{"id":12048,"date":"2021-02-24T08:25:54","date_gmt":"2021-02-24T13:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/?p=12048"},"modified":"2021-03-03T04:58:16","modified_gmt":"2021-03-03T09:58:16","slug":"feb-2021-north-atlantic-changes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/feb-2021-north-atlantic-changes\/","title":{"rendered":"Feb 2021 North Atlantic Changes"},"content":{"rendered":"

2021 is off to a flying start again with NAT changes aplenty!<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve got a new edition of the NAT Doc 007<\/strong> (the big one with pretty much everything you need to know in it), Nat Doc 006<\/strong> (the one which tells you what happens when things go wrong – also pretty big), and three updated NAT Ops Bulletins<\/strong> (the small-to-medium-sized ones which give more info about specific topics).<\/p>\n

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Words-words-numbers-numbers…<\/p><\/div>\n

This image shows the docs which have changed – lots of meaningless letters and numbers in there. Fear not, we\u2019ll go through each one and explain what it is<\/strong>, and what has changed<\/strong>\u2026<\/p>\n

NAT Doc 007<\/h4>\n

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\nNAT Doc 007 is the Bible of the North Atlantic<\/strong>. It\u2019s full of NAT goodness \u2013 all the specifics about how to operate your aircraft safely through the complex airspace of the region is here. And they\u2019ve just published a new edition – effective Feb 2021.<\/p>\n

As aviation documents go, it\u2019s written in pretty digestible language. There\u2019s just a lot in it.<\/strong> But the latest release is slightly more user-friendly than previous updates, as ICAO have now included a little summary document which explains all the changes.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You can download a pdf of the new NAT Doc 007 here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

And you can get the little explainer doc here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been looking at this latest edition for 12 hours or so now, and we think the changes are minor<\/strong>. We use that word with trepidation. The most significant changes<\/strong> seem to be as follows:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. No more NOROTS <\/b>– these were a system of domestic westbound tracks published daily by Nav Canada for aircraft transiting between Europe and the Northwestern US. These have been disbanded.<\/li>\n
  2. Mach Number Technique<\/b> – they want any aircraft capable of maintaining a mach number to flight plan their requested number (not just turbojets).<\/li>\n
  3. The southerly Blue Spruce route <\/b>which used to start\/end at \u201cHO\u201d now does so at \u201cPORGY\u201d instead. HO\/Hopedale NDB has been removed from service.<\/li>\n
  4. Some clarification on Comms requirements.<\/b> Basically two long-range comms systems are needed throughout the NAT if outside of VHF coverage. One must be HF. The other may be CPDLC\/Sat Voice but Inmarsat systems do not count when you’re really really far north (north of 80N).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Here is latest VHF coverage chart they refer too in Doc 007 (although it says it needs updating):<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Relief from the HF requirement is available for flights going for repairs, ferry flights, and special cases. This requires permission from each and every Oceanic Area Control Centre you\u2019re passing through (i.e. Gander, Shanwick, etc). Include your approval in Item 18 of your flight plan.<\/p>\n

    NAT Doc 006<\/h4>\n

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    \nAlso known as the Air Traffic Management Operational Contingency Plan – North Atlantic Region.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Also known as the ATMOCP-NAR.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"\"

    The dreaded ATMOCP-NAR, spotted on an aircraft wing somewhere over Greenland.<\/p><\/div>\n

    Not really. There\u2019s no such thing as an ATMOCP-NAR.<\/p>\n

    NAT Doc 006 is about a different kind of monster – it tells the tale of what happens on the North Atlantic when ATC goes down for any reason<\/strong>. It\u2019s the official go-to manual to check the Contingency Plan they put in place during these so-called \u201cATC Zero\u201d events.<\/p>\n

    You can download a pdf of the new NAT Doc 006 here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    And you can get the<\/strong> little explainer doc here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Summary of what\u2019s changed:<\/b><\/p>\n