Flight Plan Form

Change to AIM FAA Domestic Flight Plan Equipment Suffixes

 

PUBLICATION OF CHANGE TO AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION MANUAL – DOMESTIC FLIGHT PLAN EQUIPMENT SUFFIXES

Purpose: To modify the following Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM) paragraphs: 5-1-8. Flight Plan- IFR Flights 5-3-4 Airways and Route Systems

Background:

Since December 2003, non-radar Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) operations have been conducted within the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) domestic controlled airspace.  Based on risk analysis and continued operational experience in Alaska, it has been determined that similar provisions can be safely implemented throughout the National Airspace System (NAS).

 

As part of this change, it was determined that the single-letter equipment suffix filed in domestic flight plans, and displayed to controllers for all flights, needed to evolve to clarify GNSS capability and eliminate confusion between "advanced navigation" suffixes and Performance Based Navigation (PBN) capability.

 

Guidance:

Changes to the Equipment Suffixes and to the procedures for RNAV flights are expected to take effect on October 24^th, 2013.  Several weeks before the implementation date a National Flight Data Center (NFDC) NOTAM will be issued to confirm the date.

A summary of the changes:

1.      Sections 5-1-8, paragraph d. "Area Navigation (RNAV)" and 5-3-4, paragraph a, item 3 "Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes" are changed to indicate that GNSS equipped aircraft no longer require radar monitoring on RNAV routes, except for random impromptu routes.  A random impromptu routing is a direct course initiated by ATC or requested by the pilot during flight.  Aircraft are cleared from their present position to a NAVAID, waypoint, fix, or airport.

2.      /R, /Q, /E, /F, /J and /K suffixes are being deleted and will not be accepted as equipment suffixes in domestic flight plan messages.

3.      The following suffixes will be added:
/Z (for RNAV and RVSM)
/V (for GNSS and no transponder)
/S (for GNSS and transponder without Mode C)

 

The AIM will reflect these changes in the 2014 publication cycle.

Until then, the modifications to AIM pages 5-1-13, 5-1-15, and 5-3-6 can be found on the following web page:

http://www.faa.gov/ato?k=fpl

Suggested FDC NOTAM-

!FDC X/00XX (KFDC A0065/12) FDC EQUIPMENT SUFFIX CHANGES EFFECTIVE 1310240000 UTC AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT SUFFIXES FILED IN DOMESTIC FORMAT FLIGHT PLANS (FP) MUST FOLLOW THE NEW DEFINITIONS SHOWN AT HTTP://WWW.FAA.GOV/ATO?K=FPL. NOTE THAT /R, /Q, /E, /F, /J, and /K WILL NO LONGER BE ACCEPTED.  ENQUIRIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO 9-AJE-FLIGHTPLANQUESTIONS@FAA.GOV.