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Low and High IFR En Route Charts on FlightAware

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FlightAware maps can now display low and high IFR en route charts in the United States by selecting the map layer. With this new feature, you can see FlightAware flight and airport on top of IFR charts that show you VORs, navigation fixes, airways, and more! (flightaware.com) More...

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tduggan2010
Tim Duggan 7
A great addition. Very useful for a multitude of reasons.
akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 7
Dear Friend Daniel Baker and F A Team ,
I, a non aviator BUT a flying enthusiast, have no words to thank you enough for this new feature, which is a multi window kind.
This is many shades better than the Vector Chart ! This is 3 in 1 , at least the way I have understood, the vector chart, the weather chart and the flying density pattern(Aviation Sectional)
Now all that remains is to get a tool to make flight plan and plot on the map !
ThanX a ton.
mwmccain
Michael McCain 1
Why don't you become an aviator and get a pilots license?
akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 1
ThanX.
The way I am being taught, very soon, I am sure to ask ICAO to create an extra ordinary category of pilots, the armchair pilots ! Why the ICAO ? To make it universal, applicable all over the the world. Not limited to citizens of one nation alone ! To benefit the whole humanity! ha ha ha

As a lawyer my orientation is towards pro bono Public Interest Litigation as it is known in India. Just like class action suites in some countries.
Pileits
Pileits 3
Well done, and thanks
Av8nut
Michael Fuquay 3
Excellent job. Very quick to change views!
akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 1
Dear FA, this is to thank you for helping me to use the knowledge I am gaining here and to use a feature , Flight Tracker, in every day life.
I must share the gratitude my friend showed to me yesterday for the information that I gave him in advance for a flight he undertook this morning.
He and his wife were booked for today's flight JAI18, New Delhi to Singapore to meet their 100 days old grand daughter. Being a direct flight it flies over the Bay of Bengal, an area which was/is under the drastic effect of Cyclone Phailin !
They were worried on two counts. Firstly about delays and secondly about the bumpy ride. They knew that a/c will fly well above the cyclonic clouds but but bumpiness and discomfort associated with anxiety could not be ruled out !
I told him that I will get some useful information about route and flying conditions through FA. And that's where my indulgence at this portal came in handy.
I searched for flights between India and Singapore. To and Fro. First I tried the same flight route taken on 17th and learnt that 'generally' it is well North of the cyclonic area. And I told my friend about it. This proved to be a bit reassuring.
Then, I managed to get precise information of three en route flights when the Cyclone was in her absolute fury. First was Singapore-New Delhi flight which took a pretty Northward route to avoid Bay of Bengal.
Second was Singapore-Mumbai(Bombay) flight which at the precise moment of my checking was flying literally over Chennai(Madras) which was under severe warning at ground level . Meaning all was SAFE at that height !
Even the aircraft of Singapore-Chennai was very close to the airport and was declared as landing on time. Meaning, no hazard expected.
When I disclosed ALL these details last evening, about 12 hours before their scheduled departure, my friend thanked me SO profusely that I felt as a wrong(guilty) recipient of the gratitude. And I told him so.
And when I tracked the actual flight this morning I was SO happy to observe that the flight was on time for start and landing and , interestingly, she took the route that I had anticipated yesterday! The flight has landed on time in fact.
Hence, this long narrative is to express that roaming on this portal does not mean a limited benefit but it has huge potential depending how the user exploits the available knowledge !
ThanX FA, once again.
tyketto
Nice work!!!

The only question I have is this: Does the implementation of this infringe on the "patent" that Skyvector apparently has over adding moving, fluid sectionals and en route charts?

I'm hoping not, because that patent is just wrong.
lilpilot
David Allen 1
I thought FlightPrep owned the patent and SkyVector was one of the sites they sued, or do I have it backwards?
ptazzoli
Pietro Tazzoli 1
Thanks
simishag
simishag 1
This is really cool but the light blue & green are difficult to see against the white background of the map. Is there a way to change the colors of aircraft & tracks?
bishops90
Brian Bishop 1
Great addition to already the best there is. Congrats!
gitanes26
Scott Andrews 1
Fantastic feature. Now I can identify the actual flightplan flown by my airliner flight.
tduggan2010
Tim Duggan 1
Hey Scott, glad to see one using this feature in this way. I presume you know how to interpret the Flight Plan ('Route') info that FA provides?
akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 1
Dear Friend, Tim Duggan, will the new feature help in plotting/showing a flight path for a specified plan as declared on the FA's filed plan ?
Ofcourse, I am learning these ropes, so know some but do not know SO MANY as yet.
tduggan2010
Tim Duggan 1
It seems so, Mittal. The planned Route appears as a dashed blue line. The Flight Plan (Route) is written out in the box on the right, when you "track" a flight.

Of course, when you look at a flight after it's flown (or whilst enroute) the green line is the actual recorded ground track.
akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 1
ThanX my friend Tim Duggan. Infact, using the info in the stated box I plotted the full route with all points given on the SkyVector with all the limitations that I will write below.
But, on FA tracker will I be able to 'create' a route as well as make choices the way I can do using the SkyVector site? The main handicap there(SkyVector) seems to be the absence of weather chart over lap which is there in the new F A Tracking system ! Not to mention the Aviation Sectional available on the F A !
I have chosen a short flight(80 sm) between KPBI(West Palm Beach, Fl.) and MYGF(Freeport, Bahamas) and for long flights like KPBI and SBRF(Recife, Brazil) or KPBI and LFPG(Paris) as my model destinations for learning. The FA gives me the route selected by the airlines BUT I want to learn to prepare MY OWN route but a safe permissible air way.
On SkyVector I have done it, but problem of weather chart and aircraft traffic density and other restrictions were always there. My target is NOT to learn planning for the regular airline big birds but for fowles, the private/chartered ones. Free from time frame as well as route, unless restricted by weather or ATC or Defense Department and so on !
tduggan2010
Tim Duggan 1
Interesting. Airline flight planning software crunch a lot of data to come up with a route for any given city-pair each day, of course very short distances(like KPBI-MYGF) provide limited numbers of options and choices.

The data for longer flights under consideration are not only physical Great Circle mileage distances, but historic traffic flow densities (along with any preferred ATC routing), wind and temperature aloft forecasts, preferred altitudes for fuel conservation, etc. Compromises are usually required. Also, the planned Mach number will affect fuel burn, depending on altitude filed, and so on. Of course, "planning" is one thing, the pilots can opt to alter it as they see fit in real time.

You mention KPBI-SBRF, which is mostly over (or near) land (except of course for the Caribbean portion). For Oceanic Crossings (KPBI-LFPG), then you look for either established routes (an Oceanic Planning Chart is handy for this, such as one common for the North Atlantic, or reference the appropriate Route Charts) or you file a "random route" consisting of Lat/Long coordinates. Usually every 10 degrees Longitude and a whole degree Latitude as needed.

FAA publishes this for the full N. Atl: http://aeronav.faa.gov/enroute/08-22-2013/narc.pdf

Looking at PBI to CDG? Perhaps: After departure, the M204 to SOORY, then 42N/50W, 45N/40W, 47N/30W, 48N/20W, BEDRA, NERTU, TAKAS, DIN then the Upper Airways in Europe, and arrival.

(That is only one possibility. Much depends, again, on "preferred routes" that are published by the various national ATC aviation authorities).

Note the designated FIR boundary reporting/navigation fixes as charted.

Also, as at most airlines (at least in the USA), we have the Planning Charts for the actual plotting of our Oceanic flight portions, drawing our planned course on them and recording each waypoint as a double-check of NAV System accuracy. They are also used as reference for ETOPS diversion points, if applicable. This paperwork is then retained by the airline's Flight Ops for a specified number of days (usually 90).
tduggan2010
Tim Duggan 1
I should like to add, for Oceanic "random routes", the "10-degree rule" (not hard-and-fast) applies to Longitude if primarily East/West, and Latitude if primarily North/South. Makes sense if you think about it -- concept is to have waypoints not more than one hour apart at normal cruise speed.
akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 1
ThanX a zillion, million/billion etc may be too less!
I have understood to the extent I need . The details are to be worked out by the REAL pilots before flying.
I also take it that the kind of map you have 'linked' must be available for other regions through some agency or the other.
This map gives the details of ALL possible points in the N. Atlantic region to choose from on the basis of various constrains prevailing at the time of actual flight.
NOW some procedural Qs. Say at 1230 hrs I decide to fly out from A to B by 1400 hrs. The pilot concerned prepares the most suitable plan on the basis of factors mentioned by you. Then what ? To whom does he file the plan and how? Who are the ATCs on the way the pilot communicates with ? For what end result ?
P.S.
I have 'saved' guidelines given by you as a matter of permanent learning notes. I am sure all this knowledge may come in handy for all those who are ignorant like me BUT keen to know the basics.
tduggan2010
Tim Duggan 1
There are more manageably-sized Charts available. The ones published (for sale) by Jeppesen for example. It's easier when you have the paper product in your hands, rather than looking at a computer monitor. (Google search for local sellers).

The Intersections/Waypoints shown are generally unchanging, although Aeronautical Charts do undergo occasional revisions and changes, which is why for actual navigation the most current and relevant Charts must be used. For "armchair flying" this is not important.

Filing of flight plans is made to the appropriate nation's aviation authority. Nowadays of course, it can be done online in most jurisdictions. Before that, (and still today) it can be either written and handed to an ATC representative, verbal via telephone or sent via teletype (as in a large airline operation).

ICAO-standard example: http://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/FSS/images/fab01001.gif

http://www.theairlinepilots.com/forumarchive/pilotslounge/icaoflightplan.gif

(USA Domestic flight plan forms are much abbreviated: http://www.atlasaviation.com/Flight%20Planning/Domestic%20Flight%20Plan/flightplan.gif)

As to the process of ATC communications for any given flight? Complicated, will try a short version: In the USA look up "ARTCC". Then, for a transatlantic crossing, (example from PBI-CDG), the FAA Center will hand off to New York Oceanic ('OCA', or 'Control Area') at the FIR. Above 45 degrees North, then Gander Oceanic until 30West, then Shanwick Oceanic until in VHF and RADAR range/crossing the FIR boundary for the appropriate Europe ATC sector and clearances in that airspace.


Whilst rummaging on the InterWebz, found this. It seems to come from a U.S. airline's training material, perhaps Delta (since they operate the A-330, B757/767):

http://www.airbusdriver.net/A330_International_Procedures.pdf

(Note that HF radio is used for position reporting communication, although if equipped, we can use SatComm datalink / uplinks instead, nowadays. MUCH easier!)
tduggan2010
Tim Duggan 1
Oh and, the "airbusdriver" link? Might be from USAir, now that I think about it...

Here's another Chart showing the N. ATL OCAs: http://occ.ivao.aero/upload/airspace.jpg

Of course, similar procedures for other oceanic crossings in other parts of the World.
akayemm
Er.A.K. Mittal 0
ThanX a lot. Plenty of stuff to keep me busy for may days/hours.
And help to understand and visualise the cock pit functions while sitting at the pillion ! To ponder over all the stuff that might have gone into making my ride smooth and enjoyable.
andriy17
Andriy Tsyupka 1
International low/high next please :)

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