IFPS is the central system that processes and validates all flight plans in European airspace. If your plan is filed incorrectly, it will be rejected, and you won\u2019t be able to depart until the error is fixed.<\/strong><\/p>\n To avoid rejection:<\/p>\n Important:<\/strong> Do not file both J1 and DAT\/CPDLCX together, and do not leave both out. Either scenario will result in automatic rejection by the IFPS system.<\/p>\n Also important:<\/strong> You don’t need to file either J1 nor CPDLCX if your requested level is below FL285.<\/p>\n Also also important:<\/strong> Eurocontrol has also advised separately that if CPDLC is unserviceable, you may continue to operate above FL285 for up to 10 days under MEL relief, provided the flight plan is filed correctly using DAT\/CPDLCX. After this period, you must either fix the issue or operate below FL285.<\/p>\n Also also also important: <\/strong>On 4 Nov 2025, IFPS will be unavailable between 2100-0000 UTC for a system upgrade. The outage is expected to last about one hour, but up to two hours if a rollback is needed. During this time, no flight plans can be filed or validated, so submit plans in advance.<\/p>\n For the full Eurocontrol notes on this latest update, check here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Datalink in Europe can be bamboozling – multiple chunks of airspace, all in close proximity to each other, all with varying levels of operating capability when it comes to CPDLC. Plus there’s a Logon List to consider. And a Datalink Mandate. And different considerations depending on what kind of datalink you’ve got onboard…<\/p>\n So here’s a simple guide on how it all works, and what the rules are.<\/p>\n Yes. The European Datalink Mandate is for ATN datalink<\/strong> equipage<\/strong><\/span> for flights<\/strong> above FL285<\/strong> throughout Europe. (Equipage<\/span> – not necessarily for logon<\/span>! More on that later…)<\/em><\/p>\n Quite possibly – many aircraft are exempt from the equipage mandate:<\/p>\n You can find these rules and exemptions in this EU doc<\/a> (updated in Sep 2023).<\/p>\n This is what you need to get registered on to get CPDLC service when flying in:<\/p>\n If you get your aircraft added to the Logon List, that means you\u2019ll be able to use CPDLC in these areas and will probably get better directs and faster climbs. However, if your avionics are not eligible to be on the Logon List, ATC will not currently restrict you<\/strong> to the flight levels below FL285.<\/p>\n The Logon List is basically to ensure that aircraft with buggy avionics don’t ruin the network for everyone else – including ATC.<\/p>\n For more info, including details of how to get your aircraft registered on the Logon List<\/strong>, check Eurocontrol’s dedicated page here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Important to note: the Logon List only applies to aircraft with ATN datalink – not FANS 1\/A.<\/strong> So essentially, if your aircraft only has FANS 1\/A, you don’t need to register – but you also won’t be able to get CPDLC across most of Europe (more on that below…)<\/em><\/p>\n As of June 2024, these places:<\/p>\n For more info about which FIRs provide datalink, and at what flight levels, check\u00a0here.<\/a><\/p>\n The European Datalink Mandate is for CPDLC equipage<\/span>, not for logon.<\/p>\n But yes, provided you’ve got ATN CPDLC, there are some places where logon<\/span> is mandatory \u2b07\ufe0f<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Here’s a running list of the places we know where logon is mandatory, in chronological order of when they implemented the rule:<\/span><\/p>\n Recent News: Some Logon and FPL Filing stuff to watch our for! \u2b07\ufe0f<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n From Nov 2025:<\/strong> Flight plans in Europe above FL285 without J1 or DAT\/CPDLCX will be rejected. This was advised by Eurocontrol in their Feb 27 webinar on datalink guidance for aircraft operators (you can watch the replay here<\/a>).<\/p>\n From Oct 2024:<\/strong> MUAC have started reporting to the relevant NSAs those aircraft which don’t comply with the requirement to file either J1 or DAT\/CPDLCX in the FPL if filed above FL285. We heard this issue is especially true for bizjets – around half of which are capable but don\u2019t log on.<\/p>\n From July 2024:<\/strong> Eurocontrol started checking correct flight plan filing regarding CPDLC. Flight plans indicating J1 capability, but missing CODE\/XXX in Field 18 will be rejected.<\/p>\n From Feb 2024:<\/strong> After some issues with the new LYBA logon code for Serbia and Montenegro which you can read about here<\/a>) Eurocontrol started asking operators to make sure their aircraft avionics ATN addressing database is up to date, to include all the right codes as per the latest version of ICAO EUR Doc 028<\/a>.<\/p>\n Got ATN datalink?<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0Put J1<\/strong> in field 10a of the flight plan. Also put CODE\/XXX<\/strong> in Field 18 – instead of the XXX you need to put your Aircraft\/Mode S address in hex (e.g. CODE\/A519D9).<\/p>\n Exempt from the Mandate?<\/span><\/strong> Put Z<\/strong> in field 10a and DAT\/CPDLCX<\/strong> in field 18 of the flight plan. If you don\u2019t, ATC won\u2019t know you\u2019re exempt, and you may struggle to fly above FL285! (And remember – you should either file J1 or DAT\/CPDLCX, not the two together. Flight plans with this wrong filing will be rejected).<\/p>\n Only got FANS 1\/A?<\/span><\/strong> Read the section below! \u2b07\ufe0f<\/p>\n Assuming you qualify for the first exemption to the Datalink Mandate we mentioned at the top of this post<\/a> (aircraft with a certificate of airworthiness first issued before 1 Jan 2018 and fitted prior to this date with FANS 1\/A), you don’t need to comply with the Datalink Mandate, but you also won’t be able to get CPDLC across most of Europe – ATC will talk to you on the radio instead.<\/p>\n The only bits of airspace in Europe where you can still get CPDLC using FANS 1\/A are:<\/p>\n Everywhere else in Europe is only capable of working with ATN datalink. Note that in Maastricht Upper Airspace (MUAC)<\/strong> they say that dual-stack aircraft must be reconfigured to logon via ATN<\/a>, and aircraft with only FANS 1\/A will continue to supported by conventional VHF.<\/p>\n So if you’ve only got FANS 1\/A, here’s what you put on your FPL:<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n In field 10a: In field 18:<\/strong> One page PDF of pretty much everything you need to know. Just click here.<\/a><\/p>\n Click for PDF.<\/p><\/div>\n Eurocontrol’s Operational Focus Group has published some new Datalink guidance docs for pilots, effective March 2025. These include tips on when and how to log on, uplink message handling, and other good CPDLC practices. There are separate docs with specific guidance depending on whether you’re using Jeppesen, Lido, or Navblue EFBs. Download the PDFs below.<\/p>\n Jeppesen<\/strong> – download PDF.<\/a><\/p>\n Lido<\/strong> – download PDF.<\/a><\/p>\n Navblue<\/strong> – download PDF.<\/a><\/p>\n\n
\n<\/strong>– Field 10a: J1
\n– Field 18: CODE\/XXX (Mode S hex code)<\/li>\n
\n– Field 10a: Z
\n– Field 18: DAT\/CPDLCX<\/li>\n<\/ul>\nOriginal Story – Key Points<\/strong><\/h6>\n
\n
Explain it to me in three sentences<\/strong><\/h6>\n
\n
Is there a Datalink Mandate in Europe?<\/strong><\/h6>\n
Is my aircraft exempt?<\/strong><\/h6>\n
\n
\ninoperative (under MEL exemption).<\/li>\nThe Logon List<\/strong><\/h6>\n
\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/LOGON-LIST-1024x741.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhere can I get CPDLC in Europe?<\/strong><\/h6>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/Europe-Datalink-implementation-June-2024.png\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIs CPDLC logon mandatory?<\/strong><\/h6>\n
\n
So what do I put in my FPL?<\/strong><\/h6>\n
My aircraft only has FANS 1\/A. What do I do?<\/strong><\/h6>\n
\n
\n<\/strong>Put Z <\/strong>and one of the following –
\n<\/strong>J5<\/strong> – If using SATCOM (Inmarsat) for CPDLC
\nJ7<\/strong> – If using SATCOM (Iridium) for CPDLC<\/p>\n
\nDAT\/CPDLCX\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nDownload the Europe Datalink Quick Reference PDF<\/strong><\/h6>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Europe-Datalink-Quick-Ref-724x1024.jpg\")
<\/a>Download the Eurocontrol CPDLC guidance docs<\/strong><\/h6>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/CPDLC-guidance-723x1024.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAny more questions?<\/strong><\/h6>\n