Flight plan

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International flight plan form

A flight plan is the announcement and description of a flight . Depending on the intended use, a distinction is made between IFR flight plans (flights according to instrument flight rules), VFR flight plans (flights according to visual flight rules) and mixed flight plans that start with VFR or IFR and change flight rules during the flight.

The flight plan contains data on the aircraft , the purpose of the flight, the departure airport, the planned destination airport, the planned flight altitude , the planned flight route and arrival time as well as any alternative airports and the maximum flight time due to the fuel supply.

The German air traffic control and the Swiss air traffic control Skyguide offer the possibility to submit flight plans via the Internet. All over Europe, flight plans can be submitted with EuroFPL or via the Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System (IFPS).

content

A flight plan form looks the same almost everywhere in the world because it has been standardized by the ICAO . The following fields are available in a flight plan form:

  • Address (es): This field contains AFTN addresses and is filled in by the flight information service .
  • Task time: same
  • Dispatcher: ditto
  • Special addresses and / or mailers: ditto
  • Call sign: Here a) the aircraft registration number is entered without a hyphen, e.g. DAIHC for D-AIHC, or b) ICAO code of the airline and flight number, or c) other call signs, e.g. B. military
  • Flight rules: Here an I or a V indicates whether it is a flight according to instrument or visual flight rules . A Y denotes a flight that begins with IFR and changes to VFR , a Z denotes a flight that begins with VFR and changes to IFR . For visual flights at night, enter the expression RMK / N VFR NIGHT in the "Other information" field .
  • Type of flight: A G stands for General Aviation , an X for training, test and trial flights and an N for non-scheduled flights in commercial air traffic.
  • Number: Here you enter the number of aircraft involved in the flight, which only plays a role for association flights.
  • Pattern d. Lfz .: The ICAO abbreviation of the aircraft is entered here, for example C172 for the Cessna 172 type.
  • Wake vortex category: It is based on the maximum take-off mass of the aircraft. An L (light) stands for an MTOW up to and including 7,000 kg, an M (medium) for an MTOW of more than 7,000 kg and less than 136,000 kg and an H (heavy) stands for an MTOW of 136,000 kg or more.
  • Equipment: An N stands for no existing or usable radio navigation equipment, an S stands for the standard equipment ( VHF , VOR and ILS ).
  • Take-off airport: The ICAO code of the take-off airport is entered here.
  • Time: The Estimated off-block time (EOBT) , the expected blocking time at which the aircraft starts moving from the terminal, is entered here. It is given as a four-digit number in UTC .
  • Speed: It must be indicated with the letter N and a four-digit number, for example N0100 stands for a cruising speed of 100 knots.
  • Cruising altitude: For a VFR flight during the day, simply enter VFR , with an A and three digits you specify the cruising altitude in hundreds of feet above sea ​​level and with an F and three digits the flight area is specified.
  • Route: The route, for example a list of ATS routes, is entered here. When operating under instrument flight rules, this routes usually start with an IFR departure procedures ( Standard Instrument Departure, SID ), followed by alternately a point, an air line ( Airway ) and then a point where the dots of five letters exist (z. B. BATEL near Berlin) and the airways from one or two letters and one to three numbers, sometimes also with a following letter (e.g. USA). Finally, there may be an approach route ( Standard Arrival, STAR ).
  • Destination airport: The ICAO code of the destination airport is entered in this field .
  • Anticipated Total flight time: Here the estimated flight time in hours and minutes is given as a four-digit number.
  • Alternate airport: Here you enter the ICAO code of the alternate airport, which is flown to if the actual destination airport is closed or cannot be approached.
  • 2. Alternate airport: Here you enter the ICAO code of the second alternate airport, which will be flown to if the first alternate airport is closed or not accessible.
  • Other information: Here you enter necessary additions, for example to the aircraft type.

Supplementary information

  • Maximum flight time: The flight time for which sufficient fuel is carried to bridge.
  • Pers. on board
  • Emergency radio frequency: Here you enter the emergency radio frequency (s) via which you can be reached in an emergency or which would send radio messages.
  • Rescue equipment: The type of rescue equipment carried is entered here.
  • Life jackets: The type of life jackets carried is entered here.
  • Inflatable boats: Here you enter the number and capacity of the inflatable boats carried.
  • Color and marking d. Aircraft
  • Comments: This field may contain additional information on rescue equipment.
  • Responsible aircraft leader: Here you enter who is responsible for carrying out the flight ( pilot in command ).
  • Signature d. Driver or authorized person
  • Signature FB: This field must contain the signature of the person who received the flight plan.
  • Comments not to be communicated

Additional information if required

  • Can be reached until EOBT - Tel.
  • Availability up to EOBT - fax
  • Please advise: Two fields are available here. If the left box is checked, you will receive written flight advice containing information that has come into effect within the last 90 days. If the right field, which is marked with the note "3+", is checked, the flight plan submitter receives information beyond the 90 days.

Flight plan in Germany

The pilot usually submits his flight plan prior to taking a flight.

A flight plan is used by air traffic control organizations to plan flights in advance and to provide clues about the behavior of an aircraft driver in an emergency (e.g. radio failure). The search and rescue service is also activated using information from the flight plan.

It consists of a one-page form which has 20 fields, most of which are filled with abbreviations and numerical data. The flight plan itself and the information entered in it are written in such a way that they can be understood internationally and therefore do not contain any information in the national language.

Flight schedule requirement

A flight plan must be submitted before the following flights are carried out:

  1. a flight or segment of a flight that is subject to air traffic control;
  2. a flight under instrument flight rules within the air traffic advisory airspace;
  3. a flight within areas or into areas or along routes determined by the competent authority to facilitate the provision of flight information and the implementation of the flight alarm service and the search and rescue service for aircraft;
  4. a flight within areas or into areas or along routes that are determined by the competent authority in order to facilitate coordination with appropriate military units or with air traffic control units in neighboring states in order to avoid a possible required approach for identification purposes;
  5. a flight across state borders, unless the states concerned have agreed otherwise;
  6. a flight that is to be carried out at night, insofar as it extends beyond the vicinity of the airfield.

Submission of the flight plan

The flight plan can be submitted at the earliest 5 days and no later than one hour, in areas with traffic flow control three hours, before the scheduled start of the flight to the air traffic control authority by telephone or fax or via the Internet . It is then confirmed by air traffic control.

Change of the flight plan

Before the flight plan comes into effect, the pilot can shift the expected off-block time forwards or backwards at air traffic control.

Activation of the flight plan

The flight plan is activated automatically when the flight is started at controlled airfields (airspace D CTR ). Further possibilities are the telephone take-off notification from the flight manager of an uncontrolled take-off airport as well as a take-off notification sent by radio to the flight information service. In a so-called inflight pick-up , the pilot gives a flight plan for a flight according to instrument flight rules in flight, z. B. because the weather is worse than expected.

Close the flight plan

After landing or when this is ensured, the flight plan must be closed by the landing report. This is done automatically at airports with air traffic control.

Overdue flights

If, for example, there is no landing report within a certain time, air traffic control triggers an alarm condition, which results in search and rescue measures . First, however, during the uncertainty phase, an attempt is made to ensure by asking that the landing report has not simply been forgotten.

Continuous flight plans

For regular flights there is the possibility of submitting a permanent flight plan. These must be submitted to Eurocontrol , more precisely via the Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System .

Flight schedule in the USA

In the US, pilots can submit their flight plan through several possible communication channels:

  • By telephone at a flight service station on the toll-free number 1-800-992-7433
  • In paper format at the next flight service station
  • Via the Flight Service 1800WxBrief web page

The computer system Duat the FAA was set 2018th

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Franzen: BZF . P. 184 ff.
  2. ↑ L_2012281DE.01000101.xml. Retrieved June 24, 2018 .
  3. ^ Dieter Franzen: Compact learning program BZF. Kuppenheim 2006, p. 194.
  4. ^ Federal Aviation Administration : FAA Flight Planning Information . Accessed August 22, 2019