This is a specified information provided to Air Traffic Services (ATS) Units, relative to an intended flight or portion of a flight of an aircraft. A flight plan may be filed as a written document, an electronic document, or verbally. It must be submitted before departure to an ATS Reporting Office or, during flight, transmitted to the appropriate ATS Unit or air-ground control radio station, unless arrangements have been made for submission of repetitive flight plans (RPLs).
Repetitive Flight Plan (RPL)
This is a flight plan related to a series of frequently recurring, regularly operated individual flights with identical basic features, submitted by an operator for retention and repetitive use by ATS Units. RPLs are routinely used by most airlines for regular scheduled flights which operate over the same route at least once a week.
Unless otherwise prescribed by the appropriate ATS authority, a flight plan for a flight to be provided with Air Traffic Control Service or Air Traffic Advisory Service must be submitted at least sixty minutes before departure, or, if submitted during flight, at a time which will ensure its receipt by the appropriate Air Traffic Services Unit at least ten minutes before the aircraft is estimated to reach: a) the intended point of entry into a control area or advisory area; or b) the point of crossing an airway or advisory route.
CONTENTS OF FLIGHT PLAN
According to ICAO, a flight plan shall contain information regarding such of the following items as are considered relevant by the appropriate ATS authority:
- Aircraft identification
- Flight rules and type of flight
- Number and type(s) of aircraft and wake turbulence category
- Equipment
- Departure aerodrome
- Estimated off-block time
- Cruising speed
- Cruising level
- Route to be followed
- Destination aerodrome and total estimated elapsed time
- Alternate aerodrome
- Fuel endurance
- Total number of persons on board
- Emergency and survival equipment
- Other information.
REFERENCES
ICAO annex 2
