Flight rules
INSERT one of the following letters to denote the category of flight rules with which the pilot intends to comply:

Type of flight
INSERT one of the following letters to denote the type of flight when so required by the appropriate ATS authority:

Specify status of a flight following the indicator STS in Item 18, or when necessary to denote other reasons for specific handling by ATS, indicate the reason following the indicator RMK in Item 18.

Number of aircraft
(1 or 2 characters)

INSERT the number of aircraft, if more than one

Type of aircraft
(2 to 4 characters)

INSERT the appropriate designator as specified in ICAO Doc 8643, Aircraft Type Designators,
OR, if no such designator has been assigned, or in case of formation flights comprising more than one type,
INSERT ZZZZ, and SPECIFY in Item 18, the (numbers and) type(s) of aircraft preceded by TYP/.

Wake turbulence category
(1 character)

INSERT an oblique stroke followed by one of the following letters to indicate the wake turbulence category of the aircraft:

Capabilities comprise the following elements:

1. presence of relevant serviceable equipment on board the aircraft;
2. equipment and capabilities commensurate with flight crew qualifications; and
3. where applicable, authorization from the appropriate authority.

Radio communication, navigation and approach aid equipment and capabilities

INSERT one letter as follows:

INSERT one or more of the following letters to indicate the serviceable COM/NAV/approach aid equipment and capabilities available:

Note 1.— If the letter S is used, standard equipment is considered to be VHF RTF, VOR and ILS, unless another combination is prescribed by the appropriate ATS authority.

Note 2.— If the letter G is used, the types of external GNSS augmentation, if any, are specified in Item 18 following the indicator NAV/ and separated by a space.

Note 3.— See RTCA/EUROCAE Inter-operability Requirements Standard for ATN Baseline 1 (ATN B1 INTEROP Standard – DO-280B/ED-110B) for data link services air traffic control clearance and information/air traffic control communications management/air traffic control microphone check.

Note 4.— If the letter R is used, the performance-based navigation levels that can be met are specified in Item 18 following the indicator PBN/. Guidance material on the application of performance-based navigation to a specific route segment, route or area is contained in the Performance-based Navigation (PBN) Manual (Doc 9613).

Note 5.— If the letter Z is used, the other equipment carried or other capabilities shall be specified in item 18.preceded by “COM/”, “NAV/”, and/or “DAT/”, as appropriate. Exemptions for CPDLC and 8.33KHZ are to be indicated by inserting the letter Z in item 10a and then inserting the appropriate descriptors in the following indicators in item 18 (“DAT/CPDLCX or “COM/EXM833”)

Note 6.— Information on navigation capability is provided to ATC for clearance and routing purposes.

Surveillance equipment and capabilities

INSERT N
if no surveillance equipment for the route to be flown is carried, or the equipment is unserviceable,
OR
INSERT one or more of the following descriptors, to a maximum of 20 characters, to describe the serviceable surveillance equipment and/or capabilities on board:

Alphanumeric characters not indicated above are reserved.

Example: ADE3RV/HB2U2V2G1

Note.— Additional surveillance application should be listed in Item 18 following the indicator SUR/.

INSERT the ICAO four-letter location indicator of the departure aerodrome as specified in Doc 7910, Location Indicators,
OR, if no location indicator has been assigned,
INSERT ZZZZ and SPECIFY, in Item 18, the name and location of the aerodrome preceded by DEP/,
OR, the first point of the route or the marker radio beacon preceded by DEP/…, if the aircraft has not taken off from the aerodrome,
OR, if the flight plan is received from an aircraft in flight,
INSERT AFIL, and SPECIFY, in Item 18, the ICAO four-letter location indicator of the location of the ATS unit from which supplementary flight plan data can be obtained, preceded by DEP/.
THEN, WITHOUT A SPACE,
INSERT for a flight plan submitted before departure, the estimated off-block time (EOBT),
OR, for a flight plan received from an aircraft in flight, the actual or estimated time over the first point of the route to which the flight plan applies.

INSERT the first cruising speed as in (a) and the first cruising level as in (b), without a space between them.
THEN, following the arrow,
INSERT the route description as in (c).

1. Cruising speed
   (maximum 5 characters)

   INSERT the True airspeed for the first or the whole cruising portion of the flight, in terms of:

   •Kilometres per hour, expressed as K followed by 4 figures (e.g. K0830), or
   •Knots, expressed as N followed by 4 figures (e.g. N0485), or
   •True Mach number, when so prescribed by the appropriate ATS authority, to the nearest hundredth of unit Mach, expressed as M followed by 3 figures (e.g. M082).

2. Cruising level
   (maximum 5 characters)

   INSERT the planned cruising level for the first or the whole portion of the route to be flown, in terms of:

   • Flight level, expressed as F followed by 3 figures (e.g. F085; F330), or
   • *Standard metric level in tens of metres, expressed as S followed by 4 figures (e.g. S1130), or
   • * When so prescribed by the appropriate ATS authorities.
   • Altitude in hundreds of feet, expressed as A followed by 3 figures (e.g. A045; A100), or
   • Altitude in tens of metres, expressed as M followed by 4 figures (e.g. M0840), or
   • for uncontrolled VFR flights, the letters VFR.

3. Route
   (including changes of speed, level and/or flight rules)

   Flights along designated ATS routes

   INSERT, if the departure aerodrome is not on or connected to the ATS route, the letters DCT followed by the point of joining the first ATS route, followed by the designator of the ATS route.
   THEN INSERT each point at which either a change of speed and/or level is planned to commence, or a change of ATS route, and/or a change of flight rules is planned,
   Note. When a transition is planned between a lower and upper ATS route and the routes are oriented in the same direction, the point of transition need not be inserted.
   FOLLOWED IN EACH CASE
   by the designator of the next ATS route segment, even if the same as the previous one,
   OR by DCT, if the flight to the next point will be outside a designated route, unless both points are defined by geographical coordinates.

   Flights outside designated ATS routes

   INSERT points normally not more than 30 minutes flying time or 370 km (200 NM) apart, including each point at which a change of speed or level, a change of track, or a change of flight rules is planned.
   OR, when required by appropriate ATS authority(ies),
   DEFINE the track of flights operating predominantly in an east-west direction between 70ºN and 70ºS by reference to significant points formed by the intersections of half or whole degrees of latitude with meridians spaced at intervals of 10 degrees of longitude. For flights operating in areas outside those latitudes the tracks shall be defined by significant points formed by the intersection of parallels of latitude with meridians normally spaced at 20 degrees of longitude. The distance between significant points shall, as far as possible, not exceed one hours flight time. Additional significant points shall be established as deemed necessary.
   For flights operating predominantly in a north-south direction, define tracks by reference to significant points formed by the intersection of whole degrees of longitude with specified parallels of latitude which are spaced at 5 degrees.
   INSERT DCT between successive points unless both points are defined by geographical coordinates or by bearing and distance.USE ONLY the conventions in (1) to (5) below and SEPARATE each sub-item by a space.

   ATS route (2 to 7 characters)

   The coded designator assigned to the route or route segment including, where appropriate, the coded designator assigned to the standard departure or arrival route (e.g. BCN1, Bl, R14, UB10, KODAP2A).

   Note. Provisions for the application of route designators are contained in Annex 11, Appendix 1.

   Significant point (2 to 11 characters)

   The coded designator (2 to 5 characters) assigned to the point (e.g. LN, MAY, HADDY),
   or, if no coded designator has been assigned, one of the following ways:

   Degrees only (7 characters):

   2 figures describing latitude in degrees, followed by N (North) or S (South), followed by 3 figures describing longitude in degrees, followed by E (East) or W (West). Make up the correct number of figures, where necessary, by insertion of zeros, e.g. 46N078W

   Degrees and minutes (11 characters): 4 figures describing latitude in degrees and tens and units of minutes followed by N (North) or S (South), followed by 5 figures describing longitude in degrees and tens and units of minutes, followed by E (East) or W (West). Make up the correct number of figures, where necessary, by insertion of zeros, e.g. 4620N07805W.

   Bearing and distance from a reference point:

   The identification of the reference point, followed by the bearing from the point in the form of 3 figures giving degrees magnetic, followed by the distance from the point in the form of 3 figures expressing nautical miles. In areas of high latitude where it is determined by the appropriate authority that reference to degrees magnetic is impractical, degrees true may be used. Make up the correct number of figures, where necessary, by insertion of zeros. e.g. a point 180º magnetic at a distance of 40 nautical miles from VOR DUB should be expressed as DUB180040.

   Change of speed or level (maximum 21 characters)

   The point at which a change of speed (5% TAS or 0.01 Mach or more) or a change of level is planned to commence, expressed exactly as in (2) above, followed by an oblique stroke and both the cruising speed and the cruising level, expressed exactly as in (a) and (b) above, without a space between them, even when only one of these quantities will be changed.
   Examples: LN/N0284A045
   MAY/N0305Fl80
   HADDY/N0420F330
   4602N07805W/N0500F350
   46N078W/M082F330
   DUB180040/N0350M0840

   Change of flight rules (maximum 3 characters)

   The point at which the change of flight rules is planned, expressed exactly as in (2) or (3) above as appropriate, followed by a space and one of the following:
   • VFR if from IFR to VFR
   • IFR if from VFR to IFR
   Examples: LN VFR
   LN/N0284A050 IFR

   Cruise climb (maximum 28 characters)The letter C followed by an oblique stroke; THEN the point at which cruise climb is planned to start, expressed exactly as in (2) above, followed by an oblique stroke; THEN the speed to be maintained during cruise climb, expressed exactly as in (a) above, followed by the two levels defining the layer to be occupied during cruise climb, each level expressed exactly as in (b) above, or the level above which cruise climb is planned followed by the letters PLUS, without a space between them.
   Examples: C/48N050W/M082F290F350
   C/48N050W/M082F290PLUS
   C/52N050W/M220F580F620.

Destination aerodrome and total estimated elapsed time
(8 characters)

INSERT the ICAO four-letter location indicator of the destination aerodrome as specified in Doc 7910, Location Indicators,
OR, if no location indicator has been assigned,
INSERT ZZZZ and SPECIFY in Item 18 the name and location of the aerodrome, preceded by DEST/.
THEN WITHOUT A SPACE
INSERT the total estimated elapsed time.

Note. — For a flight plan received from an aircraft in flight, the total estimated elapsed time is the estimated time from the first point of the route to which the flight plan applies to the termination point of the flight plan.

Destination alternate aerodrome(s)

INSERT the ICAO four-letter location indicator(s) of not more than two destination alternate aerodromes, as specified in Doc 7910, Location Indicators, separated by a space,
OR, if no location indicator has been assigned to the destination alternate aerodrome(s),
INSERT ZZZZ and SPECIFY in Item 18 the name and location of the destination alternate aerodrome(s), preceded by ALTN/.

Note. — Use of indicators not included under this item may result in data being rejected, processed incorrectly or lost.

Hyphens or oblique strokes should only be used as prescribed below.

INSERT 0 (zero) if no other information,

OR, any other necessary information in the sequence shown hereunder, in the form of the appropriate indicator selected from those defined hereunder followed by an oblique stroke and the information to be recorded:

PBN/ Indication of RNAV and/or RNP capabilities.

Include as many of the descriptors below, as apply to the flight, up to a maximum of 8 entries, i.e. a total of not more than 16 characters.

Combinations of alphanumeric characters not indicated above are reserved.

NAV/ Significant data related to navigation equipment, other than specified in PBN/, as required by the appropriate ATS authority. Indicate GNSS augmentation under this indicator, with a space between two or more methods of augmentation, e.g. NAV/GBAS SBAS.

COM/ Indicate communications applications or capabilities not specified in Item 10 a).

DAT/ Indicate data applications or capabilities not specified in 10 a).

SUR/ Include surveillance applications or capabilities not specified in Item 10 b).

DEP/ Name and location of departure aerodrome, if ZZZZ is inserted in Item 13, or the ATS unit from which supplementary flight plan data can be obtained, if AFIL is inserted in Item 13. For aerodromes not listed in the relevant Aeronautical Information Publication, indicate location as follows:
With 4 figures describing latitude in degrees and tens and units of minutes followed by “N” (North) or “S” (South), followed by 5 figures describing longitude in degrees and tens and units of minutes, followed by “E” (East) or “W” (West). Make up the correct number of figures, where necessary, by insertion of zeros, e.g. 4620N07805W (11 characters).
OR, Bearing and distance from the nearest significant point, as follows:
The identification of the significant point followed by the bearing from the point in the form of 3 figures giving degrees magnetic, followed by the distance from the point in the form of 3 figures expressing nautical miles. In areas of high latitude where it is determined by the appropriate authority that reference to degrees magnetic is impractical, degrees true may be used. Make up the correct number of figures, where necessary, by insertion of zeros, e.g. a point of 180° magnetic at a distance of 40 nautical miles from VOR “DUB” should be expressed as DUB180040.
OR, The first point of the route (name or LAT/LONG) or the marker radio beacon, if the aircraft has not taken off from an aerodrome.

DEST/ Name and location of destination aerodrome, if ZZZZ is inserted in Item 16. For aerodromes not listed in the relevant Aeronautical Information Publication, indicate location in LAT/LONG or bearing and distance from the nearest significant point, as described under DEP/ above.

DOF/ The date of flight departure in a six-figure format (YYMMDD, where YY equals the year, MM equals the month and DD equals the day).

REG/ The nationality or common mark and registration mark of the aircraft, if different from the aircraft identification in Item 7.

EET/ Significant points or FIR boundary designators and accumulated estimated elapsed times from take-off to such points or FIR boundaries, when so prescribed on the basis of regional air navigation agreements, or by the appropriate ATS authority.
Examples: EET/CAP0745 XYZ0830
EET/EINN0204

SEL/ SELCAL Code, for aircraft so equipped.

TYP/ Type(s) of aircraft, preceded if necessary without a space by number(s) of aircraft and separated by one space, if ZZZZ is inserted in Item 9.
Example: TYP/2F15 5F5 3B2

CODE/ Aircraft address (expressed in the form of an alphanumerical code of six hexadecimal characters) when required by the appropriate ATS authority. Example: “F00001” is the lowest aircraft address contained in the specific block administered by ICAO.

DLE/ Enroute delay or holding, insert the significant point(s) on the route where a delay is planned to occur, followed by the length of delay using four-figure time in hours and minutes (hhmm).
Example: DLE/MDG0030

OPR/ ICAO designator or name of the aircraft operating agency, if different from the aircraft identification in item 7.

ORGN/ The originator’s 8 letter AFTN address or other appropriate contact details, in cases where the originator of the flight plan may not be readily identified, as required by the appropriate ATS authority.
Note.— In some areas, flight plan reception centres may insert the ORGN/ identifier and originator’s AFTN address automatically.

PER/ Aircraft performance data, indicated by a single letter as specified in the Procedures for Air Navigation Services — Aircraft Operations (PANS-OPS, Doc 8168), Volume I — Flight Procedures, if so prescribed by the appropriate ATS authority.

ALTN/ Name of destination alternate aerodrome(s), if ZZZZ is inserted in Item 16. For aerodromes not listed in the relevant Aeronautical Information Publication, indicate location in LAT/LONG or bearing and distance from the nearest significant point, as described in DEP/ above.

RALT/ ICAO four letter indicator(s) for en-route alternate(s), as specified in Doc 7910, Location Indicators, or name(s) of en-route alternate aerodrome(s), if no indicator is allocated. For aerodromes not listed in the relevant Aeronautical Information Publication, indicate location in LAT/LONG or bearing and distance from the nearest significant point, as described in DEP/ above.

TALT/ ICAO four letter indicator(s) for take-off alternate, as specified in Doc 7910, Location Indicators, or name of take-off alternate aerodrome, if no indicator is allocated. For aerodromes not listed in the relevant Aeronautical Information Publication, indicate location in LAT/LONG or bearing and distance from the nearest significant point, as described in DEP/ above.

RIF/ The route details to the revised destination aerodrome, followed by the ICAO four-letter location indicator of the aerodrome. The revised route is subject to re-clearance in flight. Examples:
RIF/DTA HEC KLAX
RIF/ESP G94 CLA YPPH

RMK/ Any other plain-language remarks when required by the appropriate ATS authority or deemed necessary.

Endurance After E/ INSERT a 4-figure group giving the fuel endurance in hours and minutes.

Persons on board After P/
INSERT the total number of persons (passengers and crew) on board, when required by the appropriate ATS authority.
INSERT TBN (to be notified) if the total number of persons is not known at the time of filing.

Emergency and survival equipment

(RADIO) R/
• CROSS OUT U if UHF on frequency 243.0 MHz is not available.
• CROSS OUT V if VHF on frequency 121.5 MHz is not available.
• CROSS OUT E if emergency locator transmitter (ELT) is not available.

(SURVIVAL EQUIPMENT) S/
• CROSS OUT all indicators if survival equipment is not carried.
• CROSS OUT P if polar survival equipment is not carried.
• CROSS OUT D if desert survival equipment is not carried.
• CROSS OUT M if maritime survival equipment is not carried.
• CROSS OUT J if jungle survival equipment is not carried.

(JACKETS) J/ • CROSS OUT all indicators if life jackets are not carried.
• CROSS OUT L if life jackets are not equipped with lights.
• CROSS OUT F if life jackets are not equipped with fluorescein.
• CROSS OUT U or V or both as in R/ above to indicate radio capability of jackets, if any.

(DINGHIES) D/ (NUMBER)CROSS OUT indicators D and C if no dinghies are carried, or INSERT number of dinghies carried; and
(CAPACITY) INSERT total capacity, in persons, of all dinghies carried; and
(COVER) CROSS OUT indicator C if dinghies are not covered; and
(COLOUR) INSERT colour of dinghies if carried.

(AIRCRAFT COLOUR AND MARKINGS) A/
INSERT colour of aircraft and significant markings.

(REMARKS) N/
CROSS OUT indicator N if no remarks, or INDICATE any other survival equipment carried and any other remarks regarding survival equipment.

(PILOT) C/
INSERT name of pilot-in-command.