International Flight Information/ ICAO Flight Plan
General Information
Flight Planning Notes
Differences
Foreign and ICAO procedures for VFR and IFR flight are at
variance with domestic U.S. flight procedures. Many of these differences are
given in DOD chart supplements, charts and ICAO publications (see Charts and
Publications entry). The U.S. AIP contains "U.S. Differences from ICAO
Standards, Recommended Practices and Procedures." Additionally, many areas
require two-way HF (high frequency) communications. Pilots must insure that
they can meet the requirements of each ATC region that they will be
entering.
Oceanic Position Reporting
a. Oceanic position reporting procedures call
for aircraft reporting of all designated reporting points when following a
designated oceanic route. Otherwise, positions shall be reported at
designated lines of latitude and longitude. Flights whose tracks are
predominantly east and west shall report over each 5 or 10 degrees meridian
of longitude. Flights whose tracks are predominantly north and south shall
report over each 5 or 10 degrees parallel of latitude. Reports over each 10
degrees parallel/meridian are to be made if the speed of the aircraft is
such that 10 degrees will be traversed within 1hour +20 minutes or less.
b. Position reports should be transmitted at
the time of crossing the designated reporting point or designated reporting
line, or as soon thereafter as possible. Flights operating within
international airspace should make position reports, either direct or for
relay, in the following format:
1. Aircraft position 1
2. Time over position in four digits
3. Flight level 2
4. Next fix and estimate over next fix in
four digits
5. Name of subsequent fix
NOTE-
1 For flights reporting coordinates rather than specified named
reporting points, East-West oriented flights report latitude in degrees and
minutes, longitude in degrees only. North-South oriented flights should
report latitude in degrees only and longitude in degrees and minutes.
2 Pilots should note that a flight level request on a
filed plan does not constitute authority to change flight level en route
without a specific clearance, even though the ATC clearance originally
issued may specify "Cleared as filed" or "Cleared via flight-planned route."
These terms refer to the routing requested, and not to altitude requests
contained in the flight plan.
International Flight Plans
a. Flight plans are required for all flights
into international and foreign airspace. The standard flight plan form is
the FAA Form 7233-4, available at most U.S. FSSs. Flight plans must be
transmitted to and should be received by ATC authorities in each ATC Region
to be entered at least 2 hours prior to entry, unless otherwise stated in
the various country requirements. It is extremely important that, when
filing flight plans in countries outside the U.S., inquiry be made by the
pilot as to the method used for subsequent transmission of flight plan
information to pertinent en route and destination points and of the
approximate total elapsed time applicable to such transmissions.
b. The flight plan serves both the purpose of
providing advance notice of foreign airspace penetration and the purpose of
providing effective ATC procedures. For some foreign states, the flight plan
is the only advance notice required; for others, it serves as a check
against previously granted permission to enter national airspace (see
aircraft entry requirements for the individual countries and time
limitations for advance flight plan filing). Acceptance of a flight plan and
the issuance of a flight clearance by a foreign ATC unit does not constitute
official approval for airspace penetration if prior permission for airspace
penetration is required from civil aviation authorities and such permission
has not been previously secured. Airspace violations arising in these
instances are pursued, and inflight interception may result.
c. It is particularly important in the case of
flights outside of U.S. airspace that pilots leave a complete itinerary and
time schedule of the flight with someone directly concerned, and to keep
that person advised of the flight's progress and inform him, prior to
departing, that if serious doubt arises as to the safety of the flight, he
should first contact an FAA FSS or the nearest U.S. Foreign Service Post
(Embassy and Consular Office), as appropriate. Upon receipt of information
from any source that an aircraft of U.S. Registry or an aircraft with U.S.
citizens aboard is in distress or missing while on a journey in or over
foreign territory or foreign territorial waters, all available information
should be passed to the nearest U.S. Foreign Service Post (Embassy and
Consular Offices) as well as the search and rescue facilities and services
in the particular area of interest.
d. The International Flight Plan is shown in
FIG 1-7-1. The pages following contain instructions and examples for
completing the flight plan form. The FAA complies with ICAO format, except
that it does not accept cruising speed/level in metric terms.
Page 1 2
3 4
5
|
FLIGHT PLANNING
