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General Information Overview

Host Change for ICAO Flight Plans Set for June 29, 2008

What’s Important about this new implementation date?

• Effective June 29, the FAA is completing a change in all Host systems that will automatically assign preferential routes based on the equipment capability contained in an ICAO Filed Flight Plan (ICAO FPL)
• This Host change is being made now to help facilitate the transition from the Host system to the new En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) system, which by the end of 2009 will replace the legacy Host computer processing system use in 20 Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC)
• Following the completion of the Host change on June 29, flights filed in a NAS Flight Plan (NAS FP) will only be assigned a conventional procedure

What is ERAM?

• En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) is the largest National Airspace System (NAS) equipment replacement program in FAA history
• ERAM replaces 20 Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) legacy Host computer processing systems
• Replacement waterfall work commenced March 2006
• 1st operational use of ERAM is at Salt Lake ARTCC (ZLC) in October 2008
• Last to transition to ERAM is Miami ARTCC (ZMA) in November 2009

Host/ERAM Flight Plan Processing

• Current Host automation processing is based on the NAS Flight Plan (FP)
• ICAO Flight Plan (FPL) information, where possible, translates to NAS FP data but may be incompatible with several NAS FP elements (i.e., equipment suffix)
• ERAM implementation will make the U.S. ATC system ICAO compliant
• ICAO FPL data will work seamlessly, but NAS FP data may be incompatible when translated into the ICAO FPL equivalent

Flight Plan Processing Challenge

• Host bases automated preferential route assignment on NAS FP equipment suffix (Equipment Restricted Route/ERR processing)
• Over 2,000 ERR preferential routes are adapted in Host
• ERAM bases automated preferential route assignment on ICAO FPL equipment capability identifiers (Route ICAO Equipment Eligibility/RIEE processing)
• Several NAS FP suffixes do not have ICAO FPL equivalents, so ERAM cannot translate to enable preferential routing
• Potential for ~17% of aircraft to lose RNAV SID/STAR assignment eligibility when ERAM begins operational use*
• Most critical: NAS /E (DME/DME/IRU) & NAS /J (= /E + RVSM)

* Based on a 1-week NAS sample in July 2007

Flight Plan Processing Change

• Solution:
• All Host systems will switch from NAS FP to ICAO FPL processing for automated preferential route assignment on June 29, 2008
• Prior to ERAM first operational use for risk reduction
• Host will base automated preferential route assignment on RIEE and the RNAV value in ICAO FPL Item 18 (Other Information):

NAV/ = Indicates additional navigation information in ICAO Item 18
RNV = Precedes RNAV capability for each phase of flight

• File maximum RNAV capability in Item 18
• “NAV/RNV” followed by one or more flight segment indicators:
• “D” for departure
• “E” for en route
• “A” for arrival
• Follow each flight segment indicator with appropriate RNAV accuracy value of “1” or “2” in accordance with Advisory Circular (AC) 90-100A, U.S. Terminal and En Route Area Navigation (RNAV) Operations
• RNAV 1 = “D1” and/or “A1”
• RNAV 2 = “E2”
• For Point-to-Point (PTP) RNAV IAW Advisory Circular (AC) 90-45A, Approval of Area Navigation Systems for Use in the U.S. National Airspace System, follow the en route flight segment indicator 'E' with '99'
• Point-to-Point RNAV = “E99”
• Reminder: file maximum RNAV capability in Item 18
• If you are RNAV 2 qualified, file “E2” and you will be eligible for RNAV 2 and PTP

• If you are not RNAV 2 qualified but are qualified for PTP, file “E99” and you will be eligible for PTP, only

Change Impact

• Users will be required to file an ICAO FPL, with appropriate Item 10 equipment identifier and Item 18 entry, to indicate the desire and ability to accept RNAV routes.
• Operators filing an ICAO FPL may suppress application of RNAV procedures by omitting Item 18 data for any or all segments of flight.
• Some users may need software changes and/or training for filing an ICAO FPL.
• Users filing NAS FP will be assigned conventional procedures, only.

Summary & Challenges

• June 29, 2008: Change to Host processing
• Prior to ERAM IOC to reduce risk during transition
• Specific filing/implementation procedures for surrounding period TBD
• User notification
• Web Site, Briefings, Publications, NOTAM
• Automation changes
• FAA en route software and adaptation
• User filing/dispatch systems
• Training
• En route, terminal and FSS personnel
• Flight crews and dispatchers

Questions?

• Please see the FAQ section – we encourage submission of questions in writing via email using the link on that page.
• POCs for this initiative are:

Diane Bodenhamer, AJE-36
RTT Focal/SOS ERAM Team Lead
diane.bodenhamer@faa.gov
202-493-5276

Jim Arrighi, AJR-37
RNAV/RNP Group
james.arrighi@faa.gov
202-385-4680