1. ICAO 2012 Network Operations Update
Presented by Andy Woollin 10th October 2012

2. In April this year we entered transition mode, allowing either NEW or PRESENT flight plans.  We receive a small number of NEW flight plans, and are experiencing no operational problems. 
3.3% (1000 out of 30,000) of the flight plans that we receive are flagged as “BOTH“, which are valid under NEW or PRESENT (OLD) rules.
There are very few problems in IFPS with conflicting ‘OLD’ and ‘NEW’ fields in flight plan messages.

3. CHG message with partial Field 18 information
IFPS replaces the complete stored Field 18 information with the Field 18 information contained in CHG messages.
There are still some airlines that are sending partial Field 18 information in CHG messages and are potentially removing important information from the stored/distributed FPL.
(FPL-ROT302-IS
-A318/M-SDGHIPRWY/S
-EDDF0950
-N0440F390 SULUS6S SULUS UZ650 BERVA UM748 TEGRI/N0440F330 UL605
LAMIT UL5 TUSET TUSET6E
-LROP0225
-OPR/ROT DOF/ RVR/200 ORGN/RPL)
(CHG-ROT302-EDDF0950-LROP-18/REG/YRASA)
(CHG-ROT302-EDDF0950-LROP-18/REG/YRASA DOF/ ORGN/OTPFWRO)

4. AFP Messages in OLD format
When an ANSP is receiving a translation service from IFPS after the 15th November, it is possible that their systems will automatically create ATC Flight Plan (AFP) messages in OLD format.
If the ANSP system copies the field 10 information from the FPL and transmits that to IFPS, the AFP may raise an error in the IFPS system.
Where possible, ANSPs need to provide basic field 10 (in AFTN format messages) to IFPS.

5. Switch Contingency/Mitigation
To reduce the number of ‘OLD’ format flight plans with a DOF after the switch date, the acceptable DOF for filing to IFPS will decrease from 120 hours to 24 hours, and then back to 120 hours after the switch.
96h
15 Nov
120h
14 Nov
13 Nov
72h
48h
24h
11 Nov
12 Nov
10 Nov
New Only
During the period around the date of the switch, IFPS Staffing will be increased. On the night of the default ready date switch, there will be cover provided for urgent environment data updates.

6. Switch Contingency/Mitigation
The IFPS has a systematic rejection feature that will be used if certain types of repetitive error risk overloading the IFPS manual processing function.
Examples:
Reject all FPLs received from address XXXXXXX when EFPM166 error raised.
Reject all FPLs received when SYN94 error raised.
This option needs to be used with caution as it may result in an increase of telephone queries.

7. Switch Contingency/Mitigation
Standard management of IFPS invalid message queue.
Maximise the number of active positions
Establish working positions dedicated to detect urgent messages
Establish working positions dedicated to take incoming telephone calls
Remote log-in from other IFPS Unit.
Load Shedding

8. Switch Contingency/Mitigation
As a last resort…
A modification of the invalid FPLs to include only the basic equipment necessary in Field 10 (SRGWY/C) and PBN (B2) to comply with EUR 833, RVSM and RNAV requirements. This may result in other data being removed, if it is the source of the error. If this procedure is to be implemented a priority order of FPLs to be targeted should be established e.g. starting with internal European FPLs before long haul FPLs.
An AIM would be issued if this measure was needed.

9. Warning in IFPS ACKnowledgment Message
-TITLE ACK -MSGTYP IFPL -FILTIM ORIGINDT
-BEGIN ADDR
-FAC LHRWUBA
-FAC EGLLBAWH
-END ADDR
-COMMENT MESSAGE IS IN OLD ICAO FORMAT AND WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED BY IFPS AFTER 2012/11/ UTC
-EXTADDR -NUM 006
-IFPLID AA
-MSGTXT (FPL-BAW297-IS
-B744/H-SGIPRWXYZ/SD
-EGLL1435
-N0488F320 CPT UL9 KENET U

10. AIM and NOP Headline News
During November, AIMs and the Network Operations Portal (NOP) Headline News will be heavily utilised to get the FPL 2012 message out.

11. QUESTIONS