NAT OTS for non CPDLC

[Niterunner]

Good day all,

As usual, apologies if my search was inadequate, but I was unable to find an answer to this question.


For non CPDLC equipped operators that cannot guarantee use of optimum levels of the OTS, would it be a good alternative to plan a random route during changeover period, or better still, during the opposite flow, when the OTS would be far away from the optimum route for winds?


Under, over or around is just not an option.

[STBYRUD]

Originally Posted by Niterunner

Good day all,

As usual, apologies if my search was inadequate, but I was unable to find an answer to this question.


For non CPDLC equipped operators that cannot guarantee use of optimum levels of the OTS, would it be a good alternative to plan a random route during changeover period, or better still, during the opposite flow, when the OTS would be far away from the optimum route for winds?


Under, over or around is just not an option.

It may, sure... Depends on the situation if you'd rather fly during the changeover, on a random route or just cross below FL350 - if you're flying from central Europe to the eastern US you would probably be better off on a track but a tad lower than normal to stay out of CPDLC mandated levels, a random route will probably take you too far out to be economically viable.

[Niterunner]

Thanks for the reply, but not what I was looking for. Interestingly, whenever I ask this, I get a similar reply, so maybe I'm asking wrong.
My plan is to fly a random route on the most favorable route for winds during a changeover or during opposite direction flow.
So if all East traffic is at 54 and below, I'll be westbound up at 58 all by myself, so it should be easy to get any route and altitude for direction of flight.
Does this sound like a good plan?
Shortest route, good winds, best altitude, sacrificing departure time.

[ATOguy]

Even before the current CPDLC issue it worked well, provided of course that was the time the passengers want to go. Most corporate pax won't be terribly impressed if you say they have to wait 6 hours just to make the pilot's life easier!

[Ian W]

Originally Posted by Niterunner

Thanks for the reply, but not what I was looking for. Interestingly, whenever I ask this, I get a similar reply, so maybe I'm asking wrong.
My plan is to fly a random route on the most favorable route for winds during a changeover or during opposite direction flow.
So if all East traffic is at 54 and below, I'll be westbound up at 58 all by myself, so it should be easy to get any route and altitude for direction of flight.
Does this sound like a good plan?
Shortest route, good winds, best altitude, sacrificing departure time.

The answer is that any time that the OTS is either not operating - in the 4hr break could be used. As you say going Westbound overnight or Eastbound during the day also could work but the OTS follows or avoids the jetstream and there are times when the eastbound tracks are are surprisingly far North, and the westbounds well south.

Go to [URL="https://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/250hPa/orthographic=-35.79,31.29,610"] and have a look at the 250hPa level

But the avoidance of CPDLC and ADS-C will not last long by 2025 the North Atlantic will no longer have a track structure and all routes will be diverse 'user preferred' or 'business' trajectories.