July 2020: There’s a bunch of new things to tell you about the North Atlantic this month! Here’s a summary:
– Two new ICAO NAT Ops Bulletins
– An updated NAT Doc 007 from ICAO (aka the North Atlantic “Ops Bible”)
– A guide for pilots from the FAA about what to do if ATC suddenly has to suspend services
– Some juicy Notams from all the NAT FIRs extending the relaxation of the North Atlantic datalink mandate rules until the end of September.

ICAO NAT Ops Bulletins

Two new ICAO NAT Ops Bulletins have been published this week, but it looks like there’s no need to panic.

First up, there’s 2019_003 Rev 2: Data Link Performance Improvement Options, which is just an updated list of common datalink errors and what to do about them.

Second, there’s a new Bulletin called 2020_002: Surveillance Service in the NAT Region / Flight Crew Operating Procedures. This is a strange one. The message seems to be this: back in the old days, you used to get a call from ATC saying “radar service is terminated” or “surveillance service is terminated” when heading out into the NAT, or when crossing from one oceanic control centre to the next. But nowadays, with improved SSR equipment and ADS-B more widely implemented, you might not get this message anymore.

ICAO NAT Doc 007 (2020, Version 2)

ICAO has published an updated version of the NAT Doc 007, applicable from July 2020. There are only some minor changes from the previous version, concerning the Tango Routes:

• There’s now a specific note saying that state approval is required to operate on these.
• There’s also a change to the transponder procedures when using T9 or T290: normally you change transponder code to 2000 30mins after NAT entry, but because of the limited time spent in the NAT HLA when flying on T9 and T290 you should instead make this change 10mins after joining either of those routes.

T9 is southbound only, even levels between FL300-400. T290 is northbound only, odd levels from FL290-410. For more info on the Tango Routes, check out our article here.

What to do during “ATC Zero” events

You’re halfway across the Atlantic when ATC declares that they are suspending all services. TIBA procedures are now in effect. Would you know what to do next? As Covid infections impact ATC facilities, short notice closures are currently a constant risk.

The FAA has published a safety alert for international flight crew with contingency procedures in the event of loss of ATC services in Oceanic airspace. It’s a good one to have in your flight bag. Dispatchers and flight crew are reminded to be thoroughly familiar with AIP specific procedures and traffic management contingency plans for the regions they are operating in. You can read the FAA’s alert here.

They have also published another one for ATC Zero events in Terminal airspace, which you can read here. There have been multiple ‘ATC Zero’ events at major air traffic control centres due to Covid prevention and the subsequent cleaning required. The alert contains important information regarding instrument approach selection, TCAS use, alternate minima, aerodrome lighting and other CTAF procedures at unattended airports. There are also important considerations applicable to Part 121 operations discussed.

NAT Datalink Mandate

EGGX/Shanwick, BIRD/Reykjavik, CZQX/Gander, KZWY/New York Oceanic West and LPPO/Santa Maria have all published Notams extending the relaxation of the North Atlantic datalink mandate rules until the end of September. This is due to the fact that there’s still significantly less traffic because of all the Covid restrictions. Non-datalink mandate compliant aircraft may therefore continue to flight plan and operate across the North Atlantic between FL290-410 until Sept 30. For more info on the NAT Datalink Mandate, check out our article here.

In addition, ICAO are saying that due to the decrease in traffic, there is a significantly higher chance of flights being cleared as requested, and are encouraging operators to file and request their optimal profiles at all stages of the flight. Read ICAO’s guidance here.

For a brief history of the most significant North Atlantic-related ops changes, check out our dedicated article here.

NAT Doc 007 is the Bible of the North Atlantic. It’s full of NAT goodness – all the specifics about how to operate your aircraft safely through the complex airspace of the region is here.

And there’s another new edition!

The NAT changes over the last few years have been coming thicker and faster than the sandwiches at Katz’s Deli on the Lower East Side. And now, there’s more. Effective August 7th, 2019, NAT Doc 007, Version 3, is the latest tome to digest. As aviation documents go, it’s written in pretty digestible language. There’s just a lot in it. But this is the first time we’ve had 3 editions of this in one year.

So, we’re going to start naming them after 007 Movies to keep track of them all. This is the “Two is Not Enough” edition.

NAT Doc 007, Version 3, 2019:
Download the full NAT Doc 007.

So, here are the three things that have changed this time:

1. We got new SLOP rules! This is a biggie. Instead of the three previous choices (0, 1, or 2nm), we now have Twenty One choices! More on this below.

2. 99 problems and Datalink is one. The short version: check that you’ve got the latest software update for your datalink.

3. The next datalink mandate (2C) is capped at FL410. This comes in January 30th next year. And so, the Checklist for Dispatchers is updated.

The new SLOP rules

Now, let’s take a closer look at the big change – SLOP (Strategic Lateral Offset Procedure). To get up to speed, check out our full article on SLOP – the how, and why (and where).

The change here is that instead of just being able to SLOP 1 or 2 nm right of track, (or fly the centreline), you go from these three choices to twenty one – you can use any one of 21 Micro-SLOP offsets. Specifically: 0.0 nm, 0.1 nm, 0.2 nm …. OK, you get it. All the way up to 2.0 nm Right of track.

Simple, right?

Not quite. It’s not yet fully clear which of the OCA’s have given the green light for this, even though NAT Doc 007 now says you should Micro-SLOP if you can.

But, phoning around the Oceanic Houses, we’ve got this to tell you:

1. Gander – you can micro-SLOP right now! An AIP amendment will follow soon.
2. Shanwick – you can micro-SLOP right now! A Notam will be published soon, and the AIP will be updated in Dec 2019.
3. New York – they will allow micro-SLOP from 12th Sept 2019, and will update the AIP in Jan 2020.
4. Santa Maria – you can micro-SLOP right now! Nothing published officially yet, but that’s what the good people from the oceanic control centre have told us.
5. Iceland – just like New York, they will allow micro-SLOP here from 12th Sept 2019 as well. When that happens, you will still not be allowed to SLOP below FL285 within the Reykjavik CTA (that’s the domestic part over Iceland, and the airspace over Greenland above FL195). We asked them to publish a Notam about this – and they actually did!! Check it out!
6. Bodo – Nothing official yet, but ATC say they “have no objections” to operators micro-SLOPing right now. (Currently, SLOP is only allowed here above FL285 within the OCA.)

That’s the current picture as of 1100z on Monday 19th Aug.

We will update this as soon as we get more info. Got something for us? Email us!

KZWY/New York Oceanic FIR last month published a NOTAM requiring Flight Plans to be submitted with MACH crusing number, rather than TAS in Field 15A for the flight plan. So far, most operators are not doing this. But you should!

This includes flight departing TXKF/Bermuda.

A0178/18 – ALL ACFT ENTERING THE NEW YORK OCEANIC FIR (KZWY), INCLUDING THOSE DEPARTING BERMUDA (TXKF) , MUST FILE A MACH NUMBER INSTEAD OF A SPEED OF KNOTS IN THE EXPECTED CRUISE SPEED FIELD (FIELD 15A) OF THEIR FPL. 03 MAY 17:08 2018 UNTIL 31 MAR 23:59 2019. CREATED: 03 MAY 17:09 2018

Reports are that compliance so far has been low.

So why do it?

NY ARTCC tell us:

This minor adjustment enables the ATC computer system to effectively probe flight plans and proactively offer more favorable routes and/or reroutes.

Help ATC out! Thank you.