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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