Author Topic: Flight Plans  (Read 5236 times)

Offline michaelt747

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Flight Plans
« on: April 22, 2006, 11:46:50 PM »
Hey guys,

So I recently watched a Just Planes/World Air Routes United 777-200 DVD and I was intrigued by the FMC and stuff in the 777.  However, before they ever spoke with clearance delivery or anything, they had received a flight plan that was automatically inserted into the computer which outlayed every step of the flight and the planes intended route.  My question is, is this the same exact flight plan as the one that is given to the pilot when they call up Clearance Delivery?  Is this original flight plan previously filed by the airline's dispatcher and the approved by ATC or???

Also, does the airline choose the flight level as well as the flight plan they would like to fly?  In the beginning of the video, the pilots are in a briefing room and they have all of this paper work and maps that they have to review and sign off on and they even plot the waypoints on the map and all.  The paper work outlays the fuel burn and such at a certain flight level--way before they even get into the aircraft.  

I understand that these flights are flown everyday, but I dont really understand the entire process--if someone could please explain--that would be totally awesome!!!

Thanx guys,

Michael



Offline Pygmie

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Flight Plans
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2006, 12:05:00 AM »
When an aircraft intends to make a flight, well before the flight is set to depart the dispatcher for the airline (or the pilot in a non-airline situation) files a flight plan, which is sent to each of the ATC units the aircraft will travel though.  The flight plan contains, among other items, the exact route and the altitude.

When an aircraft calls clearance delivery, all they are doing is just validating the flight plan that the airline has requested and ammending anything that doesn't work for the controllers (i.e. re-routes around busy sectors etc.).  For the most part though, what the airlines file in their flight plans is what they get cleared for.

99.9% of the time (at least here in Canada) all clearance delivery says to an aircraft is, for an example, "NWA123 is cleared to the KMSP airport via Winnipeg Nine departure, flight planned route, squawk 1234."

Offline davolijj

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Flight Plans
« Reply #2 on: April 23, 2006, 12:21:18 AM »
Many airlines today are able to interface with the ATC facility's Flight Data Input/Output (FDIO) system via the ACARS equipment onboard the aircraft.  The process is called Pre-departure clearance, or PDC, and it allows the aircraft to receive their clearance electronically.

I'm not too familiar with FMS but I assume it has some way of identifying the differences between the routing filed and the routing cleared.  Perhaps an Airline Pilot coupld elaborate on that.

The only problem with the system is when there is a reroute, and the aircraft has already received their PDC, it must be ammended by the Ground Control or Clearance Delivery person.

Offline michaelt747

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Flight Plans
« Reply #3 on: April 23, 2006, 01:09:58 AM »
that clears everything up! thanx guys!!!