North Atlantic Tracks

As a North Atlantic Tracks are referred to the conditions laid down by the competent radio stations Shanwick and Gander flight routes for scheduled flights across the Atlantic. These routes secure for aircraft overflight of the area without permanent radar control from the ground.

Operation

New, adapted to the weather routes are issued to the airlines daily. These tracks include a starting point, several coordinates on the flight en route and an end point. Within this track may only be in a certain altitude and direction ( east or west ) to be operated so that the machine can cross the Atlantic without radar guidance safely. Start and end point, called the gate, are navigation points within the airway systems in Europe and North America. Once an aircraft enters the airspace over the Atlantic, it must report (including Shanwick Oceanic for the airspace east of 30 ° west longitude, Gander for the area west ) and ask for the Atlantic crossing via HF radio with the competent office. On the flight there at the pre-determined route points reporting requirement for the machines.

This reporting requirement means that the pilot must either register if they have passed a coordinate on their way or if since the last report (English position report ) are more than 40 minutes have passed. This position reports to at least the last overflown coordinate with the appropriate time in UTC, the next coordinate with the expected time of the flight, the altitude in which the aircraft is flying ( flight level ) and the speed in Mach included.