For backup communications, we use old-school HF (high frequency) radios. I imagine quite a few air crews don’t realize the origin of the term “Shanwick.”. That should get you started! [Short reply meaning: “Nice talking to you, fly safe, say hello to the family!”]. North Atlantic organized tracks were first used in 1898 for commercial shipping! Pilots sometimes refer to 30 west longitude as the “Molson/Guinness Line” (beer aficionados will understand)! Increased aircraft density can be achieved by allowing closer vertical spacing of aircraft through participation in the RVSM program. It’s nice to have a hard copy to reference. NATS always puts out great stuff! The codes are two pairs of letters (like CG-MS).
Great read. Learn about great circle routes: https://aerosavvy.com/great-circle-routes/. The airspace of the North Atlantic (NAT), which links Europe and North America, is the busiest oceanic airspace in the world. The radio call is similar to the previous one, except the operator won’t have a Canadian accent.
There’s no radar over the ocean, but oceanic controllers must still make sure all the aircraft are safely separated by distance and altitude. Each letter corresponds to an audio tone frequency. Cargo flights often fly across the Atlantic at times when the tracks are flowing in the opposite direction, so they fly random routes. So is there anything similar when flying across the Pacific? Ken, you might help clarify a little mystery for me. [Our SelCal code is CG-MS and we are heading towards Shanwick Oceanic Control], AeroSavvy 105, here’s your SelCal. As we approach our track entry point, Gander Center will give us the HF frequencies for Gander Radio and the next frequencies we’ll need halfway across the Atlantic. Ken are you flying across the North Atlantic now? Each track is labeled by a letter to make it easy to reference on a flight plan. At 0520z (about the time we are over LIMRI) the crew contacts Shannon Control on VHF to receive a warm welcome, a new transponder code, and any updates to the route into London. Each day, over 2000 aircraft travel across the Atlantic ocean bound for North America or Europe on the North Atlantic Organized Track System. As a former flight dispatcher who dispatched B767s over the North Atlantic and a current manager in the aviation services industry I found your article to be very informative and full of great information. Aircraft VHF radios have a very short range, so they are of little use over the ocean. To fly from North America to Southeast Asia, there are daily published tracks similar to the Atlantic tracks. Keep them coming! Every day, from 0100z – 0800z (8 pm – 3 am EST) hundreds of airliners fly eastbound from North America to Europe. Thanks for reading! Find out why it’s safe to fly those long over-water routes: https://aerosavvy.com/etops/ NATs are like a multi-lane, one-way highway in the sky. – Hence the amalgamation of the 2 names. To accommodate the twice-daily stampede, air traffic planners in Gander, Newfoundland and Prestwick, Scotland create weather optimized routes across the Atlantic, called the North Atlantic Organized Track system (NATs). Every day, from 0100z – 0800z (8 pm – 3 am EST) hundreds of airliners fly eastbound from North America to Europe. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! We won’t find out which track we are assigned until we are airborne and approaching the track system. Same logic as NATs? (From an Army King Pilot).
Significant Weather Forecast / Atlantic Region (NavCanada) Turbulence Forecast / Eastbound (NavCanada) Turbulence Forecast / Westbound (NavCanada) Flightplanning & Enroute. Wow,,,what a nice explination about NATs…As a airlines pilot, it is a really well understandable & easy one… Thanks. Each aircraft with HF has its own SelCal code assigned to it. Westbound tracks are labeled A, B, C, D, etc. Planned the bird for a random route above the track for vantage of higher flight level, (but exactly over the track for taking advantage of the winds). Thank you for reading. The North Pacific has regular, published airways to handle the traffic flying between North America and Japan, Korea, northern China. © 2005-2020 www.turbulenceforecast.com.
Is that the reason most of the flights from canada to europe fly via greenland? AeroSavvy 105 is off the ground and heading northeast toward Nova Scotia. For our flight to London, AeroSavvy 105’s dispatcher requests track “Uniform” in our flight plan. Good luck with your interview! Daily publication of tracks for aircraft use began in 1965. Fortunately, we can use a system that was introduced in 1956 called SelCal (Selective-Calling) to monitor the radio for us.
A few minutes before reaching LIMRI and XETBO, our oceanic exit points, AeroSavvy 105 will receive a CPDLC message like the one below. We made it across the pond! Direct Controller Pilot Communications (DCPC) and ATS Surveillance are unavailable in most parts of the NAT Region. It allows pilots and controllers to send requests and clearances back and forth via text. I fly often between EWR/JFK and Europe/Near East, so you answered many questions. I just stumbled on this fascinating article. Aircraft that wish to follow a NAT track must be compliant and certified with the MNPS requirements. The cash goes toward caffeine and server costs.