Hello. I am currently in the process of planning a flight from EGKK to KMCO in PFPX. However, I noticed that the airlines use a NAT that is pretty far south. I'm currently looking at NAT J. This track starts in the middle of the Atlantic. An airliner that recently flew this route actually used the first two waypoints of NAT F before deviating to the south to cross via NAT J. This is shown in the image below. 

 

 

How is a clearance obtained from ATC to fly these half NATs? Is it normal to simply hop straight to the middle of the Atlantic and then join a NAT? I am many well confused.

 

Hi Stephen,

 

I'm not 100% this is correct as I haven't seen any info it, but I'm guessing you'd do a random route until 40W, and from 40W you'd join a track, and your clearance would consist of a random route and a track.

 

 

then join a NAT?

NAT means North Atlantic, not North Atlantic Track as many people think. Check the glossary of terms in ICAO NAT document 007 (page 14). It's sufficient to refer to them as a "track", e.g Track A

 

 

Hopefully that'll help you out a bit. If anyone have any info on how they do this real life (clearance wise), that'd be lovely so we could use it on Vatsim as well

 

 

Anders

Hi Stephen,

 

I'm not 100% this is correct as I haven't seen any info it, but I'm guessing you'd do a random route until 40W, and from 40W you'd join a track, and your clearance would consist of a random route and a track.

 

NAT means North Atlantic, not North Atlantic Track as many people think. Check the glossary of terms in ICAO NAT document 007 (page 14). It's sufficient to refer to them as a "track", e.g Track A

 

 

Hopefully that'll help you out a bit. If anyone have any info on how they do this real life (clearance wise), that'd be lovely so we could use it on Vatsim as well

 

 

Anders

 

I did a lot of research but couldn't find any information as to how this situation is handled in the real world, but that makes the most sense. Though, I don't really see the point of having a track start in the middle of the ocean. Oh well.