Section 3. IFR Flight Plan Handling

6-3-1. IFR FLIGHT PLANS

IFR flight plans should consist of items 1 through 17 of FAA Form 7233­1 or electronic equivalent. Items 1 through 11 must be transmitted to the ARTCC as part of the IFR flight plan proposal. Items 12 through 17 must be retained by the FSS or in the operational system and be available upon request.

NOTE-
1. Part­time FSSs must forward items 1 through 17 in accordance with para 6­1­7, Part­time FSS Closure Action.

2. Procedures for automatic assignment of RNAV routes are contained in para 6­2­3, Flight Plans with Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes in Domestic U.S. Airspace.

6-3-2. NOTIFYING ARTCC

Transmit flight plans and flight plan amendments to the ARTCC for the departure point. Facilities should use FAA Order JO 7350.9, Location Identifiers, or the appropriate aeronautical charts to determine the ARTCC to which each transmission must be made. Transmit flight plans (if necessary) and flight plan amendments via interphone to the flight data position (error referral position) or departure sector when the aircraft's proposed departure time is less than 30 minutes from transmittal time. Advise the ARTCC's departure sector or flight data position (error referral position), via interphone, when a message is received indicating ineligibility or a response is not received via data terminal within 10 minutes. Transmit flight plans as follows:

a. When multiple (two or more) flight plans are received from the same aircraft, or for flight plans which propose alternating VFR and IFR, stopover, or terminal area delay, the station receiving the flight plans transmits separate flight plans to the appropriate ARTCCs for each IFR portion or segment.

b. Transmit flight plans specifying special use airspace delays (MOAs, warning areas, restricted areas, ATCAA) as in subpara 6-3-2 a except when letters of agreement specify otherwise.

c. Aerial refueling delays, or any other en route delays not covered in subparas. 6-3-2 a or b and not involving a change of altitude stratum, do not require separate messages. Delay information must be filed within the route of flight. If a change of altitude stratum is indicated, transmit separate messages as in subparas 6-3-2 a or b.

d. When a composite, stopover, or terminal area delay flight plan is revised:

1. Before departure, transmit the information to the original addressees plus any new addressees.

2. After departure, transmit the information to all new addresses that are affected by the change.

e. When a flight is to depart after 0500 hours local time on the day following the filing of the flight plan, do not transmit the flight plan to the ARTCC until after 0000 hours local time.

NOTE-
In the event of a time zone difference between the station and the associated ARTCC, use the ARTCC's local time in determining transmission time.

f. Address all IFR flight plan messages to the ARTCC serving the point of departure and all concerned oceanic and non­conterminous air traffic service (ATS) units, except FAA ATCTs.

NOTE-
The ARTCC within whose control area IFR flight is proposed to begin will forward the proposed tower en route flight plan data to the appropriate departure terminal facility.

g. For flights inbound to the conterminous U.S. from Alaska or Hawaii, address only the first conterminous U.S. ARTCC; for example, for a proposed flight from Sitka to Houston, address PAZAZQZX, CZVRZQZX, and KZSEZQZX.

REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 2­2­2, Forwarding Information.

6-3-3. IFR FLIGHT PLAN CONTROL MESSAGES

Transmit all proposed IFR flight plan messages to the ARTCC within whose control area IFR flight is proposed to begin.

a. Communications Functions. Flight plan data messages must be addressed to the computer only. All other types of messages for ARTCC attention must be addressed to the Flight Data position only. Acknowledgements for all numbered messages will be received from the computer or the Flight Data position indicating receipt by the ARTCC, but not necessarily computer acceptance. (See TBL 6­3­1.)

TBL 6-3-1
ARTCC ID & Computer Flight Data

b. Adhere to a fixed order of data. Do not exceed the stated maximum number of characters or elements allowed for each field in messages addressed to an ARTCC computer. Flight plans filed containing more than the stated character maximums should be sent using the ARTCC flight data address.

c. For manual entry into Service B, one space character must be entered at the end of each data field. The first data field of a message need not be preceded by a space. The last data field of a message need not be followed by a space.

d. Each field of data is composed of one or more elements. Discrete elements of information within a field are separated by delimiters, generally slashes (/) or periods (ABC..DEF).

e. Messages addressed using a ARTCC flight data address (see TBL 6­3­1) are not processed by the ARTCC computer. Response and/or interpretation of these messages are dependent on flight data personnel action. The prime consideration of these types of messages must be the readability of the transmitted data.

f. All domestic flight data processing computers have the capability to return acknowledgments to the source and, depending on local adaption, return error messages and accept amendments. Notify the appropriate ARTCC Data Systems Specialist or Primary A position when it is suspected that a flight plan has been erroneously rejected by the computer.

g. IFR flight plans specifying stopovers or terminal area delays require separate messages be sent to the appropriate ARTCCs for each segment. Unless otherwise covered by a letter of agreement, treat flight plans proposing SUA delays in the same manner. Separate messages are also required for any other en route delays if a change of altitude stratum is proposed at the delay point. See subpara 6-3-4n8(b)(2) for delays not involving a change of altitude stratum.

h. Some fields contain the necessary functions to operate the computer data terminal adapters and are designated by alpha characters (HIO..RAWER.V23.EUG/D0+30..16S). Do not separate these fields with spaces.

6-3-4. IFR FLIGHT PLAN CONTROL MESSAGE FORMAT

For En Route Automation System Flight Data Processing (EAS FDP) acceptance, the complete message contents, the order of data, the number of characters allowed within any data field or element, and any associated operational procedures or restrictions are as follows (as used here, “field” refers to EAS FDP field):

NOTE-
Detailed operating instructions for processing IFR Flight Plans are contained in the operational system instructions.

a. Start of Message Code (Field A). (New Line Key)

b. Preamble Line (Field B). Consists of originator, priority, and addressee(s).

c. Originator Line (Field C). Consists of a six­digit date­time group and the eight­character originator identifier.

d. End of Line Function (Field E). Same as subpara 6-3-4a.

e. Source Identification (Field 00). Nine or ten characters required followed by a space character in the following order:

1. The three­character address of the originating facility.

2. Four characters (digits) to indicate the time (in UTC) the flight plan was composed by the originator.

3. Three characters (digits) representing the number of the message; for example, 021. It is recommended that numbering systems be restarted with 001 at the beginning of each day (0000Z).

NOTE-
There are no spaces between characters in subparas 6-3-4e1, 2, and 3.

f. Message Type (Field 01). The letters “FP” followed by a space character.

g. Aircraft Identification (Field 02). Consists of two­to­seven alphanumeric characters followed by a space character. The first character of the identification must be a letter.

1. Phrases such as FLYNET, Snow Time, etc., which do not identify specific aircraft but are supplemental data defining a special mission or function, must be contained in remarks (Field 11).

2. For foreign aircraft identifications with a numeric as the first character, insert an X as the first character and explain in the remarks section.

h. Aircraft Data (Field 03). Consists of two­to­nine characters followed by a space character. Aircraft data within the field may vary from one­to­three elements consisting of:

1. Number of aircraft (when more than one) and/or the heavy aircraft indicator. For heavy aircraft the indicator is “H/.” This element contains a maximum of two characters followed by a slash.

EXAMPLE-
2/F15
3H/B52
10/F18

2. Type of Aircraft. This element is mandatory and contains two­to­four characters consisting of the authorized aircraft designator as contained in FAA Order JO 7340.2, Contractions. Enter military designators of aircraft, omitting prefixes and suffixes pertaining to aircraft mission or model.

3. Equipment Suffix. This element consists of a slash (/) followed by one letter which is one of the approved designators identifying transponder and/or navigation gear.

i. Airspeed (Field 05). Consists of two­to­four characters followed by a space character. This field must indicate the filed true airspeed in knots or Mach number.

EXAMPLE-
350
M075

j. Departure Point or Coordination Fix (Field 06). Consists of two­to­twelve characters followed by a space character. This field contains the departure point or fix at which an aircraft will pick up IFR. It must be a fix, not an airway. For proposed departures, it must match the first element in the route of flight; and for IFR pickups, it must match either the first element in the route of flight or the third element if the ./. or VFR is used as the second element.

k. Proposed Departure Time (Field 07). Consists of five or seven characters followed by a space character. This field contains the letter “P” followed by a four or six digit time group in UTC.

l. Requested Altitude (Field 09). Consists of two­to­seven characters followed by a space character. Altitudes or flight levels, as appropriate, must be expressed in hundreds of feet, but without leading zeros. The letters “OTP” must be entered in this field to indicate a requested altitude of VFR conditions­on­top. If a VFR conditions­on­top altitude is provided, it must be entered as “OTP/XXX where “XXX” is a VFR altitude. Blocked altitudes are indicated by entering the lower altitude of the requested block, the letter “B,” and the higher altitude of the block; for example, 80B100, 240B270, with no spaces.

m. End of Line (New Line Key) (Field E). The first occurrence of Field E must always follow Field 09 of the message. Any time a subsequent end of line becomes necessary, if used within Field 10, it must be preceded by the appropriate element separator (not a space). If used within Field 11, Field E may be entered at any point within the remarks sequence.

n. Route of Flight (Field 10). The route of flight consists of departure point or pickup point (PUP), the route of flight, and normally a destination followed by a space character.

1. Field 10 is a fixed sequence field and must begin with a fix; for example, fix, airway, fix, airway etc. The last element may be a fix or one of the route elements VFR, DVFR, or XXX (incomplete route indicator). An element is separated from another element by a period character.

2. When consecutive fix elements or route elements are filed, the fixed sequence format is maintained by inserting two period characters between the filed Field 10 elements; for example, fix..fix or airway..airway.

3. When a pilot files an airway..airway combination, obtain the point of transition and insert it in the transmitted flight plan; for example, SGF.J105..J24.STL.J24. The foregoing does not apply if the first encountered fix happens to be the next filed junction point within the route.

NOTE-
Airway..airway combinations in the route of flight require a defined junction (either five­character alphanumeric, location identification, or pre­defined fix­radial­distance).

4. The slash character (/) is used to file a latitude/longitude fix or in describing an ETE.

5. The maximum number of filed field elements for computer­addressed flight plans is 40. Double period insertions do not count against the 40­element limitation. Transmit flight plans filed exceeding the route element limitation to the ARTCC, not its computer.

6. Fix Descriptions. A fix must be filed in one of the following ways:

(a) Fix Name. Domestic, Canadian, and International identifiers of two­to­five alphanumeric characters.

(b) Fix Radial Distance (FRD). Consists of eight­to­eleven alphanumeric characters in the following sequence: Two­to­five characters identifying a NAVAID, three characters of azimuth expressed in degrees magnetic, and three characters of distance expressed in nautical miles from the NAVAID. Zeros preceding a significant character must be entered before the azimuth and distance components as required to assure the transmission of three characters for each.

(c) Latitude/Longitude. Consists of nine­to­twelve characters entered as follows: The latitude must appear as the first component as four numbers (trailing zeros required) followed by an optional letter “N” or “S.” If the optional letter is omitted, north is understood. Latitude must be separated from longitude with a slash (/) element separator. Longitude must appear as the second component as four or five digits (trailing zeros required, leading zero optional) followed by an optional letter “W” or “E.” If the optional letter is omitted, west is understood.

(d) Navigation Reference System (NRS) Waypoints. NRS waypoints consist of five alphanumeric characters, which include the ICAO FIR identifier, followed by the letter corresponding to the FIR subset (ARTCC area for the contiguous U.S.), the latitude increment in single digit or group form, and the longitude increment.

EXAMPLE-
“KD34U”

7. Route Descriptions. A route must be filed in one of the following ways:

(a) Airway. The official airway designator must be filed.

(b) Coded Routes. Coded routes are a shorthand method of describing a route segment or segments which may have an altitude profile described, an adapted airspeed within the route, re­entry or loop routes as an option, or a time delay at a fix within the route as an option. Some of the principal uses of coded routes are as follows:

(1) Instrument Departures (DP). DP, if used, must be filed by the computer code designator as the second element of Field 10 and be followed by the transition or exit fix.

(2) Standard Terminal Arrivals (STARs). STAR, if used, must be filed by the computer code designator as the next to last element of Field 10 and immediately follow the entry or transition fix.

(3) Published Radials. Published radials (for example, within a preferred route) are considered airways. Do not file unpublished radials.

EXAMPLE-
.JFK053..DPK017
.RBV020

(4) Military Routes. Certain military routes (for example, MTR and air refueling tracks/anchors), are considered coded routes. The route designator must be preceded and followed by the entry and exit fixes in terms of fix/radial/distance (FRD), and re­entry information may be suffixed to certain military coded routes as follows:

[a] The entry and exit fix must be associated with a fix on the route, and the entry fix must be prior to the exit fix on the route.

EXAMPLE-
TNP355025..IR252
PKE107012

[b] Routes having re­entries for a single strategic training range (STR) site must contain the entry of alternate entry fix in terms of FRD, the route designator followed immediately by a plus sign (+), either the letter “R” (1st STR site) or “S” (2nd STR site), and a digit indicating the number of re­entries.

EXAMPLE-
(FRD) IR240+R2 (FRD)
(FRD) IR240+S3 (FRD)

[c] Routes having re­entries for two STR sites must contain the entry/alternate fix in terms of FRD, the route designator followed immediately by a plus sign (+), the letter “R,” and a digit indicating the number of re­entries on the first STR site, immediately followed by second plus sign (+), the letter “S,” and a digit indicating the number of re­entries on the second STR site.

EXAMPLE-
(FRD) IR240+R2+S3 (FRD)

[d]  STR routes must be entered and exited at the respective primary fix. Alternate STR routes must be entered/exited at the alternate entry/exit fix. The routes must be identified by an individual name.

EXAMPLE-
(FRD) IR240+R2 (FRD) (Primary)
(FRD) IR240A+R2 (FRD) (Alternate)

(5) North American Routes (NAR). NAR routes are numerically coded over existing airways and route systems from and to specific coastal fixes serving the North Atlantic.

EXAMPLE-
.NA9
.NA50

(6) Stereo Routes. A stereo route must specify a pre­stored stereo tag. An “FP” message may be entered with a stereo tag as the only Field 10 entry, which causes the Field 10 data stored for the stereo tag to be substituted for the stereo tag and processed as the filed Field 10. Additionally, the filed departure point (Field 06) must agree with the stored departure point.

(7) Incomplete Route Indicator (XXX). When XXX, the incomplete route indicator, appears in Field 10, the element preceding the XXX element must be a fix.

(8) VFR or DVFR element. When VFR or DVFR is the second element of Field 10, the filed fix following VFR or DVFR must be internal to the ARTCC's area to whom the flight plan was initially submitted. When VFR or DVFR is other than the second element in Field 10, the element preceding the VFR or DVFR must be a filed fix.

8. Fix Suffix.

(a) En Route Delay Suffix consists of an element separator (/), followed by the letter D, followed by the hours and minutes separated by a plus sign (+). Must be appended to a fix.

EXAMPLE-
.STL/D1+30
.PKE107012/D2+05

(b) Use of this suffix is limited to the following cases:

(1) Aerial Refueling Tracks and Anchors. The suffix is appended to the entry fix.

EXAMPLE-
.ICT248055/D0+30.AR330

(2) En route delays not involving a change of altitude stratum and not involving a stopover, terminal area delay, or SUA delay unless specifically covered by a letter of agreement with the receiving ARTCC.

(c) ETE Suffix. Consists of an element separator (/) and four digits appended to the destination. Leading zeros are required, and the time en route is expressed in hours and minutes.

EXAMPLE-
.STL/0105

9. A period is not required after the last element of Field 10. If remarks (Field 11) are present, a space is required after the last element of Field 10. If remarks are not present, no space is required and Field F (End of Message) should be the next entry.

o. Remarks (Field 11). Consists of the appropriate remarks code character and the remarks. Spaces are permitted within the remarks field to separate words or contractions. Remarks must be transmitted in Field 11 whenever a pilot files the information on the flight plan. A remark is required whenever there is a modification to the flight plan by the specialist.

1. If it is necessary to make modifications to the filed route of flight for the purpose of achieving computer acceptance of the input due, for example, to correct a fix or an airway identification, “FRC,” meaning “Full Route Clearance Necessary,” or “FRC/(fix),” will be added to the remarks. “FRC” or “FRC/(fix)” must always be the first item of intra­center remarks. When “FRC” or “FRC/(fix)” appears on a flight progress strip, the controller issuing the ATC clearance to the aircraft must issue a full route clearance to the specified fix, or if no fix is specified, for the entire route. “FRC” or “FRC/(fix)” must always be first in Remarks (Field 11).

NOTE-
INPUT OPERATORS ARE LIMITED TO MAKING ONLY THOSE CHANGES REQUIRED FOR COMPUTER ACCEPTANCE. Modifications, such as those to conform with traffic flows and preferred/recommended routings, must only be made by the pilot or his/her operations office or the controller responsible for initiating the clearance to the aircraft.

2. In the case of applicable military flights requesting that the flight plan is not passed to air defense radar (NOPAR), NOPAR must be the first item in Remarks (Field 11).

3. Remarks for military flight plans filing an IR route must contain the IR route designator, entry time prefaced by the letter “E,” exit time prefaced by the letter “X,” and MARSA when applicable. Remarks for flight plans filing a terminal area delay must contain the airport identifier at which the delay will occur, followed by the letter “D,” followed by the duration of the delay in hours plus minutes, followed by the destination airport. These should be the first item in Remarks (Field 11).

4. When a pilot files an FAA­assigned three­letter company designator, if the designator and/or radiotelephony is new or changed, the authorized radiotelephony call sign must be included in the remarks field for at least 60 days following the effective date. In cases where there is no three­letter identifier assignment or a three­letter identifier is used in a medical emergency, the assigned radiotelephony must be included in the remarks field.

NOTE-
1.  A radiotelephony may be assigned by the FAA without assigning a three­letter identifier. Special radiotelephony assignments are usually temporary and for commemorative flights, large number of aircraft in an organized race, aircraft operating during an emergency or disaster condition, or aircraft requiring special handling for test purposes.

2. The pilot is responsible for knowing when it is appropriate to file the radiotelephony in remarks under the 60 day rule or for special radiotelephony assignments. The pilot may also request that the radiotelephony be filed in remarks due to special needs of the flight.

p. End of Message Function (Field F). Consists of enter function.

6-3-5. ADDITIONAL MESSAGES

The following messages are eligible for input to ARTCC computers via Service B, in addition to the flight plan (“FP”) message:

a. Remove Strip (RS). The purpose of the RS message input is to advise the computer that data on a particular flight is no longer valid and in effect cancels the flight plan and removes it from computer storage.

1. Eligibility. RS messages may be entered only for flight plans which:

(a) Are proposed flights.

(b) Have been previously entered by the same source entering the RS message.

(c) The flight plan is inactive; for example, a departure strip must not yet have been printed. Otherwise, the following rejection message is returned: “REJECT­­NOT YOUR CONTROL.”

2. Format. Fields 01 (Message type) and 02 (Aircraft Identification) are required.

EXAMPLE-
RS SWA138

b. Amendment (AM) Message. The purpose of the AM message is to change data previously stored in the ARTCC computer.

1. Eligibility. Same as for the RS message (above).

2. Format. AM messages sent to the ARTCC computer must follow a specific format. First, the field to be amended must be identified, then the amended information given. The ARTCC computer recognizes the following fields by either number or name: (See TBL 6­3­2.)

TBL 6-3-2
Field Number and Name

3. Restrictions.

(a) If Field 02 is to be amended, no other field may be amended in the same message. If Field 02 and other fields are to be amended, send an RS message and re­enter the entire corrected flight plan. If an attempt is made to amend Field 02 within a multiple amendment message or to amend Field 02 to M, the following rejection message is returned: “REJECT—INVALID AMENDMENT.”

NOTE-
Alternate procedure is to send two amendments ­ the first amends field 2; the second amends the other field or fields.

(b) Field 07 Amendments. An attempt to amend Field 07 to anything other than a P­time is not allowed. If such an amendment is attempted, the following error message is returned:
“COFIE INVALID TIME PREFIX.”

(c) Amendment to Fields 06, 07, and 10: Where Fields 06, 07, and 10 are amended with a single AM message, the following rules apply:

(1) The amended Field 06 replaces the previously stored coordination fix (Field 06).

(2) The amended Field 07, with appropriate letter prefix, replaces the previously stored coordination time (Field 07).

(3) The amended route data (Field 10) may completely replace the previously filed Field 10 or may be merged with the filed Field 10.

(4) If the last element of the amended route data is followed by a destination indicator, this last element becomes the new destination fix.

(5) When amended route data is merged with filed data, it replaces all data between the departure point and the first non­amended element remaining in the field. The last element of the amended data must match the first element of the remaining non­amended data, otherwise the following rejection message is returned: “REJECT--(last element) CANNOT MERGE.”

(d) Amendment to Field 10 Only. Except as permitted above, a Field 10 amendment must be the only field amended; no other field may be amended with the same message. Otherwise, the following is returned: “REJECT—INVALID AMENDMENT.”

EXAMPLE-

c. Correction Message (CM). When the ARTCC computer detects an error in a flight plan, an error message is generated to the sender when the sender is within the departure ARTCC's adapted boundaries.

NOTE-
These procedures may not apply to all operational systems.

1. Eligibility. CM messages may be entered only for the period for which the departure ARTCC's program is adapted, normally 5 minutes. After that time, the flight plan in error drops out to the ARTCC Primary A position for re­entry. The sender has primary responsibility for corrective action.

NOTE-
Error messages are generated only on messages from sending stations within the adaptation parameters of the departure ARTCC and for only that portion of the route within that ARTCC's adapted boundaries. Other flight plans in error are referred to a Primary A position.

2. Format. Responses to error messages must be transmitted in the form of a CM message within the time parameters adapted for your ARTCC.

EXAMPLE-
ARTCC-Generated Error Message:

3. When a CM message in response to an error message results in any change to a pilot­filed Field 06 (Departure Point) or Field 10 (Route of Flight) once the flight plan has been accepted, an AM message must be sent to add a field 11 intra­ARTCC remark. In remarks, insert “FRC PILOT FILED (original data).”

4. Should a “NOT YOUR CONTROL” response be received, do not retransmit the flight plan or the AM. Confirm ARTCC receipt of the flight plan or AM (FRC/REMARKS) via interphone with the Primary A position. (See TBL 6­3­3.)

TBL 6-3-3
Computer Flight Data Input

6-3-6. COORDINATE RNAV ROUTES

a. When accepting flight plans containing coor‐ dinate RNAV routes, ensure that the route of flight after the departure fix is defined by latitude/longitude coordinates and a fix identifier.

b. The arrival fix must be identified by both the latitude/longitude coordinates and the fix identifier.

EXAMPLE-

1. Departure airport.

2. Departure fix.

3. Intermediate fixes defined by latitude/ longitude coordinates.

4. Arrival fix for the destination airport in terms of both the latitude/longitude coordinates and the fix identifier.

5. Destination airport.