When I flew for a now defunct charter airline in the UK we were not ALLOWED to enter the NAT system if neither had been before, we had to take a jump-seat pilot who had been before and was familiar with the system. That may have been a CAA requirement, based on the extension of our AOC to cover the North Atlantic, I'm not sure.
The actual track flying is no big deal but I do strongly suggest you make yourself very familiar with the requirements in the event of a diversion, radio failure etc., as well as being up to speed on the overall communications set up and in particular the procedure for obtaining your crossing clearance from Oceanic Control on box 2 whilst at the same time not losing communication with the ATC unit whose airspace you are currently in. You should know the format required to request your clearance as well as the format in which it will be given and be familiar with that days Track Message and ID. Sometimes it is so simple it is not true, just a track ID and a Track Message number combined with call sign and FL plus ETA at the Oceanic boundary, other times, if the tracks are not in use yet, (West bound prior to 0800gmt I think), you may still have to give every way point by it's Lat and Long!.
We used to find there were plenty of BA F/O's with lots of North Atlantic experience only too happy to earn a few bob by coming on the jump seat each way, accommodation and food provided!!!
Not sure if they still do that though.
(And as pointed out below, we had to do some ground school first, then a jump seat trip, then a trip with a Line Trainer and finally a trip being observed by an experienced NATS pilot).
Last edited by BlueEagle; 18th May 2004 at 12:05.