IFR FPL Change

[2close]

Yesterday I filed a non-airways IFR FPL from Southend to Swansea:

EGMC DCT LAM DCT BNN DCT OF DCT EGFH

It came back amended to read

EGMC DCT LAM DCT BNN DCT OF DCT SWN DCT EGFH

As SWN is located at EGFH what was the reasoning behind that?

This is not a criticism; I ask merely out of curiosity.

2close

[Flight Data]

I don't have time to check at the moment, but I would imagine that the maximum allowed DCT distance into EGFH was exceeded when the last point was OF, so an extra beacon was added to overcome this.

[routechecker]

Flight Data is (as usually) correct.
Your original route raises the following error:
-ERROR ROUTE: THE STAR LIMIT IS EXCEEDED FOR AERODROME EGFH CONNECTING TO OF[5131N00235W].

rgds

[2close]

Thanks for the replies.

That was the line I was thinking along, that the effective range from OF had been exceeded and therefore SWN was added.

As I will be filing similar for a trip to Blackpool in the week I would think then my route would be

Swansea DCT SWN DCT WPL DCT WAL DCT Blackpool

and not DCT WPL

Does anyone know whether there is a fixed distance for NDB range within FPLs?


2close

[Flight Data]

No problem.

As for fixed distance for NDB range within flight plans, all IFPS is doing is applying the details of RAD, Appendix 4, which is available on the Eurocontrol website: http://www.cfmu.eurocontrol.int/rad/index.htm

Basically, each FIR defines whether or not it allows any DCT routings in that airspace, and if it does, how long they are, in nm. The appendix also lists 'allowed' DCTs, which are and DCT routings that don't comply with these defined distance DCTs, but may be flight planned anyway. IFPS doesn't do any other DCT checking that compliance with RAD appendix 4, so from that perspective, that's all you need to worry about :ok:

[bookworm]

Where are the "STAR Limits" listed? OF DCT EGFH is clearly within the UK DCT range limits, so presumably the "STAR Limit" is considerably less.

[routechecker]

I'm not at work, so can't check EGFH, but the SID/STAR default value is 50 NM.

rgds

[ifleeplanes]

Somethng rings a bell somewhere that the longest dead reconing leg allowed under IFR is 10nm...