Navigating the 777 trans Atlantic/Pacific

[Jetstream96 20]

Also don't forget PACOTS, which is Pacific Organized Track System.Daily PACOTS can be obtained via https://www.notams.f...v/dinsQueryWeb/.

[GE90110B 1]

I might be wrong, but I think flights between the US and Australia are done via satellite navigation using GPS points that involve the aircraft and satellites communicating by continually updating the aircrafts' position instead of ground-based navaids.

 

Of course there are no ground based navigational aids in the pacific ocean (VOR, etc). Aircraft such as the 777 of course have both IRS and GPS based navigational systems. There are still defined waypoints in the pacific ocean.

 

Furthermore due to the lack of VHF radio communication is done through a variety of methods. There if of course traditional HF radio, which is now augmented with the SELCAL system so pilots do not need to monitor HF constantly. Also there is a newer satellite based system called CPDLC. With this pilots can simply file digital position reports and receive text based transmissions from the various oceanic ATC centers. I believe this system can also send automatic position reports to both the center and the airline ops center.

 

For example, a flight such as UAL863 from KSFO to YSSY will initially be handed off to NorCal departure by KSFO, then they will contact either Oakland center or they might even go directly to Oakland Oceanic who will give them a oceanic clearance and do a SELCAL verification to ensure it is working. If the aircraft is equipped with CPDLC then they can login to KZAK (the identifier for Oakland Oceanic) for text based communication and position reporting. To get an idea of the flight plan here is one from UAL863: DCT CINNY DCT 33N130W M084F300 DCT 29N135W DCT 25N141W M083F300 DCT 22N145W DCT 19N150W M082F300 DCT 10N160W M083F320 DCT 02N170W M084F340 DCT 04S180E M085F360 DCT 12S170E M085F380 DCT 18S163E DCT 22S160E M086F400 DCT BEADS DCT MARLN M055F120. A majority of it is simply coordinates and not defined waypoints. Also it lists speed and altitude for a given point. So at point 33N130W they are expected to be at FL300 with a mach number of .84.

[EGLL77W 1,508]

What about Trans Polar routes

 

Here's a Polar Flight Plan -

 

 

N0488F310 DARAX A419 RIKOP/K0900F310 A117 ASB G775 AFGAN

A370 URG A299 AKALI LANOR/K0885F320 R482 LBN R486 EKB SH

ABERI/M082F340 88N030W 87N090W 85N105W/M083F360 80N115W

75N118W 70N119W/N0475F360 65N119W/N0474F370 60N119W YQU

J550 ROFFO J550 YNY LKV/N0484F390 J5 FMG EHF V23 GMN V299 FIM SADDE6

 

Flying Polar is actually bad for you when radiation is high (real world). They are made up by the Airlines dispatch who does all the flight plans. On that flight plan the start of the polar crossing is at "ABERI" and ends around 75/70N. That plan is DXB-LAX by the way! There's not really specific tracks updated daily like the NATS. They cater them normally around Weather to keep them as close and possible to the alternates while maintaining a good fuel burn and en-route flight time. The Air Canada Polar DVD is good if you want to learn a bit on Polar flying.

[Joseph_Van 7]

 

 

Here's a Polar Flight Plan -

 

 

N0488F310 DARAX A419 RIKOP/K0900F310 A117 ASB G775 AFGAN

A370 URG A299 AKALI LANOR/K0885F320 R482 LBN R486 EKB SH

ABERI/M082F340 88N030W 87N090W 85N105W/M083F360 80N115W

75N118W 70N119W/N0475F360 65N119W/N0474F370 60N119W YQU

J550 ROFFO J550 YNY LKV/N0484F390 J5 FMG EHF V23 GMN V299 FIM SADDE6

 

Flying Polar is actually bad for you when radiation is high (real world). They are made up by the Airlines dispatch who does all the flight plans. On that flight plan the start of the polar crossing is at "ABERI" and ends around 75/70N. That plan is DXB-LAX by the way! There's not really specific tracks updated daily like the NATS. They cater them normally around Weather to keep them as close and possible to the alternates while maintaining a good fuel burn and en-route flight time. The Air Canada Polar DVD is good if you want to learn a bit on Polar flying.

 

I remember seeing a justplanrs video on polar routes.

[Airbusman330 300]

I prefer the shorthand method of 57N020W = 5720N or 58N030W = 5830N. Will this work in the 777?

[scandinavian13 5,192]

I prefer the shorthand method of 57N020W = 5720N or 58N030W = 5830N. Will this work in the 777?

 

Does it work in the 744?

[EGLL77W 1,508]

I prefer the shorthand method of 57N020W = 5720N or 58N030W = 5830N. Will this work in the 777?

 

Actually, the 777 you enter them "N54W020". You can use the other ways like 5830N 58/30 but I like the long way..

[Airbusman330 300]

Actually, the 777 you enter them "N54W020". You can use the other ways like 5830N 58/30 but I like the long way..

 

Cool, if I can't use a company route for some reason then I like to make make flight plan inputs less tedious. Might be company SOP or pilot preference regarding format if the plane accepts any form.

[FS737Pilot 12]

Atlantic Ocean -

 

They have what you call NATS, "North Atlantic Tracks" Updated twice a day. They generally arrange them by weather, there are Westbound & Eastbound tracks. Normally 2 waypoints on each side followed by coordinates. 20W, 30W, 40W & 50W (sometimes 60W-80W for tracks going further across the Atlantic).

 

Westbound are generally even FL's and Eastbound are generally odd FL's. However, special requests are granted. When I flew to LAX we were flying with an AF A388 the whole way, we were FL330 and he was FL340. These requests are made in that kind of situation when you have two on the same track, same position, needing the same FL.

 

You have an assigned Mach number. They're controlled by 4 main centers. 2 on the American/Canadian side and 2 on the European side. Sometimes the tracks go North into Iceland & Greenland Airspace.

 

European ones being:

Shanwick Oceanic EGGX

Santa Maria LPPO

 

US/Canadian ones being:

Gander FIR CZQX

New York Oceanic KZNY

 

Self assigned NAT's are common indeed, these are mainly from flying (e.g.) Heathrow - San Francisco, you'll sometimes go all the way up to 60N+ into Iceland & Greenland's Airspace. Sometimes you get them over the main Atlantic Ocean but not as common.

 

E.g. for a flight plan going from Montreal to London Heathrow -

 

 

YQB MIILS YYT NATW ELSOX EVRIN UL607 NUMPO UP2 OKESI Y3 BEDEK OCK2F

 

You can see the NAT in there, it's Whiskey! Sometimes the flight plan shows the whole route and not just the NAT letter. Like this one going from Heathrow - Montreal -

 

CPT UL9 KENET UN14 BAKUR PIKIL 57N020W 58N030W 58N040W 56N050W SCROD VALIE FRAZR YRI MIVAX PENTU OMBRE2

 

To get the latest NAT's, weather etc use this - http://blackswan.ch/nat/

 

Now on the Pacific I believe there are tracks, but you only use them for certain routes. They have main Airways that they use so routing is generally similar.

 

If there's anything else you'd like to know or need clearing up let me know!

 

Will these be put into the legs menu or the route menu? also, will they be "via" direct? or are there jet airways to them?

[WYfox22 31]

Will these be put into the legs menu or the route menu? also, will they be "via" direct? or are there jet airways to them?

 

Generally, you just enter them all in the Route page, Here's the breakdown of Direct and jet ways:

YQB MIILS YYT NATW ELSOX EVRIN UL607 NUMPO UP2 OKESI Y3 BEDEK OCK2F

 

Direct YQB

Direct MIILS

Direct YYT

Direct (*All the NAT Whiskey wypts - 57N020W, 58N030W, etc. We'll just use ELSOX as the exit point)

Direct ELSOX

Direct EVRIN

UL607 NUMPO

UP2 OKESI

Y3 BEDEK

STAR OCK2F

 

Usually when you see a combination of letters and numbers, it represents an airway or an arrival/departure procedure. The airways look a little different than the ones we use in the States (V and J airways).

[Skiff 9]

Actually, the 777 you enter them "N54W020". You can use the other ways like 5830N 58/30 but I like the long way..

 

It depends, at least according to the Big Boeing FMC Guide. You can always enter the full lat/long coordinates, but for northern and western hemispheres, you'd shorten it to 5830N for ease of entry.

[paulhand 15]

Also don't forget PACOTS, which is Pacific Organized Track System.Daily PACOTS can be obtained via https://www.notams.f...v/dinsQueryWeb/.

 

Also don't forget AUSOTS - which is a similar track system to optimise trans-continental routes downunder: http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/ausots/default.asp