Does anyone know of a resource which has the daily North Atlantic Tracks...in a map format? I have places to get the daily tracks in a text format but a map would be much easier for my poor brain to use for flight planning! LOL! Vic

How would a map help? A NAT is bascially just roughly 4 sets or coordinates about 300-400 miles apart pretty much grouped together horizontally to begin with, each one having a starting and ending named fixed.Just imagine a line between Novia Scotia and Ireland, generally speaking.

I think though on the VATUK site there is a screenshot or something maybe of a map that was generated. I'd have to look again.

http://ourworld.cs.com/bobraemer/ownnav/id18.htm?f=fsDownload natplot.zip, extract it to a folder of your choice and run the .exe. Get a copy of the daily track message, save it as a text file then import it in natplot. You're good to go.Brgds,Miltos

Thanks guys! I asked for this because I'm having a hard time finding the Boston ARTCC info, which will tell me how to enter the eastbound tracks when departing KBOS? A map just seemed to be a quick way rather than find each "entry point" in FSNav and decide which one to use. How would a real trans-Atlantic flight, departing KBOS, do it? Anywho...I'm ahead of the game now. I've plotted my KBOS-EGNM flight plan using todays NAT data. Again...thanks for the help. Vic

This is the easiest way hands down and is current: http://rfinder.asalink.net/freeJust double check your SID/STAR waypoints as you may have to add and delete some, but the NATS are all there updated daily.

Does that generate the preferred routes or just determining it based on shortest distance?

You know, I tried reloading it etc., at first, and it was consistent. Yes you could mix and match as far as the beginning and end routing for your SID's/STAR's and most likely you would have a valid flight plan.The NATS are the actual NATS as published by the DINS NOTAM System. I just can't remember if they're so called prefered routes. They are valid ones, that I do know.When I fly overseas, that's the flight planner most widely used. For the states it www.simroutes.com . You can always use http://flightaware.com if you want to see what the airlines are actually flying at any one particular time also and compare the two.Those are pretty much the standards.

>Thanks guys!>>...how to enter the eastbound tracks when departing KBOS? >How would a real trans-Atlantic flight, departing KBOS, do it?>> VicHi Vic, If you look closely at the NAT Track message, you will see that there are specific North American Routes (NAR's) associated with each NAT Track. The NAR's are published transitions between the Domestic NAS structure and the NAT Organized Track System (OTS).For example (Note the section in bold):X CYMON DENDU 51/50 52/40 53/30 53/20 MALOT BURAKEAST LVLS 320 330 340 350 360 370 380 390 400WEST LVLS NILEUR RTS EAST NILNAR N93B N97B N99A-This lets you know that N93B, N97B, or N99A should be used to transition from domestic airspace to the "TRACK X" oceanic entry point.N93B routing is: ALLEX..CYMONN97B routing is: MIILS..CYMONN99A routing is: CEFOU..CYMONSo in your case, you could file:KBOS..PSM..ALLEX.N93B.CYMON.NATX.BURAK//Also, depending on traffic volume, weather, and a whole bunch of other factors, ATC may request that operators file specific routes & NAR's from a specific departure airport to a specific NAT Track. Here's an example from today's Track Message:-------------------------------------------------------------------AIRCRAFT DEPARTING JFK PLEASE FILE THE FOLLOWING ROUTES TO MINIMIZEDEPARTURE DELAYS DESTINED TO EUROPE: CUSTOMERS PLEASE NOTE THAT THERE ARE TWO DEPARTURE ROUTESTHAT TRANSITION TO TRACK W. CUSTOMERS MAY FILE EITHER OFTHE ROUTES OR MAY BE TACTICALLY REROUTED TO THE ALTERNATEROUTE BY JFK IN ORDER TO REDUCE DEPARTURE DELAYS.TRACK V/ JFK.GREKI3.MARTN..TOPPS.N125A.YAY.TRAKV TRACK W/ JFK.MERIT3.PUT..EBONY.N109B.DOTTY.TRAKW OR JFK.BETTE3.ACK..EBONY.N109B.DOTTY.TRAKW TRACK X/ JFK.BETTE3.ACK.ALLEX.N93B.CYMON.TRAKXTRACK Y/ JFK.BETTE3.ACK..TUSKY.N77B.YQX.TRAKYTRACK Z/ JFK.BETTE3.ACK..BRADD.N61B.VIXUN.TRAKZ------------------------------------------------------------------The NAR's are listed in the "AFD - NORTHEAST US", which to my knowledge, isn't available for online viewing.Anyway, if you do get a hold of the AFD, you'll also see that there are so-called "non-common" portions of the NAR's for use when coming off the NAT OTS Westbound. These non-common portions specify the preferred route from the inland fix to a specific US Airport.Does that help?Nick Landolfi

That helps immensely, Nick! I didn't know about the NAR's. I take it I can find the "N93B" routing in FSNav...as long as the Airac cycle is the latest one and installed?Can you tell me what "AFD" stands for? Thanks for that...it helps a whole bunch. Vic

>I take it I can find the "N93B" routing in FSNav...as long as>the Airac cycle is the latest one and installed?>>Can you tell me what "AFD" stands for?>> VicHey Vic, I don't have FSNAV, so I don't know if it will display the NAR's or not. But yes, the NAR's are included in the AIRAC data, so conceivably, it could/should be displayed.The AFD is the Airport/Facility Directory. The AFD's are issued for various geographical regions, and would be available for purchase at most FBO's, or from an online vendor (though, to the best of my knowledge, not in an electronic format).Regards,Nick

FSNav, with the latest Airac cycle installed, SHOULD update it's airways database...and that should suffice. It will not show NAT's or NAR's, AFAIK, but I can certainly figure it out from there (2+2=.......5....right?? LOL!) In FSNav all airways end at the entry/exit to NAT's (as far as I can tell...see attachment) and it's up to me to enter the NAT waypoints, unless I'm missing some function of FSNav.http://forums.avsim.net/user_files/155833.jpg ANYWHO...with all your help, gang, I think I have a much better understanding of what I need to fly across the Pond. The actual NAT waypoints were less of a problem than the correct way to enter and exit. Now if I can get my 707's INS unit to warm up and take waypoints...I should reach the crash site with no problem:( . Thank you! Vic

Hey Vic,Yeah, the NATs aren't in the AIRAC database, because they change every day based on winds and "user input". The NARs, however, are prominently displayed in the picture you posted. Look just to the left of the circle you drew. See all those clusters of 4 or 5 airways each that all end at a common point? Those are the NARs. Locate any of the following fixes:CYMON, YQX, VIXUN, YYT, COLOR (and many more)Note all of the airways that terminate at each of these fixes. Most of them are NARs.Take care,Nick