flight identification number, e.g. THA640

2.2. ITEM 8 : FLIGHT RULES AND TYPE OF FLIGHT

2.2.1. Flight Rules

Insert one of the following letters:

I = IFR Y = IFR first, then VFR

V = VFR Z = VFR first, then IFR

2.2.2. Type of Flight

Insert one of the following letters when required by ATS:

S = Scheduled M = Military
N = Non-scheduled X = other than above
G = General aviation

2.3. ITEM 9 : NUMBER AND TYPE OF AIRCRAFT AND WAKE TURBULENCE

CATEGORY

2.3.1. Number of Aircraft

Insert only when more than one is applied.

2.3.2. Type of Aircraft

The following designators shall be used:

B744 = 747-400 MD11 = MD-11

B743 = 747-300 A306 = A300-600
B772 = 777-200 A330 = A330
B773 = 777-300 AT72 = ATR72
B734 = 737-400

2.3.3. Wake Turbulence Category

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Defined as follows:

H = Heavy, for aircraft with a Max TOW of 136,000 kg or more (B747/B777/A330/A300-600)

M = Medium, for aircraft with a Max TOW between 7,000 kg and 136,000 kg (B737/ATR)
L = Light, for aircraft with a Max TOW of 7,000 kg or less.

2.4. ITEM 10 : EQUIPMENT

2.4.1. Radio Communication, Navigation and Approach Aid Equipment

Insert one or more of the following letters to indicate equipment available and serviceable:

S = Standard equipment for the route to be flown, i.e., VHF R/T, ADF, VOR and ILS, unless
another combination is prescribed by ATS, and/or
D = DME
F = ADF
G = GNSS, insert details in item 18
H = HF R/T
I = INS
J = Data link, insert details in item 18
L = ILS
M = Omega
O = VOR
R = RNP
V = VHF R/T
W = RVSM authorized
X = When prescribed by ATS (Note 2)
Y = 8.33 KHz capable radio equipment
Z = Other equipment, insert details in item 18

Note 1
RNP (Required Navigation Performance). A statement of the navigation performance accuracy
necessary for operation within a defined airspace. One method is RNAV.

Note 2
For flights planned to operate within MNPS airspace insert “X” after “S” to indicate MNPS
capability.

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2.4.2. Surveillance Equipment

a) SSR Equipment insert:

N = Nil
A = Transponder (4-figures-4096 code) mode A
C = Transponder (4-figures-4096 code) mode A and C
X = Transponder mode S without both aircraft identification and pressure altitude
transmission
P = Transponder mode S including pressure altitude transmission, but no aircraft
identification transmission
I = Transponder mode S, including both aircraft identification transmission, but no pressure
altitude transmission
S = Transponder mode S, including both pressure altitude and aircraft identification
transmission.

Note: Normally, C is to be used except FLT OPS to the state which needs mode S.

b) ADS Equipment

D = ADS capability

2.5. ITEM 13 : DEPARTURE AERODROME AND TIME

2.5.1. Insert ICAO 4-letter location indicator of the departure aerodrome; then without a space,
2.5.2. Insert the estimated off-block time.

2.6. ITEM 15 : CRUISING SPEED/LEVEL AND ROUTE

2.6.1. Cruising Speed (Max 5 characters)

Insert TAS for the first or the whole cruising portion of the flight, in term of:

- Knots, expressed as N followed by 4 figures (e.g. N0483), or

- Mach No. to the nearest hundredth of unit Mach expressed as M followed by 3 figures
(e.g. M086), or

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- For some Eastern European countries, use kilometers per hour, expressed as K followed by
4 figures (e.g. K0830).
2.6.2. Cruising Level (Max 5 characters)

Insert cruising level requested for the first portion or the whole route, expressed as:

- A followed by 3 figures to indicate altitude in hundreds of feet (e.g. A100), or

- F followed by 3 figures to indicate flight level (e.g. F310), or
- M followed by 4 figures to indicate altitude in tens of meters (e.g. M0840), or
- S, for some Eastern European countries and P.R. of China, followed by 4 figures to indicate
tens of meters relating to the standard altimeter setting (e.g. 8000 m is equal to S0800).

2.6.3. Route (including changes of speed, level)

Insert the following in sequence:

- The designator of the first ATS route or, where appropriate, the code designator assigned to
the SID and followed by the point of joining the first ATS route, then followed by the
designator of the ATS route.

Note
If the DEP AD is not on, or connect to the ATS route, use the letter “DCT” followed by the
point of joining the first ATS route, and then followed by the designator of the ATS route, e.g.,
DCT RELIP A464.

- The point at which either a change of speed, level or ATS route is planned.

2.7. ITEM 16 : DESTINATION AERODROME, TOTAL ESTIMATED ELAPSED TIME

AND ALTERNATE AERODROME(S)

Insert ICAO 4-letter indicator of destination aerodrome and the total Estimated Elapsed Time
(EET). Then insert ICAO 4-letter location indicator of alternate AD.

Note
EET is defined as the estimated time required from takeoff to arrive over main aid at Destination.

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2.8. ITEM 18 : OTHER INFORMATION

Insert the required information after the appropriate abbreviation and slash in the sequence
shown:

EET/ Significant points or FIR boundary designators and accumulated estimated elapsed time
from takeoff to arrival over such points or FIR boundary, where so prescribed (e.g.
EET/VLVT0043).

RIF/ (Reclearance in Flight) Route details to the revised destination aerodrome, followed by
ICAO 4-letter location indicator. The revised route is subject to reclearance in flight; e.g.
RIF/ LDZ UL618 GRU UL621 ROE UZ35 ALM EKCH.

Note
To be used only if it is anticipated that, depending on fuel endurance, a decision may be deemed
necessary to proceed to a revised destination aerodrome.

REG/ Aircraft registration

SEL/ SELCAL code
OPR/ Name of the operator
STS/ Reason for special handling by ATS; e.g. STS/ ONE ENG INOP
PER/ Aircraft performance data
COM/ Additional COM equipment, if Z is inserted in item 10.
DAT/ Significant data related to data link capability, using one or more of the letters S, H, V and
M, e.g. DAT/S = satellite data link, DAT/H = HF data link, DAT/V = VHF data link, DAT/M
= SSR Mode S data link.
NAV/ Additional NAV equipment, if Z is inserted in item 10
RALT/ Name of en route alternate aerodrome(s); e.g. RALT/EDDF.
DOF/ (EUR) Date of flight shall be entered when flight plan is filed more than 24 hours in
advance. Date-group in the order year, month, day; e.g. DOF/980701.
RMK/ Other plain language remarks.

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2.9. ITEM 19 : SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

2.9.1. Endurance
E/ Insert a 4-figure group giving the fuel endurance in hours and minutes.

2.9.2. Persons on Board

P/ Insert the total number of persons (crew + passengers) on board.
Note
If the total number of passengers is not known at the time of filing, enter TBN (To Be
Notified).

2.9.3. Emergency Radio

R/ Cross out equipment not carried.

2.9.4. Survival Equipment

S/ Cross out equipment not carried.

2.9.5. Jackets
J/ Cross out equipment not carried.
2.9.6. Dinghies
D/ Cross out D and C if no dinghies are carried, or insert the number of dinghies on
board.

2.9.7. Capacity
Insert total capacity in persons of all dinghies carried.

2.9.8. Cover

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 C/ Cross out C if dinghies carried are not covered.

2.9.9. Color
Insert color of dinghies carried.

2.9.10. Aircraft Color and Markings

A/ Insert color of aircraft and other significant markings.

2.9.11. Remarks
N/ Cross out N if no remarks, or insert any other survival equipment carried and any
other remarks regarding survival equipment.

2.9.12 Commander
C/ Insert the name of the Commander.

2.9.13. Filed by
Insert names of unit, agency or person filing the flight plan.

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