Equipment Suffix Question

[ZapBrannigan]

Ok guys. Tricky one here. What equipment suffix would you use for an aircraft with:

• DME
• FMS
• GPS and DME/DME position updating
• RVSM

but...

NOT able to comply with the requirements of AC90-100a that would allow the aircraft to file /G

[moxiepilot]

/e or /f

[ZapBrannigan]

Not /E because we don't have IRU. Maybe /F, but it doesn't mention anything about GPS or the ability to fly enroute.

Our only restriction at this time as that we're unable RNAV arrivals & departures. Hmm...

[moxiepilot]

yeah, tough scenerio

[BobDDuck]

I'd say either /K which is FMS with DME/DME and RVSM or /L which is GPS with enroute and terminal and RVSM. Basically everything that /Q is but with out RNP.

[ZapBrannigan]

Ok so would /L indicate that we are able RNAV arrivals and departures?

We're in the process of conducting the training required by AC90-100a after which we will be able to file /Q, but until then we're trying to figure out what to file.

We can NOT file or fly RNAV arrivals or departures in the interim.

[ghogue]

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan

Ok so would /L indicate that we are able RNAV arrivals and departures?

We're in the process of conducting the training required by AC90-100a after which we will be able to file /Q, but until then we're trying to figure out what to file.

We can NOT file or fly RNAV arrivals or departures in the interim.

Can't file /L if you can't file /G.

[ZapBrannigan]

Right. My question would be are the "terminal" operations they talk about in /G arrivals, departures, and approaches, or approaches only?

If the former, then it seems like /K or /W are our only choices.

[ghogue]

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan

Right. My question would be are the "terminal" operations they talk about in /G arrivals, departures, and approaches, or approaches only?

If the former, then it seems like /K or /W are our only choices.

Equipment suffixes do not specifically address approach capabilities as far as I know. /G includes terminal and it's up to the individual pilot to know the capability of his equipment (i.e. is it approach certified?). Sounds like /K would work for FMS with DME/DME updating, but you say "We can NOT file or fly RNAV arrivals or departures in the interim." Maybe/W is your only option in this situation.

gary

[Dugie8]

file /k and put in the remarks, No SID/STAR

[ZapBrannigan]

That's an option Dugie, but it is unnecessarily restrictive. We can fly SIDs and STARs, just not RNAV SIDs/STARs with RNP.

[AlWaYs HiGh]

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan

That's an option Dugie, but it is unnecessarily restrictive. We can fly SIDs and STARs, just not RNAV SIDs/STARs with RNP.

Thats why you put "No RNAV SIDS/STARS" in the remarks section, thats what i've been doing.

[Stone Cold]

Originally Posted by AlWaYs HiGh

Thats why you put "No RNAV SIDS/STARS" in the remarks section, thats what i've been doing.

That's what we've been doing. It's pretty short-sighted of the FAA to put that crud out there for everybody to figure out how to file, go through training, etc., just so we can use RNAV SIDS/STARS.

Oh well...the controllers are not happy about it but it is their organization that's doing it.

[puddlejumper]

Originally Posted by AlWaYs HiGh

Thats why you put "No RNAV SIDS/STARS" in the remarks section, thats what i've been doing.

And how's that working out for you? I've found the only reliable way of avoiding the RNAV Arrival/Departure clearances from ATC is to file /W or /A into/out of the airports that use them. The Barin arrival into IAD is the same as the Coatt, most south Florida airports have both too. The Jaike arrival into TEB gets messy though. They give a clearance with airway/radial intercepts, blah, blah blah. I used to just request, and get "fly the fixes of the Jaike1 arrival" instead of the clearance for the procedure. Try to explain to ATC what RNAV1 means and what the AC 90-100A compliance table is all about. What a headache that can be! Just file /W, that's my advice.

PJ

[grnclvrs]

We are going through this right now. We have a few airplanes that have RNAV but the performance is lacking so we can't do arrivals, departures, or approaches. We file /K.

[coa787]

How many equipment suffixes are there and what do they mean? I've seen things like "B733/J" or "B735/Q" or even ones that included a prefix like "H/B772/Q", but I have no idea what the letters stand for.

[puddlejumper]

The suffixes were updated back in 2005. Here's a LINK to the FAA Notice.

July 31, 2005

REVISED AIRCRAFT EQUIPMENT

SUFFIX TABLE FOR FAA FLIGHT PLANS:

EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 1, 2005

1. Introduction. An effective time of “0901 UTC” is added for this update.

a. Effective September 1, 2005 at 0901 UTC, 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 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 at 0901 UTC 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 and RVSM 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 are:

·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.

FAA Flight Plan 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, 7/31/05)

[coa787]

Awesome, thanks a lot!

[puddlejumper]

This is from a discussion a little over a year ago about the prefixes that used to be used and the NOTAM changing their use.

The NOTAM quoted below refers to equipment prefixes for the aircraft type, not for the registration number. B/, F/, L/ and T/ used to be prefixes used to show, on the flightplan, that your aircraft type was heavy w/ TCAS, B757 non-heavy w/ TCAS, B757 non-heavy and TCAS equipped, respectively. So, if your Citation 2 had TCAS, you would file your type as "T/C550". The only accepted type prefix now will be H/, the heavy indicator. The air taxi and Lifeguard flight prefixes are attached to the registration number, like TN234FX or LN550A. Seems like several fractionals operating under 135 use TN still. I see FlexJet do it all the time.

FDC **6/2384** (KFDC A0037/06) FDC ... FLIGHT PLAN FILING ... FLIGHT PLANS FILED WITH THE PREFIX B/, F/, L/, AND T/ AFTER JUNE 1, 2006 WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. FLIGHT PLANS CONTAINING PREFIXES OTHER THAN NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT OR H/, WILL BE REJECTED. REJECTED FLIGHT PLANS WILL REQUIRE REFILING. FAILURE TO COMPLY WILL CAUSE DELAYS.

[coa787]

Cool. Thanks man.