[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":533},["ShallowReactive",2],{"learn-\u002Flearn\u002Fdecoding-the-icao-flight-plan":3,"learn-nav-\u002Flearn\u002Fdecoding-the-icao-flight-plan":501},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":436,"description":437,"draft":438,"extension":439,"faqs":440,"howTo":450,"keyTakeaways":459,"meta":460,"navigation":461,"path":462,"quiz":463,"seo":489,"series":459,"seriesOrder":459,"sources":490,"stem":498,"topic":499,"__hash__":500},"learn\u002Flearn\u002Fdecoding-the-icao-flight-plan.md","Decoding the ICAO flight plan",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":425},"minimark",[9,13,19,24,47,51,54,67,126,139,193,197,253,257,260,265,289,294,342,346,354,358,414,418],[10,11,12],"p",{},"A filed flight plan tells air traffic control not just where you are going but what your aircraft can do, and most of that capability is packed into two fields that reward learning to read.",[14,15,16],"blockquote",{},[10,17,18],{},"This is general educational information, not operational, legal, or regulatory advice. Rules differ by authority and change over time. Always verify against current official sources and follow your operator's approved procedures.",[20,21,23],"h2",{"id":22},"the-icao-flight-plan-form","The ICAO flight plan form",[10,25,26,27,34,35,40,41,46],{},"The flight plan filed with air traffic services follows the ICAO model form, defined in ",[28,29,33],"a",{"href":30,"rel":31},"https:\u002F\u002Fstore.icao.int\u002Fen\u002Fprocedures-for-air-navigation-services-air-traffic-management-doc-4444",[32],"nofollow","ICAO Doc 4444 (PANS-ATM), Appendix 2",". Its numbered items run from the aircraft identification (Item 7) through the route and times to the supplementary information, and the same form is filed worldwide. In Europe it is processed by the EUROCONTROL Integrated Initial Flight Plan Processing System, whose rules are set out in the ",[28,36,39],{"href":37,"rel":38},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.eurocontrol.int\u002Fpublication\u002Fifps-users-manual",[32],"IFPS Users Manual","; in the United States the same ICAO form is filed as FAA Form 7233-4, with guidance in the ",[28,42,45],{"href":43,"rel":44},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.faa.gov\u002Fair_traffic\u002Fpublications\u002Fatpubs\u002Faim_html\u002Fappendix_4.html",[32],"FAA AIM, Appendix 4",". Two items carry most of the capability information, and they are the ones worth decoding in detail: Item 10 and Item 18.",[20,48,50],{"id":49},"item-10-equipment-and-capabilities","Item 10: equipment and capabilities",[10,52,53],{},"Item 10 describes what the aircraft is fitted with and approved for. It splits at an oblique stroke into two halves.",[10,55,56,60,61,66],{},[57,58,59],"strong",{},"Item 10a"," lists communication, navigation, and approach-aid equipment. The ",[28,62,65],{"href":63,"rel":64},"https:\u002F\u002Flearningzone.eurocontrol.int\u002Filp\u002Fcustoms\u002FFPL\u002F",[32],"EUROCONTROL Flight Plan Guide"," and FAA Appendix 4 give the letters; the common ones are:",[68,69,70,80,88,114],"ul",{},[71,72,73,79],"li",{},[57,74,75],{},[76,77,78],"code",{},"N"," no equipment, or it is unserviceable.",[71,81,82,87],{},[57,83,84],{},[76,85,86],{},"S"," the standard fit (VHF radiotelephony, VOR, and ILS).",[71,89,90,95,96,101,102,107,108,113],{},[57,91,92],{},[76,93,94],{},"D"," DME, ",[57,97,98],{},[76,99,100],{},"G"," GNSS, ",[57,103,104],{},[76,105,106],{},"F"," ADF, ",[57,109,110],{},[76,111,112],{},"O"," VOR.",[71,115,116,121,122,125],{},[57,117,118],{},[76,119,120],{},"R"," PBN approved, with the specific navigation specifications given in Item 18 under ",[76,123,124],{},"PBN\u002F",".",[10,127,128,131,132,138],{},[57,129,130],{},"Item 10b"," lists surveillance equipment, mainly the transponder and any ",[28,133,137],{"href":134,"className":135},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-ads-b",[136],"glossary-link","ADS-B",". Reading these precisely matters:",[68,140,141,160,179],{},[71,142,143,147,148,153,154,159],{},[57,144,145],{},[76,146,78],{}," none; ",[57,149,150],{},[76,151,152],{},"A"," Mode A transponder; ",[57,155,156],{},[76,157,158],{},"C"," Mode A and Mode C.",[71,161,162,166,167,172,173,178],{},[57,163,164],{},[76,165,86],{}," ",[28,168,171],{"href":169,"className":170},"\u002Flearn\u002Fglossary#gt-mode-s",[136],"Mode S"," transmitting pressure altitude and aircraft identification; ",[57,174,175],{},[76,176,177],{},"E"," Mode S with the same plus extended squitter (you file the letter that matches the unit, not several at once).",[71,180,181,186,187,192],{},[57,182,183],{},[76,184,185],{},"B1"," ADS-B \"out\", ",[57,188,189],{},[76,190,191],{},"B2"," ADS-B \"out\" and \"in\".",[20,194,196],{"id":195},"item-18-other-information","Item 18: other information",[10,198,199,200,203,204,208,209,212,213,215,216,219,220,219,223,219,226,229,230,233,234,219,237,240,241,244,245,248,249,252],{},"Item 18 carries everything that does not fit the earlier boxes, written as ",[57,201,202],{},"keyword indicators",", each a label followed by an oblique stroke and run together with spaces between. They are entered in the sequence shown in ",[28,205,207],{"href":30,"rel":206},[32],"ICAO Doc 4444",", and the common indicators are ",[76,210,211],{},"DOF\u002F"," (date of flight), ",[76,214,124],{}," (the navigation specifications), ",[76,217,218],{},"NAV\u002F",", ",[76,221,222],{},"COM\u002F",[76,224,225],{},"DAT\u002F",[76,227,228],{},"SUR\u002F"," (further equipment notes), ",[76,231,232],{},"DEP\u002F"," and ",[76,235,236],{},"DEST\u002F",[76,238,239],{},"REG\u002F"," (registration), ",[76,242,243],{},"EET\u002F"," (estimated elapsed times to points or boundaries), ",[76,246,247],{},"SEL\u002F"," (SELCAL code), and ",[76,250,251],{},"RMK\u002F"," (plain-language remarks).",[20,254,256],{"id":255},"a-worked-example","A worked example",[10,258,259],{},"Take an aircraft filing:",[10,261,262],{},[76,263,264],{},"Item 10:  SDFGR\u002FS",[68,266,267,281],{},[71,268,269,271,272,95,274,107,276,101,278,280],{},[76,270,86],{}," standard fit, ",[76,273,94],{},[76,275,106],{},[76,277,100],{},[76,279,120],{}," PBN approved, all in 10a;",[71,282,283,284,286,287,125],{},"after the stroke, ",[76,285,86],{}," in 10b: a Mode S transponder reporting pressure altitude and aircraft identification. An aircraft with ADS-B out would add ",[76,288,185],{},[10,290,291],{},[76,292,293],{},"Item 18:  PBN\u002FB2D2 DOF\u002F260605 REG\u002FGABCD EET\u002FLFFF0035 SEL\u002FABCD RMK\u002FNIL",[68,295,296,312,318,324,330,336],{},[71,297,298,301,302,305,306,308,309,311],{},[76,299,300],{},"PBN\u002FB2D2"," gives the performance-based navigation capabilities (here RNAV using GNSS); the exact two-character codes are defined in ",[28,303,207],{"href":30,"rel":304},[32],", and ",[76,307,124],{}," is required whenever ",[76,310,120],{}," appears in Item 10a.",[71,313,314,317],{},[76,315,316],{},"DOF\u002F260605"," is the date of flight, 5 June 2026, in year-month-day form.",[71,319,320,323],{},[76,321,322],{},"REG\u002FGABCD"," is the aircraft registration, G-ABCD.",[71,325,326,329],{},[76,327,328],{},"EET\u002FLFFF0035"," is an estimated elapsed time of 35 minutes to the Paris flight information region boundary.",[71,331,332,335],{},[76,333,334],{},"SEL\u002FABCD"," is the SELCAL code.",[71,337,338,341],{},[76,339,340],{},"RMK\u002FNIL"," is the remarks field, here empty.",[20,343,345],{"id":344},"why-the-codes-matter","Why the codes matter",[10,347,348,349,353],{},"The equipment and capability codes are not box-ticking. Air traffic systems read Item 10 and Item 18 to decide what an aircraft is eligible for: a performance-based-navigation route or an RNP approach is open only to an aircraft whose filed capability supports it, so under-declaring can cost you a route you could have flown, while claiming a capability the aircraft does not have, or one that is unserviceable, is a misdeclaration. The ",[28,350,352],{"href":37,"rel":351},[32],"EUROCONTROL IFPS"," validates these fields against the requested route at the moment of filing, which is why an Item 10 that disagrees with Item 18, or with the route, is one of the most common reasons a plan is bounced back for correction.",[20,355,357],{"id":356},"common-pitfalls","Common pitfalls",[68,359,360,384,396,408],{},[71,361,362,365,366,368,369,371,372,375,376,219,378,380,381,383],{},[57,363,364],{},"Item 10 and Item 18 must agree."," An ",[76,367,120],{}," in 10a without ",[76,370,124],{}," codes in Item 18, or a ",[76,373,374],{},"Z"," anywhere in Item 10 without the matching ",[76,377,218],{},[76,379,222],{},", or ",[76,382,225],{}," detail in Item 18, is a common rejection.",[71,385,386,389,390,392,393,395],{},[57,387,388],{},"Surveillance letters are not additive in the old way."," File the single letter that matches the transponder fitted (for example ",[76,391,86],{}," or ",[76,394,177],{},"), not a string of overlapping codes.",[71,397,398,403,404,407],{},[57,399,400,402],{},[76,401,211],{}," is year-month-day,"," so ",[76,405,406],{},"260605"," is 5 June 2026, not 6 May.",[71,409,410,413],{},[57,411,412],{},"The form is the same, the validation is not."," EUROCONTROL's IFPS and the FAA apply their own checks, so a plan accepted in one region can be queried in another.",[20,415,417],{"id":416},"in-pilot-efb","In Pilot EFB",[10,419,420,421,424],{},"Pilot EFB is a study and planning aid that keeps your weather, NOTAMs, flight time, and logbook in one offline-first place. It does ",[57,422,423],{},"not"," file flight plans and is not a flight-planning or dispatch system, nor a certified Electronic Flight Bag, so build and file your flight plan through your approved flight-planning provider or the official channel, and use this article to understand what the codes mean rather than as a filing tool. Saved briefings stay readable offline; pulling fresh data needs a connection.",{"title":426,"searchDepth":427,"depth":427,"links":428},"",2,[429,430,431,432,433,434,435],{"id":22,"depth":427,"text":23},{"id":49,"depth":427,"text":50},{"id":195,"depth":427,"text":196},{"id":255,"depth":427,"text":256},{"id":344,"depth":427,"text":345},{"id":356,"depth":427,"text":357},{"id":416,"depth":427,"text":417},"2026-06-05","How the ICAO flight plan form is built, with a field-by-field decode of Item 10 equipment and capabilities and Item 18 other information, plus the codes that trip filers up.",false,"md",[441,444,447],{"q":442,"a":443},"What is Item 10 on an ICAO flight plan?","Item 10 lists the aircraft's equipment and capabilities. It splits at an oblique stroke into Item 10a for communication, navigation and approach-aid equipment, and Item 10b for surveillance equipment such as transponders and ADS-B. The codes are defined in ICAO Doc 4444 and reproduced in the EUROCONTROL and FAA filing guides.",{"q":445,"a":446},"What goes in Item 18 of an ICAO flight plan?","Item 18 carries other information that does not fit the earlier boxes, written as keyword indicators each followed by an oblique stroke, such as DOF for the date of flight, PBN for the navigation specifications, REG for the registration, EET for estimated elapsed times, SEL for the SELCAL code and RMK for remarks.",{"q":448,"a":449},"Why must Item 10 and Item 18 agree?","Some Item 10 codes are only meaningful with detail in Item 18. An R in Item 10a, meaning the aircraft is PBN approved, must be backed by the specific PBN codes in Item 18, and a Z in Item 10 signals that further information appears in Item 18. If they do not match, the flight plan can be rejected.",{"name":451,"steps":452},"How to read Item 10 and Item 18 of an ICAO flight plan",[453,454,455,456,457,458],"Find Item 10 and split it at the oblique stroke into 10a, communication, navigation and approach-aid equipment, and 10b, surveillance equipment.","Read the 10a letters: S for the standard fit, then individual letters such as D for DME, G for GNSS, F for ADF, and R for PBN approval.","Read the 10b letters for the transponder and ADS-B capability, for example C for Mode A and Mode C, S for Mode S, or B1 and B2 for ADS-B out and out-and-in.","Go to Item 18 and read the indicators in order, each a keyword followed by an oblique stroke.","Decode the common Item 18 indicators: DOF date of flight, PBN navigation specifications, REG registration, EET estimated elapsed times, SEL SELCAL code, and RMK remarks.","Check that Item 10 and Item 18 agree, for example that an R in 10a is backed by PBN codes in Item 18.",null,{},true,"\u002Flearn\u002Fdecoding-the-icao-flight-plan",[464,473,481],{"q":465,"options":466,"answer":471,"explanation":472},"On an ICAO flight plan, what does Item 10 describe?",[467,468,469,470],"The aircraft's equipment and capabilities","The aircraft identification","The estimated elapsed times to boundaries","Plain-language remarks",0,"Item 10 describes what the aircraft is fitted with and approved for. It splits at an oblique stroke into Item 10a for communication, navigation and approach-aid equipment, and Item 10b for surveillance equipment.",{"q":474,"options":475,"answer":427,"explanation":480},"In Item 10a, what does the letter R indicate?",[476,477,478,479],"The standard fit of VHF radiotelephony, VOR, and ILS","A Mode S transponder","PBN approved, with the specific navigation specifications given in Item 18 under PBN\u002F","No equipment, or it is unserviceable","An R in Item 10a means the aircraft is PBN approved, and PBN\u002F is required in Item 18 whenever R appears in Item 10a.",{"q":482,"options":483,"answer":427,"explanation":488},"In Item 18, how is the date of flight DOF\u002F written, so that 260605 means which date?",[484,485,486,487],"Day-month-year, so 6 May 2026","Month-day-year, so 6 May 2026","Year-month-day, so 5 June 2026","Year-day-month, so 6 May 2026","DOF\u002F is year-month-day, so 260605 is 5 June 2026, not 6 May.",{"title":5,"description":437},[491,493,495,496],{"label":492,"url":30},"ICAO Doc 4444: PANS-ATM (Air Traffic Management), Appendix 2",{"label":494,"url":37},"EUROCONTROL IFPS Users Manual",{"label":65,"url":63},{"label":497,"url":43},"FAA Aeronautical Information Manual, Appendix 4 (FAA Form 7233-4, International Flight Plan)","learn\u002Fdecoding-the-icao-flight-plan","Briefing","svrg5XzKXsdg1OXqxLSM3ZJxK2mXMck34IHGzwCYze0",{"related":502,"newer":520,"older":525,"series":459},[503,509,515],{"path":504,"title":505,"description":506,"date":507,"topic":499,"draft":438,"minutes":508,"series":459,"seriesOrder":459},"\u002Flearn\u002Ficao-vs-iata-codes","ICAO vs IATA codes explained","The difference between the 4-letter ICAO location indicators used for flight planning and weather and the 3-letter IATA codes on your boarding pass, plus airline codes and callsigns.","2026-06-20",3,{"path":510,"title":511,"description":512,"date":513,"topic":499,"draft":438,"minutes":514,"series":459,"seriesOrder":459},"\u002Flearn\u002Funderstanding-notams","Understanding NOTAMs","What a NOTAM is, how the ICAO format and Q-line are built, the difference between NOTAMN, NOTAMR and NOTAMC, and how to deal with NOTAM overload.","2026-06-15",4,{"path":516,"title":517,"description":518,"date":519,"topic":499,"draft":438,"minutes":514,"series":459,"seriesOrder":459},"\u002Flearn\u002Foffline-first-preflight-briefing","The offline-first preflight briefing","What the rules require you to check before flight, how to build a self-brief, and the honest difference between offline-first and working fully offline.","2026-06-11",{"path":521,"title":522,"description":523,"date":524,"topic":499,"draft":438,"minutes":514,"series":459,"seriesOrder":459},"\u002Flearn\u002Fthe-aip-and-airac-cycle","The AIP and the AIRAC cycle","What an Aeronautical Information Publication is, how its GEN, ENR and AD parts are organised, and why aeronautical data changes on the fixed 28-day AIRAC cycle.","2026-06-06",{"path":526,"title":527,"description":528,"date":529,"topic":530,"draft":438,"minutes":514,"series":531,"seriesOrder":532},"\u002Flearn\u002Fairspace-classes-explained","Airspace classes explained","The ICAO airspace classes A to G, the service and separation each one provides, and how the US, Europe and the UK implement the same letters differently.","2026-06-04","Operations","plan-a-vfr-cross-country",1,1781989191959]