{"id":2838,"date":"2018-02-02T07:42:17","date_gmt":"2018-02-02T12:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/?p=2838"},"modified":"2021-02-24T07:37:56","modified_gmt":"2021-02-24T12:37:56","slug":"pbcs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/pbcs\/","title":{"rendered":"PBCS: New rule on the NAT from March 29, 2018 – RCP240 and RSP180"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Update March 16th, 2018<\/b>: PBCS is turning into a PITA. After OPSGROUP input, we have an update on the latest status<\/a> including rumours of delays, A056 LOA’s, and Aircraft that have failed to comply with PBCS.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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For the latest changes and updates on the North Atlantic<\/strong>, including our most recent Guides and Charts<\/strong>, use our NAT reference page at flightservicebureau.org\/NAT<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

ICAO is introducing another acronym in the North Atlantic Region. This time, it’s PBCS (Performance Based Communication and Surveillance), and from March 29th 2018 you will need to be compliant if you want to fly on the half-tracks\u00a0between FL350-390.<\/b><\/p>\n

Initially, there will only be a maximum of three daily tracks where you will need to be PBCS-compliant between FL350-390. These will likely be the same tracks as we currently see being assigned as \u2018half-tracks\u2019 each day.<\/p>\n

This requirement will eventually be extended to all the NAT tracks between FL350-390, but we understand that will only happen when the filing of PBCS designators on flight plans reaches the 90% mark, or 28th<\/sup><\/span>\u00a0March 2019 – whichever comes first. Either way, the \u2018transition period\u2019 for this PBCS implementation is set to last six months, so the roll-out of the requirement to all the tracks won\u2019t happen until Oct 2018 at the earliest!<\/p>\n

But from March 29th 2018, Shanwick and Gander will basically just continue the concept used in the RLatSM trial – whereby daily tracks spaced at less than 60nm from an adjacent track will be specified as a \u2018PBCS Track\u2019 and will be notified in the Track Message Remark-3.<\/p>\n

So what is PBCS?<\/strong><\/p>\n

PBCS is the thing that will replace two trials in the NAT which are both coming to an end on March 29th:<\/p>\n