Information relative to an intended flight or portion of a flight, to be provided to air traffic services units, shall be in the form of a flight plan. The term ‘flight plan’ is used to mean variously, full information on all items comprised in the flight plan description, covering the whole route of a flight, or limited information required, inter alia, when the purpose is to obtain a clearance for a minor portion of a flight such as to cross an airway, to take off from, or to land at a controlled aerodrome.
The EUR RVSM flight planning requirements for the completion of the ICAO Flight Plan Form are contained in the ICAO EUR Regional Supplementary Procedures (Doc 7030).
Furthermore, the following requirement is in addition to the flight planning requirements contained in the ICAO EUR Regional Supplementary Procedures (Doc 7030):
In addition to military operations, operators of customs or police aircraft shall insert the letter M in Item 8 of the ICAO Flight Plan Form.
1.1.1 Submission of a flight plan shall normally be the duty of the pilot-in-command or of his deputy, except that for flights within the operation of an air transport enterprise, a flight plan may also be submitted by a representative of the operating agency.
1.1.2 In accordance with European Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923 /2012 a flight plan shall be submitted prior to operating:
1.1.3 Direct submission with IFPS (Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System)
Detailed procedures are published in the IFPS Users Manual of the Network Operations Handbook.
The Handbook is available at
URL: https://www.eurocontrol.int/publication/ifps-users-manual
1.1.4 Acceptance of flight plans filed via an electronic system
With respect to the 8.33 kHz channel spacing capable radio equipment requirements for IFR flights, the IFPS from 01 January, 2018 may send one of the following:
1.1.5 Consultation by ARO Riga
a. Consultation will be provided on request by phone +37167300642, +37167783761, +371 67300645 for flight plans, which are/or to be submitted.
b. Any Operational Reply Message (Acknowledgment (ACK), Manual (MAN), Rejection (REJ)) received at ARO Riga is kept available for the flight plan originators (aircraft operators, agencies concerned, pilots-in-command), who are responsible for collecting and responding to such messages at their discretion.
1.1.6 Submission of a flight plan during the flight (Air-filed flight plan (AFIL))
Flight plans may be filed during the flight, if warranted by certain circumstances (e.g. due to unforeseen weather changes, emergency situations). In this case the FIS will accept the flight plan data and will forward the flight plan to ARO Riga for further transmission to the competent units.
1.2.1 Time of submission
A flight plan for any flight planned to operate across international borders or to be provided with air traffic control service or air traffic advisory service shall be submitted as follows:
1. not more than 120 hours before the estimated off-block time;
2. at least 3 hours before the estimated off-block time for flights that may be subject to air traffic flow management measures;
3. at least 60 minutes before departure for all other flights not covered in point 2;
4. if submitted during the flight, at a time which ensures its receipt by the appropriate ATS unit, at least 10 minutes before the aircraft is estimated to reach:
1.2.2 Place of submission
1. Flight plans shall be submitted before departure to the ATS reporting office (ARO) Riga or during a flight to a corresponding ATS unit.
2. Flight plans shall be submitted to ARO Riga by phone : +371 67300645, +371 67300642, +371 67783761.
When submitting the flight plan by telephone, the sequence of fields in the ICAO flight plan format shall be followed.
3. Flight plans can be submitted by registered users via LGS Internet Briefing on URL: https://ibs.lgs.lv.
If the flight plan is submitted via Internet Briefing it has to be accepted by the system before the flight, otherwise the transmission of the flight plan is not guaranteed.
1.2.3 Contents and format of a flight plan
The formats and requirements for completing the Flight Plan Form, defined by ICAO Doc 4444 shall be strictly adhered to.
A flight plan shall include all information considered relevant by the competent authority as regards the following:
For flight plans submitted during the flight, the departure aerodrome or operating site provided shall be the location from which supplementary information concerning the flight may be obtained, if required. Additionally, the information to be provided in lieu of the estimated off-block time shall be the time over the first point of the route to which the flight plan relates.
A flight plan shall contain information, as applicable, on relevant items up to and including ‘Alternate aerodrome(s) or operating site(s)’ regarding the whole route or the portion thereof for which the flight plan is submitted.
When a flight plan is submitted, the sequence of items on the flight plan form shall be strictly adhered to.
Aircraft operators, flight plan originators and air traffic services units shall comply with the following:
1. the instructions for completion of the flight plan form contained in Appendix 6 of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012;
2. any constraints identified in relevant Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs).
Aircraft operators, or the agents that act on their behalf, which intend to operate within the single European sky airspace for a portion of or the entire route in accordance with IFR shall insert the appropriate indicator for the aircraft equipment available on board and its capabilities in accordance with Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1770 in the relevant item in the flight plan.
Operators of aircraft not equipped in accordance with Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1770 which intend to operate within the single European sky airspace shall insert the appropriate indicator for the aircraft equipment available on board and its capabilities, and any potential exemptions in the relevant items in the flight plan.
The flight plan shall, in addition, contain information, as applicable, on all other items when so prescribed by the competent authority or when otherwise deemed necessary by the person submitting the flight plan.
1.2.4 Adherence to airspace utilization rules and availability
No flight plans shall be filed via the airspace of the Riga FIR that deviate from the State restrictions defined within the Route Availability Document (RAD). This common European reference document contains all airspace utilisation rules and availability for the Riga FIR and any reference to them shall be made via
URL:https://www.nm.eurocontrol.int/RAD/index.html
1.2.5 Authorisation for special flights
Flights of a specific character such as survey flights, scientific research flights etc., may be exempt from the restriction specified above.
Request for exemption shall be submitted so as to be received at least one week before the intended day of operations to:
Post:
Civil Aviation Agency
Lidosta “Rīga”, Biroju iela 10
Mārupes pagasts, Mārupes novads
LV-1053, Latvija
Tel: +371 67830953
Fax: +371 67830967
Email: caa@caa.gov.lv
AFS: NIL
NIL
All changes to a flight plan submitted for an IFR flight, or a VFR flight operated as a controlled flight, shall be reported:
1. during the pre-flight phase, to the Network Manager for flights intended to operate in accordance with IFR for a portion of or the entire route, and to air traffic services reporting offices as soon as practicable;
2. during the flight to the appropriate air traffic services unit.
For other VFR flights, significant changes to a flight plan shall be reported as soon as practicable to the appropriate air traffic services unit.
In the event of a delay of 30 minutes in excess of the estimated off-block time for a VFR controlled flight or a delay of 30 minutes for a VFR uncontrolled flight for which a flight plan has been submitted, the flight plan shall be amended, or a new flight plan submitted, and the old flight plan cancelled, whichever is applicable. For any flight operated in accordance with IFR, delays of more than 15 minutes shall be communicated to the Network Manager.
In the case of a change in the aircraft equipment and its capability status for a flight, aircraft operators, or the agents that act on their behalf, shall send a modification message to the Network Manager or the air traffic services reporting offices with the appropriate indicator inserted in the relevant item of the flight plan form.
Information submitted prior to departure regarding fuel endurance or total number of persons carried on board, if incorrect at the time of departure, constitutes a significant change to the flight plan and, as such, shall be reported.
Whenever a flight, for which a flight plan has been submitted, is cancelled, the appropriate ATS unit shall be informed immediately.
If any flight departs from an uncontrolled Latvian aerodrome, airfield or heliport, after departure, the pilot shall activate the FPL (if submitted) and report the actual time of departure to the nearest ATS unit.
3.2.1 A flight plan will be considered as closed after receipt of the arrival report.
3.2.2 An arrival report shall be made in person, by radiotelephony or via data link at the earliest possible moment after landing, to the appropriate ATS unit at the arrival aerodrome, by any flight for which a flight plan has been submitted covering the entire flight or the remaining portion of a flight to the destination aerodrome.
3.2.3 Submission of an arrival report is not required after landing at an aerodrome where ATS are provided on condition that radio communication or visual signals indicate that the landing has been observed.
3.2.4 When no ATS unit exists at the arrival aerodrome or operating site, the arrival report shall be made as soon as practicable after landing and by the quickest means available to the ARO Riga:
AFS: EVRAZPZX
Tel: +371 67300642, +371 67300645, +371 67783761
3.2.5 When a flight plan has been submitted which only covers a portion of a flight, other than the remaining portion of a flight to its destination, it shall be closed by submission of an appropriate report to the relevant ATS unit. This report cannot be considered as an arrival report.
3.2.6 When communication facilities at the arrival aerodrome or operating site are known to be inadequate and alternative arrangements for the handling of arrival reports on the ground are not available, the following action shall be taken. Immediately prior to landing the aircraft shall, if practicable, transmit to the appropriate ATS unit, a message comparable to an arrival report, where such a report is required. Normally, this transmission shall be made to the aeronautical station serving the ATS unit in charge of the FIR in which the aircraft is operated.
3.2.7 If it is expected that the arrival report will not reach the appropriate ATS unit within 30 minutes after the ETA, a notification shall be made in item 18 of the flight plan, providing information about the time when the arrival report may be expected (e.g RMK/EXPECT ARR REPORT 1520).
Arrival reports made by aircraft shall contain the following elements of information:
4.1.1 Flight plan and associated messages need ONLY be addressed to the two IFPS units, as follows:
For AFTN - EUCHZMFP and EUCBZMFP
For SITA - BRUEP7X and PAREP7X
Note 1: All flight plans and associated messages must be addressed to both IFPUs
Note 2: Specific addresses for any VFR flights shall be added by the originator, preferably by using the Re-addressing function described in paragraph 4.4 below.
4.2.1 For that portion of the flight within the Riga FIR, only the two IFPUs need to be addressed, as indicated in paragraph 4.1.1 above.
4.3.1 For that portion of the flight within the Riga FIR, only the two IFPUs need to be addressed, as indicated in paragraph 4.1.1 above.
4.3.2 For any portion of the flight outside the IFPS zone, the flight plan message originator is responsible for addressing the flight plan and associated messages to all appropriate ATS units in accordance with ICAO Doc 4444 procedures. The procedure in paragraph 4.4 below, describes the preferred way of addressing as it ensures consistency between messages distributed within and outside the IFPS zone. This procedure will enable the IFPS to distribute a validated flight plan or associated message to any additional AFTN address which is included in the address line as described below.
4.4.1 Any additional addresses to be included should be placed after the originator information line and immediately before the open bracket which indicates the beginning of the message. An example of an AFTN message with such additional addresses is given below:
ZCZC BOC548 250925
FF EUCBZMFP EUCHZMFP
250920 EVRAZPZX
AD ADDRESS1 ADDRESS2 ADDRESS3 ADDRESS4 ADDRESS5 ADDRESS6 ADDRESS7
AD ADDRESS8
(FPL-BTI683-IS
-B735/M-SRYW/S
-EVRA1430
-……….
-………
The following rules apply:
5.1 Flight plan originators wishing to test FPLs with the IFPUV, prior to their submission to the operational IFPS, may submit them via either AFTN or SITA to one of the following addresses:
AFTN: EUCHZMFV
SITA: BRUEY7X
5.2 Test flight plans may be submitted with a DATE OF FLIGHT (DOF) up to 120 hours (5 days) in advance by means of DOF/ in Item 18, in the format DOF/yymmdd where “yy” is the year indicator, “mm” is the month and “dd” is the day. The system will respond to the flight plan submission by means of a Reply Message in the form of either an Acknowledgement (ACK) which indicates that if the FPL is submitted to IFPS, the FPL would pass automatic processing or a Rejection (REJ) which indicates a failure. In the case of REJ the Reply Message will contain a system generated indication of the reason for failure. The IFPUV does not generate Manual (MAN) messages.
5.3 Every Reply Message from the IFPUV contains the phrase “This message has been sent by a test system and must not be used operationally”. This message is added to ensure that there is no confusion between submissions to the test system and those to the operational IFPS.
5.4 The IFPUV is not connected to the operational IFPS and test messages are neither distributed nor stored in the system. Since FPLs are not stored in the IFPUV, flight plan associated messages (i.e. CHG, DLA, CNL, RQP, etc.) are rejected by the IFPUV with the message: “ERROR: no existing filed flight plan matches this message”.
Further details concerning all aspects of IFPS operations can be found in the IFPS User Manual part of the Network Operations Handbook, which is available via the Network Operations Library at:
URL:https://www.eurocontrol.int/publication/ifps-users-manual