Flight plan

A flight plan is the announcement and description of a flight. Depending on the application, a distinction is IFR flight plans ( instrument flight rules ), VFR flight plans ( flights under visual flight rules ) and mixed schedules that start with VFR or IFR flight, and change the rules during the flight.

The flight plan contains data on the aircraft, the purpose of the flight, the departure aerodrome, the planned destination aerodrome, the planned flight altitude, the planned flight route and arrival and any alternate aerodromes and caused by the fuel supply maximum flight time.

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

Flight schedule in Germany

The pilot gives his flight plan usually on before the start of a flight.

A flight plan is used by the service organizations to plan flights in advance and in case of emergency (eg radio failure) to have evidence of the behavior of an aircraft during flight operations. The activation of the search and rescue service is done on the basis of information from the flight plan.

It consists of a single-sided form, which has 20 fields, which are usually filled with abbreviations and numeric data. The flight plan itself and the information entered in these are edited to ensure that they are understood internationally and therefore do not contain information in the local language.

Flight plan requirement

Flight plan is mandatory for:

• All IFR flights and Flights, provided that part of the route is flown by instruments ( change of flight rules ).
• Night Vision flights in controlled airspace.
• Flights over Germany's borders, except flights in / on Member States of the Schengen Agreement, unless the rules of the country concerned require a flight plan.
• Art flights in controlled airspace and aerodromes, air traffic control unit.
• Military flights.
• Cloud flights of gliders.
• Flights in flight restriction areas, as far as arranged.

Filing of the flight plan

The flight plan must be abandoned in areas with traffic flow management 3 hours before the scheduled flight departure to the air traffic control authority by phone, fax or over the Internet between at least 5 days and up to one hour. He then confirmed by air traffic control.

Change in the flight plan

Before the entry into force of the flight plan, the pilot can move the estimated off-block time in air traffic control to the rear. If the shift is significant, passengers can make as part of their passenger rights, if necessary, compensation claims as a travel fails to notify the airline claimed.

Activation of the flight plan

With the flight arrival to controlled airfields ( D airspace CTR ) of the flight plan is automatically activated. Other possibilities are the telephone start-up message by the Flight Director of uncontrolled departure airfield as well as by radio by a so-called in-flight pick-up, the pilot requests at the appropriate air traffic control unit.

Close the flight plan

After landing, or if this is ensured, the flight plan through the countryside message must be closed. At aerodromes with air traffic control is done automatically.

Overdue flights

If now within a certain time, for example, no landing message that air traffic control triggers an alarm condition that has search and rescue operations result. First, however, an attempt is made to ensure during the period of uncertainty by demand that not just the landing message has been forgotten.

Repetitive flight plans

For regular flights there is the possibility of the role of a repetitive flight plan. These are in Euro Control, more must be made through the Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System.

Content

A flight plan form looks almost anywhere in the world the same, since it was standardized by the ICAO. The following fields are present in a flight plan form:

• Address (es): This field is filled in by the Aeronautical Information Service.
• Task Time: "
• Feeder "
• Special addresses and / or feeder "
• Type of aircraft identifier: Here the aircraft identification is entered without a hyphen, for example DAIHC for D- AIHC.
• Flight Rules: Here is noted with an I or a V if it is a flight instrument or visual flight rules. A Y means a flight that begins with IFR and VFR changes, a Z means a flight that begins with VFR and IFR changes. For night VFR flights you wear in the " Other information " in addition to the expression RMK / N VFR NIGHT a.
• Type of flight: A G stands for General Aviation, one of X for training, testing and Erpobungsflüge and an N for non -scheduled commercial air traffic.
• Quantity: This contributes to the number of aircraft involved in the air, which plays a role only in association flights.
• Pattern d type of aircraft: Here the ICAO abbreviation of the aircraft is registered, for example, C172 for the type Cessna 172
• Wake turbulence category: It depends on the maximum take-off mass of the aircraft. An L (light) represents a MTOW up to 7000 kg including a M (medium ) for a MTOW of more than 7,000 kg, and less than 136000 kg and H ( heavy) stands for a MTOW of 136,000 kg or more.
• Equipment: An N stands for any existing or usable Radionavigationsusrüstung, S stands for the standard equipment (VHF, ADF, VOR and ILS).
• Aerodrome of departure: Here is the ICAO code of the departure airfield is entered.
• Time: Here is the Estimated off-block time ( EOBT ), the estimated off-block time at which the aircraft starts to move for departure is entered. It is expressed as a four-digit number in UTC.
• Speed: It is anzugegben with the letter N and a four-digit number, for example, is N0100 for a cruising speed of 100 knots.
• Cruise altitude: In a VFR flight a day is here simply entered VFR, with an A and three digits shall be the cruising altitude in hundreds, feet above sea level and with a fixed F and three digits at flight level is specified.
• Directions: Here is the route, for example, registered a list of ATS Routes.
• Destination aerodrome: In this field, the ICAO code of the destination aerodrome is coming.
• Requ. Total flight time: Here is the estimated time of flight is given in hours and minutes as four digit number.
• Alternate aerodrome: Here you wear an ICAO code of alternate aerodromes, which is served, if the actual target airfield closed or not is anfliegbar.
• 2 alternate aerodrome: Here you wear an ICAO code of the second alternate aerodromes which is served if the first alternate aerodrome is closed or not is anfliegbar.
• Other information: this contributes to a necessary supplements, for example, for types of aircraft.

Supplementary information

• Maximum flight time: Flight time for which bridging sufficient fuel is carried.
• Pers. on board
• Notfunkfrequenz: Here you wear an over which Notfunkfrequenz (s) you can be reached in an emergency or would settle radio messages.
• Rescue Equipment: The type of the carried rescue equipment is entered.
• Life jackets: The type of a lifejacket is entered.
• Inflatable boats: Here contributes to a number and capacity of the entrained inflatables.
• Color and marking d type of aircraft
• Remarks: If necessary additional information on the rescue equipment to be made in this field.
• Responsible type of aircraft Guide: Here carries a one who is responsible for the conduct of the flight ( Pilot in Command ).
• Signature of officer or authorized type of aircraft -
• Signature FB: In this field, the signature of the person who took the flight schedule belongs.
• Comments not to be transmitted

Additional information if necessary

• Accessibility to EOBT - Tel
• Accessibility to EOBT - Fax
• Please advice: Here are two fields. If the left is checked, you will receive a written aeronautical information that contains information, which came into force in the last 90 days. If the right box ticked, which is marked with the words " 3 ", the Flugplanaufgeber receives information about the 90 days out.

Flight plan in the U.S.

In the U.S., pilots may submit a flight plan through a computer system directly with the FAA: Direct User Access Terminal (abbreviation Duat ).