The only real confusing bits are the changes to the equipment field. In the current domestic flight plan a slant is added after the aircraft type and one letter describes what you have.( C210 / A, BE36 / G) The ICAO form wants you to list all the equipment you have on the aircraft. Filing VFR means you can keep it simple, but where before you used / A to indicate your type of navigation equipment and what transponder equipment“ talks” to the radars and satellites – now you have two fields with a lot of choices.
/ A would translate as“ SD” in the EQUIPMENT field and“ A” in the SURVEILLANCE field.“ S” means the aircraft has VOR, VHF RTF and ILS, and“ D” for DME. The“ A” means a Mode A transponder. / G is GPS and / N is Nil, which is used if you have no navigation equipment or if it is out of service.
Before such time as you are required to file ICAO, it would be good to study the options for those two fields. Dropdown lists are available on the ICAO flight plans in the Flight Service PilotWeb site, the DUATs Site, and most of the private vendors. The options for both fields are also provided below.
There are several more fields on the ICAO form related to survival equipment or other data – these are entirely optional for domestic flights. The only other thing to know for a simple VFR flight is that if you have any remarks to list in the Other Information field, you must start it with RMK /.( RMK / PLA for practice low approach).
Change is not comfortable, but this one isn’ t really as tough as it seems at first. You can start filing ICAO for your VFR domestic flights right now if you want to. Within a few months it will be second nature.
References: https:// www. faa. gov / about / office _ org / headquarters _ offices / ato / service _ units / air _ traffic _ services / flight _ plan _ filing https:// www. faa. gov / about / office _ org / headquarters _ offices / ato / service _ units / air _ traffic _ services / flight _ plan _ filing / media / FPL _ Brochure _( change3). pdf
If you have questions on this or other items related to ATC, contact Rose through her website, www. rosemariekern. com.
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