Pilots Must Notify ATC When Deviating From Planned Course

The National Business Aviation Association (NBAA) sent notice to its members Monday that the FAA has issued an Information for Operators (InFO) message regarding operations over oceans. The InFO stresses the need for pilots to coordinate with the appropriate ATC facility when they plan a maneuver away from a cleared route in oceanic airspace.

Recent technology onboard air carrier, Future Air Navigation System (FANS)-equipped aircraft and in oceanic ATC facilities has meant that maneuvers away from planned tracks in excess of strategic lateral offset procedures can be automatically reported.

NBAA says that as ATC capacity enhancements such as reduced aircraft separation come into use, maneuvers away from assigned track without coordination become a greater concern.

Operators are strongly encouraged to maintain or refresh their awareness of the need for timely and effective communication of a crew's intentions and/or actions regarding maneuvers in oceanic and other non-radar airspace.

Much like a safety alert for operators (SAFO), which contains critical safety information, an InFO message contains valuable information for operators that should help them meet administrative requirements or certain regulatory requirements with relatively low urgency or impact on safety. InFOs contain information and recommended action to be taken by the respective operators identified in each InFO message.

FMI: www.nbaa.org/intl, www.faa.gov/safety