World Air Ops | NAT Ops | NORTH ATLANTIC Resource Library - Flight Planning, ATC Procedures, Regional Differences in the NAT Region

RESOURCE LIBRARY >>

Change in Aviation: ENVIRONMENT | FANS & CNS/ATM

12 Sep 2011	Oceanic Errors - Height deviations, GNE's - NAT Ops Bulletin 20 of 2011

28 Jan 11	New NAT Pilots/Operators Guidance Document - NAT Doc 007
21 Jan 11	NAT Ops Bulletin 16/2010 - Revised Sample Oceanic Checklist
18 Nov 10	Special Procedures within Shannon UIR for North Atlantic Traffic
23 Sep 10	Use of Shanwick Oceanic T9 and T16 routes to avoid French Airspace
4 Sep 10	NAT Datalink Guidance Material
21 Jun 10	ICAO NAT Ops Bulletin 12/2010: Improving understanding of CPDLC
03 Jun 10	Portugal AIC 5/10: Santa Maria OCA Datalink procedures

North Atlantic "NAT Doc 007"
Current - 1st edition, Dec 2010 Published by ICAO - next edition September 2011
The new primary reference document, published for the information of pilots and dispatchers. 149 pages. Replaces both the MNPS Airspace Operations Manual and NAT Doc 001. Contents include Operational Approval and Aircraft System requirements, The Organised Track System (OTS), Flight Planning, Oceanic Clearances, Comms and Position Reporting, Mach Number Technique, RVSM Flight, Nav system degredation, In Flight Contingencies, Sample Check Lists, ATC FPL completion, Monitoring of Aircraft Systems Performance, SAR in the NAT; & Charts: NAT FIR's, MNPS Airspace.

[North Atlantic MNPS Airspace Operations Manual]
12th edition, 2009 REPLACED IN 2010 BY NAT Doc 007 Published by ICAO
The primary reference document, published for the information of pilots and dispatchers. 116 pages.
Contents include Operational Approval and Aircraft System requirements, The Organised Track System (OTS), Flight Planning, Oceanic Clearances, Comms and Position Reporting, Mach Number Technique, RVSM Flight, Nav system degredation, In Flight Contingencies, Sample Check Lists, ATC FPL completion.

[NAT Doc 001 "Air Navigation in the North Atlantic Region"]
7th edition, 2002 REPLACED IN 2010 BY NAT Doc 007 Published by ICAO
Contains more regulatory orientated information aimed not only at Aircraft Operators / pilots, but also State aviation authorities and ATC Providers. 106 pages. Contents include Concepts and definition of Airspace, Aircraft Approval Process, RVSM in MNPS Airspace, Monitoring of Aircraft Systems Performance, SAR in the NAT; & Charts: NAT FIR's, MNPS Airspace, VHF A/G at FL100,200,300; Loran-C

NAT Data Link Guidance Material
Current - Issue 19.1,Sep 2009 Published by the ICAO NAT Fans Implementation Group.
A fairly detailed guide to Datalink use on the North Atlantic. Includes info on datalink trials, life cycle of a CPDLC connection, uplink and downlink message elements. 73 pages.

Shanwick Oceanic clearance by datalink
Current - Issue 11, 2004 Published by NATS
Procedures for obtaining westbound Oceanic clearances from Shanwick OCA by datalink.16 Pages.

Introduction of Northern Oceanic Control Area (NOTA)
Current - Issued 2005 Published by NATS
Background and detailed operational information regarding the conversion of a portion of procedural Shanwick Oceanic airspace into a radar environment controlled by Shannon. 4 pages.

Introduction of Shannon Free Route Airspace - IAA AIC Nr 11/09
Current - Issued 22Oct09 Published by the Irish Aviation Authority
The purpose of this AIC is to provide information concerning the implementation of flight plannable direct routings (Free Route Airspace) concept within the Shannon UTA.3 pages.

North Atlantic European Routeing Scheme (NERS)
Current - April 2010 Published by NATS
NERS=the transition between the NAT Tracks and European ATS routes - where to go when you come off the ocean. This paper outlines the basic procedures for NERS and is intended as a guideline for AOs, ANSPs, Operating Agencies and Computer Flight Plan Service Providers.

Sample Oceanic Checklist
Current - Issued Nov 2010 Published by the ICAO North Atlantic Working Group
A comprehensive checklist , focusing on orderly flows and ways to reduce oceanic errors. Contains a sample detailed expanded checklist. 7 pages.

North Atlantic International General Aviation Operations Manual
Current - 3rd edition Published by the ICAO NAT OPS MGRs
A guide to assist international general aviation (IGA) pilots with flight planning and operations across the North Atlantic. Well worth a read for all operators. Environment, Route planning, Flight planning, CNS/ATM, Search and Rescue, Checklists.

UK & Ireland Standard Route Document
Current - AIRAC cycle Jul 2010 Issue Published by NATS
Designed to assist aircraft operators in constructing UK and Irish portions of flight plannable routes. The route listings contained in the UK & Ireland SRD should be considered as 'preferred' routeings and are not mandatory, however the routes contained in this document are promulgated to identify optimum routeings for operators with due regard for the ATC system. 461 pages (Enjoy!)

NAT SPG Handbook
Current -10th edition, 2009 Published by ICAO.
An overview of the operations of the North Atlantic Systems Planning Group. More regulatory focused than operational. 38 pages.

NAT Data Link Guidance Material
Current -Issue 19.1,Sep 2009 Published by the ICAO NAT Fans Implementation Group.
A fairly detailed guide to Datalink use on the North Atlantic. Includes info on datalink trials, life cycle of a CPDLC connection, uplink and downlink message elements. 73 pages.

NAT Doc 003 "HF Radio Management Guidance Material"
Current - 1st edition, 2003 Published by the ICAO NAT Systems Planning group
Guidance material for NAT communications procedures; target audience ATS and HF Aero station providers, but offers some interesting background reading. 41 pages.

Special Procedures in the Shannon UIR for North Atlantic Traffic
Current - AIP Supplement issued 18 Nov 2010 Published by the IAA
ATS Routing Procedures for Westbound, Eastbound NAT Traffic, traffic departing from Shannon, Cork, Identification of NAT Track Message / TMI, Radio Communications Failure for Shanwick traffic via Shannon FIR. 9 pages, with Charts.

Shanwick Communications charges
Current - Jan 2010 Published by Eurocontrol
The rules governing Shanwick communications charges collected by Eurocontrol on behalf of the IAA.

Transport Canada bulletin: The Safety of Small Aircraft crossing the Atlantic
2006 Published by Transport Canada
With its strong winds and icing conditions however, the North Atlantic can be a challenging environment for light and small aircraft. This is particularly true for single engine aircraft, or multi-engine aircraft that would be unable to fly should one of its engines fail, or when an additional fuel tank must be installed to provide sufficient fuel capacity for the aircraft to reach its destination. This is also often the case with ferry flights, which are primarily new or newly purchased small aircraft travelling from the United States or Canada to new owners overseas.

North Atlantic MNPS Airspace Map
Current - 2011 Published by ICAO
Outline map of the North Atlantic airspace, showing Gander FIR, Shanwick FIR, Iceland FIR, Santa Maria FIR, New York Oceanic FIR, common entry and exit points, T9/16 airways and Blue Spruce routes.

Concorde route Map
Historical - 1990's Source: Air France
A clear copy of an Air France Concorde route map showing entry/exit points, Concorde SM/SN/SO trans-atlantic tracks.

The original 1966 NAT Airspace agreement between the UK and Ireland
News article Collated by World Air Ops.
"Exchange of notes constituting an agreement relating to the Oceanic Area Control Centres at Shannon and Prestwick. Dublin, 28 March 1966"

Cessna 337 ditching at Baffin
News article Collated by World Air Ops.
A lucky escape for two pilots as their C337 ditches near Baffin Island on an eastbound ferry flight.

The Atlantic Crossing: The flight of a lifetime in a Socata TBM 850
Original Article Story by Jeff Berlin.
A delivery flight from Spain via Reykjavik, Sondre Stromfjord and Goose Bay to New York.

North Atlantic: Ferry Flight from Tarbes to North Perry
Original Article Story by Tom Cunningham
A flight across the North Atlantic is thought by many pilots to be the ultimate voyage for a single engine aircraft.

Concorde's fastest Flight
Original Article Story by Tim Orchard, published by General Aviation magazine
Capt. Tim Orchard made the fastest ever Concorde crossing of the North Atlantic, and here's how it was done.