Question about Flight Plans ..

[Аэрофлот Jr.]

I just want to know that , how do airports get notified which airplane is coming in at what time, and how do flight plans get passed on , if you file a Flight Plan, how does it get to certain airports ? Thanks .

[djmodifyd]

we have a FDIO (flight data input/output) system, which connects into the NAS (national airspace system, maybe service....)

When a flight takes off, it gets tagged up on the radar scope, which then sends a DM (departure message) to the NAS which starts up the flight plan.

The computer uses the filed airspeed of the airplane to calculate when it should be where at what time.  Then each facility on the way in the route of flight gets strips (centers use EURETS, which i don't know what it stands for, or even if thats the correct acronym for it) a half hour before the aircraft is due to arrive. 

In the tracon i work at, we get a strip that says, EGF4199 is supposed to be over NASAL310045 at 1450Z.  If we don't see the aircraft within a few minutes of that time, and we havn't had any time updates, we start looking.

Now say we are non radar, or for somereason something messes up, we have to manually send out a DM using the FIDO keyboard, which starts the whole cycle.

I hope that made sense...any other questions just ask

[Аэрофлот Jr.]

I hope that made sense...any other questions just ask

Oh, very clear. Thank you .  um one more question, what happens if the pilot cancels the flight plan en route, and divert to alternate airport ? does the flight plan get automatically get canceled by the NAS ?

[davolijj]

URET - User Request Evaluation Tool.  It manages electronic flight progress strips and allows EnRoute controllers to trial-plan a change in route or altitude for aircraft and probe for potential conflicts before the controller issues a new clearance.  It was called CCLD back when it was in the Beta phase.  It's probably the only usable thing to come out of the free-flight program back in the 90s.

If a pilot cancels his flight plan en route the controller enters a "Remove Strip" message into the host system which is passed on to all the affected facilities.  If the pilot amends his flight plan, such as a change of destination like a diversion to an alternate, the controller would make the change in host (FDP, FDIO) and all affected facilities would get new amended strips.

I'm not sure how the terminal system works but there is no automatic flight plan cancellation in the en route system, the controller has to perform the action manually so there is always a record of the flight in the system.  I imagine terminal automation systems (STARS, ARTS, etc.) have something in place that will Remove Strips automatically when an arrival track is lost near a primary airport just like they do with automatic departure messages on initial track acquisition.

[KSYR-pjr]

um one more question, what happens if the pilot cancels the flight plan en route, and divert to alternate airport ? does the flight plan get automatically get canceled by the NAS ?

I'll let the controllers answer since I don't know what goes with the man behind the curtain, but just to clarify:  There is canceling an IFR flight plan, which can only be done in the US below 18,000 feet (for the most part all aircraft at FL180 and above are required to be on an IFR flight plan) presuming meteorological conditions allow and there is diverting to another airport.  The two are not one and the same since it is very common to divert to another airport while still IFR.

[Аэрофлот Jr.]

Thanks guys , very helpful

[mkop]

When an a/c arrives at a major facility, I know ATC will automatically cancel their flight plan. Whose job is that? Is that the flight data guy's job?

[w0x0f]

When an a/c arrives at a major facility, I know ATC will automatically cancel their flight plan. Whose job is that? Is that the flight data guy's job?

Just like you said, it happens automatically.  There is no action required of ATC when an aircraft lands at a tower controlled facility.  We saw the aircraft land safely.  Flight plan closed.

The pilot must inform ATC via a remote frequency, phone, or Flight Service (good luck with that) when they land at an uncontrolled airport since there are no eyes to verify the landing.

w0x0f