NAT-MNPS inflight contingency procedure
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: UK
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If the "captain is unwilling or unable" to descend then the 500ft offset contingency procedure can be applied. What if you are flying over the top of a line of CBs is one example? You going to turn left/right 45 degrees maintaining direction of flight and descend into TS?
Join Date: Apr 2012
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If your ultimate strategy is to divert to an airfield `abeam` or an airfield `behind you` then you will have to leave the track centreline to ensure separation from other OTS traffic.
Because your eventual diversion route is not (yet) subject to a formal ATC clearance then changing level by +/- 500 ft (assuming you were cruising below FL410 and not thrust limited) will be necessary to give you some degree of vertical separation from other traffic.
You are NOT obliged to descend below FL285, even if diverting `across` the OTS (weather issues i.e. CB below you, or shortage of fuel?). You could divert from Track `D` to Keflavik maintaining FL355 if you wanted to (NAT doc 007 refers).
If your intention is to divert to an airfield ahead of you, then it may not be necessary to leave the NAT track in the first place. Because you are then complying with an existing oceanic clearance, if you still have sufficient thrust, no change in FL would be necessary.
Because your eventual diversion route is not (yet) subject to a formal ATC clearance then changing level by +/- 500 ft (assuming you were cruising below FL410 and not thrust limited) will be necessary to give you some degree of vertical separation from other traffic.
You are NOT obliged to descend below FL285, even if diverting `across` the OTS (weather issues i.e. CB below you, or shortage of fuel?). You could divert from Track `D` to Keflavik maintaining FL355 if you wanted to (NAT doc 007 refers).
If your intention is to divert to an airfield ahead of you, then it may not be necessary to leave the NAT track in the first place. Because you are then complying with an existing oceanic clearance, if you still have sufficient thrust, no change in FL would be necessary.
At my current OP we only flying T16 and T9 but the the contingency still applies. The wording in our OPs manual says we need to descend FL285 before considering a divert. Deviating 500ft and diverting would make more sense.