The amendments to flight plan content announced by ICAO for worldwide implementation will take effect on 15 November 2012.
The nature and scope of the amendment is to update the ICAO model flight plan form in order to meet the needs of aircraft with advanced capabilities and the evolving requirements of automated air traffic management (ATM) systems, while taking into account compatibility with existing systems, human factors, training, cost and transition aspects.
The basic flight plan form and the field composition within the FPL message remains unchanged, but the content of some fields will change.
- changes to indications in Items 10 and 18 (including the use of digits) describing the precise NAV/COM/SUR capabilities of the flight
- the ability to file a FPL up to 5 days (120 hours) before the flight, using the Date of Flight (DOF/) in Item 18
- addition of new Item 18 indicators and changes to the contents of several existing indicators.
- a change to the description of a significant point which may now be described by range and bearing
The field composition within associated messages (CHG, DEP, CNL, ARR, RQP) will change to include the EOBT and Item 18 DOF/ thus ensuring association to the correct FPL.