Perfomance Based Communications and Surveillance (PBCS) Based Changes for FAA Form 7233-4

Background - To fulfill international agreements, and in accordance with International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 6, Annex 11, and Document 4444, the FAA is implementing Performance-Based Communication and Surveillance (PBCS) requirements and monitoring on March 29, 2018. To support this, aircraft must file their equipment capabilities using ICAO aircraft communication, navigation, and approach equipment qualifiers. Most of these equipage qualifiers are already in use. However, the qualifiers to describe an aircraft’s Required Communication Performance (RCP), also known as P-Codes, were not in use. Aircraft will be required to file P-Codes in their flight plan in order to be eligible for reduced separation standards in the oceanic portions of their flights.

Explanation of Change - The "Reserved for RCP" description for the P-Code includes the P-Code equipment definitions for P1 - P3. This change adds guidance for the filing of Required Surveillance Performance (RSP) information in Item 18 of the flight plan. Additionally, this change indicates flight planning requirements to be eligible for 50 NM longitudinal and lateral separation and 30 NM longitudinal and lateral separation as well as aircraft and operator eligibility for 30 NM distance−based separation.

Item 10 - Aircraft COM, NAV, AND Approach Equipment Qualifiers

INSERT one letter as follows:

N if no COM/NAV/approach aid equipment for the route to be flown is carried, or the equipment is unserviceable,

(OR)

S if standard COM/NAV/approach aid equipment for the route to be flown is carried and serviceable (see Note 1),

(AND/OR)

INSERT one or more of the following letters to indicate the COM/NAV/approach aid equipment available and serviceable:

NOTE−

The capabilities described below comprise the following elements:

  1. Presence of relevant serviceable equipment on board the aircraft.

  2. Equipment and capabilities commensurate with flight crew qualifications.

  3. Where applicable, authorization from the appropriate authority.

A

GBAS landing system

L

ILS

B

LPV (APV with SBAS)

M1

ATC RTF SATCOM (INMARSAT)

C

LORAN C

M2

ATC RTF (MTSAT)

D

DME

M3

ATC RTF (Iridium)

E1

FMC WPR ACARS

O

VOR

E2

D-FIS ACARS

P1

CPDLC RCP 400 ( See Note 7)

E3

PDC ACARS

P2

CPDLC RCP 240 ( See Note 7)

F

ADF

P3

SATVOICE RCP 400 ( See Note 7)

G

(GNSS) - see Note 2

P4-P9

Reserved for RCP

H

HF RTF

R

PBN approved - see Note 4

I

Inertial navigation

T

TACAN

J1

CPDLC ATN VDL Mode 2 - see Note 3

U

UHF RTF

J2

CPDLC FANS 1/A HFDL

V

VHF RTF

J3

CPDLC FANS 1/A VDL Mode 4

W

RVSM approved

J4

CPDLC FANS 1/A VDL Mode 2

X

MNPS approved/North Atlantic (NAT) High Level Airspace (HLA) approved

J5

CPDLC FANS 1/A SATCOM (INMARSAT)

Y

VHF with 8.33 kHz channel spacing capability

J6

CPDLS FANS 1/A SATCOM (MTSAT)

Z

Other equipment carried or other capabilities -- see Note 5

J7

CPDLC FANS 1/A SATCOM (Iridium)

L

ILS

NOTE−

If the letter S is used, standard equipment is considered to be VHF RTF, VOR, and ILS within U.S. domestic airspace.

If the letter G is used, the types of external GNSS augmentation, if any, are specified in Item 18 following the indicator NAV/ and separated by a space.

See RTCA/EUROCAE Interoperability Requirements Standard For ATN Baseline 1 (ATN B1 INTEROP Standard - DO-280B/ED-110B) for data link services air traffic control clearance and information/air traffic control communications management/air traffic control microphone check.

If the letter R is used, the performance−based navigation levels that are authorized must be specified in Item 18 following the indicator PBN/. For further details, see Paragraph 5−1−9 b 8, Item 18 (c) and (d).

If the letter Z is used, specify in Item 18 the other equipment carried, preceded by COM/, DAT/, and/or NAV/, as appropriate.

Information on navigation capability is provided to ATC for clearance and routing purposes.

Guidance material on the application of performance-based communication, which prescribes RCP to an air traffic service in a specific area, is contained in the Performance-based Communication and Surveillance (PBCS) Manual (Doc 9869).

Item 18, Other Information

When Required Surveillance Performance (RSP) Capability has been filed in SUR/, this can be conveyed by inserting the character "Z" in Item 10 and "SUR/" in field 18 followed by the appropriate RSP performance per the following:

For RSP 180 - flight plan RSP180

For RSP 400 - flight plan RSP400

EXAMPLE -

SUR/ RSP180

SUR/ RSP400

SUR/ RSP180 RSP400

12.8 For a copy of FAA Form 7233−4, and for information on how to complete the form, please go to: www.faa.gov/ato?k=fpl.

Flight Planning Requirements

NOTE−

In addition to the following guidance, operators must also consult current Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs) and chart supplements (Supplement Alaska, Supplement Pacific) to gain a complete understanding of requirements. NOTAMs and supplements may contain guidance that is short term and/or short notice - i.e., having immediate effect.

If you are eligible for oceanic 50 NM longitudinal and lateral separation:

PBN/A1 or PBN/L1 in Field 18.

P2 in Field 10a.

D1 in Field 10b.

(J5, J6, or J7) and R in Field 10a.

SUR/RSP180 in Field 18

See FAA Advisory Circular 90-117 for guidance on RCP and RSP authorization.

See FAA Advisory Circular 90-105 for guidance on RNP 10 (RNAV 10) authorization.

If you are eligible for oceanic 30 NM longitudinal and lateral separation:

PBN/L1 in Field 18.

P2 in Field 10a.

D1 in Field 10b.

(J5, J6, or J7) and R in Field 10a.

SUR/RSP180 in Field 18.

See FAA Advisory Circular 90-117 for guidance on RCP and RSP authorization.

See FAA Advisory Circular 90-105 for guidance on RNP 4 authorization.

Aircraft and Operator Eligibility for 30 NM Distance−Based Separation

The aircraft and operator must be authorized by the State of the Operator or the State of Registry, as appropriate, for RNP 4, RCP 240 and RSP 180 operations;

Operators must use one of the following documents to develop policy and procedures for RNP 4 operations:

FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 90-105, Approval Guidance for RNP Operations and Barometric Vertical Navigation in the U.S. National Airspace System and in Oceanic and Remote Continental Airspace;
Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) Advisory Circular 91U3(0); New ICAO Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Manual (new ICAO Document 9613), Volume II, Part C, Chapter 1; or New ICAO Performance Based Communication and Surveillance (PBCS) Manual (new ICAO Document 9869).

(AJV-84, 12/7/2017)