I am looking for the daily non-stop flight plan for DAL108 from ATL to LEMD. Thank you in advance.Terry Eshenour

Hi Terry,Here's yesterdays route... :)DAL108 KATL-LEMD B763/H EOBT/2255 TTL_EET/0807N0475F330 DCT EATWO DCT GRD J209 RDU J52 RIC J14 PXT J191 BESSI J150 HTO DCT BRADD N39A BANCS/M080F330 DCT 46N050W 45N040W 45N030W 45N020W DCT HIDRA/N0459F360 UN733 ZMR ZMR2CCheers,http://home.planet.nl/~duijn181/cu2/koen.jpg

Koen,Thank you for the route. I see that it is a random coordinate route.Could you point me to a reference on Atlantic crossings using random coordinates? I am trying to understand how non-NAT track flights are planned, ETOPS calculated and positions tracked.Thank you,Terry

Hi Terry,I don't know if there's a reference available somewhere on the Internet, but I'll try to explain the random route system...As you already know, aircraft operators may choose to plan a random route over the Atlantic. However, the ATC handles these flights with a "first-come, first-served" basis, and routes conflicting with the NATs are likely to be subject to flight level or routing restrictions.All non-NAT routes have to be planned on "great circle tracks joining successive significant points defined by whole degrees of latitude intersecting meridians spaced by 10 degrees of longitude" (20 degrees when flying north of 70 degrees north). Perhaps that sounds difficult, but it only means you cannot plan a point like 5352N04045W above the Atlantic, but only coordinates like 53N040W.Although I have seen many random routes being made, I'm not exactly sure how planners do it - I only know they use very complicated (and expensive!) software for their calculations. ;)If you mean with "positions tracked" how the ATC knows where the plane is: all aircraft have to make position reports when they pass a waypoint (or keep contact using a datalink system), starting with the word "Position". For example: "Position Airline 999 ETIKI 1222, FL380. Estimating 47N015W at 1254. Next position is 46N020W" (where 1222 is the time at ETIKI, and Airline 999 is the callsign).I hope this helps a bit. If you've any other questions, just ask... :)Cheers,http://home.planet.nl/~duijn181/cu2/koen.jpg