FAA Changes Flight Plan Format to ICAO

Scott Sherer

FAA Transitions to ICAO Flight Plan Format
Notice Number: NOTC9696
The FAA has transitioned to mandatory use of the international flight plan format for all IFR and VFR domestic and international civil flights, effective August 27 at 0500 EST. The change is part of an effort to modernize and streamline flight planning and supports the FAA’s NextGen initiatives.
Benefits of the international form make it easier and more intuitive for pilots to use and will increase safety.
• An increase in the size of the departure and destination fields to allow a greater variety of entry types, including Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) flight plans
• Transmission of the supplemental pilot data field, which contains pilot contact information, along with the VFR flight plan to the destination facility, to reduce search and rescue response times
• Air traffic control gains access to detailed equipment codes to identify aircraft capability
The international format will also allow for integration of Performance Based Navigation (PBN) and enhance air traffic control services by allowing for easier identification of equipage, which can make greater use of airspace.
With the exception of military flight operations, the international format is required for all IFR and VFR flights across the NAS. Guidance on how to complete an international flight plan is available at www.faa.gov/go/flightservice.
Please contact Flight Service on our feedback email 9-AWA-ATO-SYSOPS-FS@faa.gov if you have any questions.

Jmcmanna

If you have ForeFlight, you can simply switch the flight plan type from FAA to ICAO. The PBN values are easy to modify if the default in ForeFlight aren’t correct. I just filed a flight plan from 3CK to 1C5 from ForeFlight in the break room and will grab the strip in a few mins and show what the ATC side difference is with a picture.

Jmcmanna

The top picture is what ATC uses at the scope, which is the same regardless of whether the flight plan is domestic ICAO, and the bottom is the extra information that is filed with the ICAO flight plan (equipment, etc...).

Scott Sherer

Thanks Jim. Is your plane out of the shop yet??

Jmcmanna

I am told the plane is done. Original first flight was scheduled for tomorrow, but southerly winds gusting to 30 knots all day and an unstable air mass put me off. Re-scheduled to fly with Paul on Friday afternoon.

Scott Sherer

Glad to hear it, Jim. Wishing you a safe and happy flight.