Flight Documentation, Operational Flight Plan and ATS Flight Plan
Flight documentation, the operational flight plan and the ATS flight plan test whether the paperwork matches the flight you are actually going to fly. The exam covers OFP contents, ICAO ATS flight plan items, filing and activation, and the link between the two documents.
Operational flight plan
The OFP includes registration and type, departure, destination and alternates, route, cruise level, fuel figures, mass and balance, performance, MEL, NOTAM and MET. It is the commander's working document and must be amended when the plan changes.
ATS flight plan
Use the ICAO format. Key items: 7 aircraft identification, 8 flight rules/type, 9 number/type/wake, 10 equipment, 13 departure/EET, 15 route, 16 TAS/level, 18 other information, 19 supplementary. In NZ, file through the approved ATS channel and activate before departure.
Worked example
OFP block fuel 8,200 kg: taxi 150 + trip 5,400 + contingency 270 + alternate 500 + final reserve 800 + extra 1,080 = 8,200 kg. The ATS flight plan item 16 reads N0450F350: TAS 450 kt, FL350. If the OFP cruise is FL350 but the ATS plan shows FL330, the flight plan is wrong; correct it before filing.
Traps
- Filing an ATS flight plan that does not match the OFP route or level.
- Omitting EET for FIR boundaries in item 15.
- Using an old flight plan after a reroute.
- Forgetting PBN or equipment codes in item 10.
- Not activating or closing the flight plan with ATS.