Breaking News.... (?)

The May date is the giveaway...this has been out for awhile. I asked ASA to
put it on their updates page when it first came out...don't know if they
did.

Bob Gardner

"john smith" wrote in message
...
REVISED AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT SUFFIX TABLE FOR FAA FLIGHT PLANS: EFFECTIVE
SEPTEMBER 1, 2005
1. Introduction.
a. Effective September 1, 2005, when filing an FAA Flight Plan (FAA Form
7233-1), operators will use a new set of aircraft equipment suffixes to
indicate Advanced RNAV and RVSM capabilities. Either "/J", "/K" "/L" or a
newly defined "/Q" will be filed to indicate Advanced RNAV and RVSM
capabilities. "/W" will continue to indicate RVSM capability only. The
revised aircraft equipment suffix table that will be effective on
September 1, 2005 is attached to this notice.
b. Equipment Suffix Definition Changes. The revised table also contains
significant changes to the definitions of "/E", "/F" and "/Q". The revised
table will replace that currently posted in the February 17, 2005 edition
of the Aeronautical Information Manual (AIM).
c. Important Note: Use of one of the new aircraft equipment suffixes prior
to September 1, 2005 will likely result in your flight plan being
rejected. Although due to publication cycles, the revised suffix table
will be published in the August 4, 2005 edition of the AIM, users are
cautioned to continue to use the suffixes defined in the February 17, 2005
edition of the AIM until September 1, 2005.
d. The September 1 change will mark the fourth and final phase of the plan
announced in October 2004 in FAA Notice GEN04006, Revised Aircraft
Equipment Suffix Table for FAA Flight Plans. GEN04006 outlined a phased
approach to enable operators to better indicate aircraft Advanced RNAV and
RVSM capabilities using aircraft equipment suffixes. Phase 3 was
implemented on January 20, 2005 to coincide with RVSM implementation in
the domestic U.S.
2. General Policies for FAA Flight Plan Equipment Suffix.
a. Operators can only file one equipment suffix in block 3 of the FAA
Flight Plan. Only this equipment suffix is displayed directly to the
controller.
b. If the operator or aircraft has not been authorized to conduct RVSM
operations, "/W", "/J", "/K", "/L" or "/Q" will not be filed. This is in
accordance with 14 CFR Part 91 Appendix G, Section 4. The appropriate
equipment suffix from the aircraft equipment suffix table will be filed
instead.
c. Aircraft with RNAV Capability. For flight in RVSM airspace, aircraft
with RNAV capability, but not Advanced RNAV capability, will file "/W".
Filing "/W" will not preclude such aircraft from filing and flying direct
routes in enroute airspace.
3. Policy for ICAO Flight Plan Equipment Suffixes.
a. Operators/aircraft that are RVSM-compliant and that file ICAO flight
plans will continue to file "/W" in block 10 (Equipment) to indicate RVSM
authorization and will also file the appropriate ICAO Flight Plan suffixes
to indicate navigation and communication capabilities. The equipment
suffixes contained in the attached table are for use only in FAA Flight
Plan (FAA Form 7233-1).
b. As of January 20, 2005, operators/aircraft that file ICAO flight plans
that include flight in Domestic U.S. RVSM airspace must file "/W" in block
10 to indicate RVSM authorization.
4. Importance of Flight Plan Equipment Suffixes. The operator must file
the appropriate equipment suffix in the equipment block of the FAA Flight
Plan or the ICAO Flight Plan. The equipment suffix informs ATC:
• Whether or not the operator and aircraft are authorized to fly in RVSM
airspace
• The navigation and/or transponder capability of the aircraft (e.g.,
Advanced RNAV, Transponder with Mode C)
5. Significant ATC uses of the flight plan equipment suffix information
a
• To issue or deny clearance into RVSM airspace
• To apply a 2,000 foot vertical separation minimum in RVSM airspace to
aircraft that are not authorized for RVSM, but are in one of the limited
categories of Non-RVSM operators/aircraft that the FAA has agreed to
accommodate.
• To determine if the aircraft has "Advanced RNAV" capabilities and can be
cleared to fly procedures for which that capability is required.
Aircraft Suffixes Effective September 1, 2005
Suffix Equipment Capability

NO DME
/X No transponder
/T Transponder with no Mode C
/U Transponder with Mode C

DME
/D No transponder
/B Transponder with no Mode C
/A Transponder with Mode C

TACAN ONLY
/M No transponder
/N Transponder with no Mode C
/P Transponder with Mode C

AREA NAVIGATION (RNAV)
/Y LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS with no transponder
/C LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS, transponder with no Mode C
/I LORAN, VOR/DME, or INS, transponder with Mode C

ADVANCED RNAV WITH TRANSPONDER AND MODE C (If an aircraft is unable to
operate with a transponder and/or Mode C, it will revert to the
appropriate code listed above under Area Navigation.)
/E Flight Management System (FMS) with DME/DME and IRU position updating
/F Flight Management System (FMS) with DME/DME position updating
/G Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), including GPS or WAAS, with
enroute and terminal capability.
/R Required Navigational Performance. The aircraft meets the RNP type
prescribed for the route segment(s), route(s) and/or area concerned.

Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM). Prior to conducting RVSM
operations within the U.S., the operator must obtain authorization from
the FAA or from the responsible authority, as appropriate.
/J /E with RVSM
/K /F with RVSM
/L /G with RVSM
/Q /R with RVSM
/W RVSM

(AFS-410, 05/11/05)