Oceanic Procedures Tutorial for Pilots

Overview for Pilots

The Oakland Oceanic FIR is airspace covering a large expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Surrounding it are other Oceanic FIRs (Flight Information Regions) and land-based ARTCCs (Air Route Traffic Control Centers) or FIRs. The primary difference between flying in this airspace and land-based ARTCC/FIRs is that it is impractical to survey the entire region with radar. Thus air traffic control is accomplished with time-honored non-radar procedures that were honed in the 1940s and 50s before radar coverage was common.

In this environment, ATC must rely on pilot position reports as the primary means for separating traffic. Fixes on oceanic routes are mandatory reporting points. Pilots must submit a position report when crossing these fixes. ATC plots the location of aircraft and may issue speed instructions/restrictions, altitude assignments, or course changes, but they cannot issue radar vectors.

In the real-world environment, the primary communications means are over HF frequencies as opposed to normal land based VHF frequencies. This band is capable of much greater distance, but is highly susceptible to natural interference. The VHF frequency of 131.95 is also used, and is the main frequency used on our VATUSA Oakland FSS. Other methods of communications used in the real world are the INMARSAT satellite network and the use of the HF "SELCAL" system to alert pilots with a "ping".

Pilots will be handed to / from the Oceanic Flight Service Station (text callsign: ZAK_V_FSS, voice callsign "San Francisco Radio") by the adjacent Center controller.

Basic Requirements

To fly IFR in the Oceanic airspace you will need to have a panel or equipment that allows you to track your distance to waypoints (intersections) along your route. This could be a full Flight Management System (FMS), such as the one included in Squawkbox or with third party panels such as PIC767, a "plug-in" navigation tool such as FSNav, or the default GPS system in most FS2000/2002/2004 aircraft. You will also need a gauge that displays mach number and a gauge that displays groundspeed.

The reason for this requirement is the lack of radar surveillance, and ATC relies completely on pilot's position reports. Therefore accurate position reports are a must.

You should become comfortable enough with your equipment to be able to perform the following tasks:

Build/enter a flight plan into the FMS (or load/convert one of the pre-built flight plan files from our "flight plans" page).
Detect passing over waypoints.
Find the estimated time to cross the next waypoint and report it in Zulu time.
Use your FMS and adjust your speed to be able to cross a waypoint at a given Zulu time.
Obtain a groundspeed measurement.
Control your aircraft speed by Mach number.

The above tasks are needed to submit proper position reports.

Synchronize your watches ! Since the Oceanic FSS works by using position reports given with accurate time, All aircraft in the FIR must have their simulator clocks set accurately. To use "Time Compression" or 2x, 4x, etc, special procedures have been developed. See the Time Compression Procedures page.

Flight Planning - Route

The Pacific Oceanic Routes are designated with a letter and three digits, such as R464. There is usually only one or two applicable routes to choose. Some routes are bi-directional, others are one-way. Consult the Flight Plan page to select your route by origin and destination. The flight plans on our site will also include the appropriate instrument Departure Procedure (DP) and standard terminal arrival (STAR) that will connect to the oceanic route. If you choose not file the DP or STAR place an appropriate comment in your flight plan, and ATC will vector you onto the oceanic route. On the Flight Plan page are downloadable FS2002 flight plan files that can be used with the default FS2002 GPS system or converted for use in a number of 3^rd party FMS systems.

"Random" routes for IFR flight, such as "GPS Direct" routes are highly discouraged as the aircraft will not cross any compulsory reporting points, and therefore can not easily report position. This makes it impractical to separate this traffic laterally. Therefore traffic on random routes will be separated vertically, and will be assigned an altitude from FL220 or lower. You will probably not be able to obtain clearance to fly higher on a random route. You are encouraged to file for a proper oceanic route as listed on our Flight Planner page.

Flight Planning - Altitude

Certain Pacific oceanic routes are authorized for Reduced Vertical Separation Minimums (RVSM). This system reduces the traditional 2000' vertical spacing between flyable Flight Levels above FL290. If you intend to fly below FL290, then use the standard IFR altitudes (eastbound flight use odd levels, westbound use even levels). If you plan to fly at or above FL290 consult the available "1x" altitudes on our route page. Be sure to use a "/W" equipment indicator in your flight plan.

Pilots should file an initial standard IFR altitude in the flight plan, and the oceanic altitude in the flight plan comments. Example: "R464 FL320". CTR will initially clear you to the standard IFR altitude, then will issue a climb to the Oceanic Altitude prior to handoff the FSS.

FL380, 390, 400, and 410 are reserved for "time compression" flight at 2x and 4x speed. See the Time Compression Procedures page.

Clearance & Departure

The clearance process for an oceanic flight is similar to a domestic flight with one exception which may arise during exceptionally busy periods (such as a fly-in event involving the oceanic space). The ATC facility handling your departure must obtain an "oceanic clearance" from the Oceanic FSS to insure the route your are flying has a "slot" for you. This will be based on an estimated time that your flight will reach the first waypoint on the oceanic route. If there is no slot due to forecasted congestion, the Clearance Delivery controller will give you an "oceanic departure time" as the earliest pushback time for your flight.

If you are airborne, coming from another ARTCC/FIR, the Center controller who will hand you off to Oceanic FSS will obtain an airborne oceanic clearance. If the route is congested, you will probably be vectored or placed into a hold until a slot on your route opens.

Oceanic Entry Handoff

When you approach the border between the land-based ARTCC/FIR, the CTR controller will hand you off to the Oceanic FSS. You will be told that radar service is terminated. You are now out of range of land-based radar. You will be told to squawk 2000, the generic code assigned for flights in the oceanic space. Finally, you will be instructed to change to the FSS frequency. When you check in with

Example:

OAK_A_CTR: "AAL1028, Entering the oceanic airspace. Radar service terminated. Squawk 2000. Report position to San Francisco Radio on 131.95."

AAL1028: "Squawk 2000. Report position to San Francisco Radio on 131.95".

If you are a low-flyer and are operating below FL180, you must now set your altimeter to standard pressure, 29.92. This is the common altimeter setting that will be used, regardless of altitude, in the FIR. Your last altimeter setting from a land based station is meaningless.

You will be handed off no later than five minutes to the fix on the oceanic route that lies closest to the border between the CTR and the FSS. This means you should be ready to submit your first position report to the FSS right away. You do not need to "check in" with the FSS. Just format up your position report and send it as shown in the next section.

Position Reports

Once inside the Oceanic FIR and established on the oceanic route, position reports will be compulsory. That means when you cross each waypoint forming the oceanic route, you are required to submit a position report to the FSS.

The report consists of the following elements:

The fix you just crossed and time you crossed it
Altitude
Estimated time to next fix and fix name
Airspeed / Mach number
Groundspeed
Optional - winds aloft direction & speed, and outside air temperature (OAT).

Here's an example of a pilots submitting a position report:

AAL1028: "San Francisco Radio, AAL1028. Position on 131.95."

KZAK_FSS: "AAL1028, San Francisco Radio. Go ahead."

AAL1028: "AAL1028 is position DEROK at 17:15 Zulu, FL360. Estimating DANKA at 17:55 Zulu, DUFFE next. Mach point 84, ground speed 510. Over.

KZAK_FSS: "AAL1028, San Francisco Radio, copy position."

ATC Instructions

Remember that ATC is not observing you on radar. They can not issue "radar vectors" (they may issues heading assignments, but these will be solely based on position reports and your estimates and reported speeds).

To separate traffic on the oceanic routes, ATC has several methods for insuring separation. The two most likely that will be used, are to separate you vertically by assigning or changing your cruise altitude, or adjusting your airspeed by specifying a mach number.

If issued a speed restriction, you must not alter your airspeed unless obtaining a new clearance from ATC. Similarly, requests to step up or down in altitude may not be cleared immediately. ATC will be operating under the "15 minute rule", used in the non-radar environment. Aircraft need 15 minutes between their estimates to cross a given intersection.

You may also be given time restrictions, such as "Cross <fix> at or after <time>." You will need to slow or speed up to your aircraft and observe the impact on your ETA over that <fix>.

SELCAL for voice aircraft

Oakland Oceanic uses a simulation of the Selective Calling or SELCAL system. In the real world, due to the inherit static and congestion on the oceanic HF frequencies, the SELCAL system was devised to free pilots from having to monitor the HF frequency over the long over water flight. Aircraft are assigned a unique SELCAL code during the flight. The code is an electronic "out-of-band" signal that is transmitted on the HF frequencies. The aircraft is equipped with a SELCAL decoder that recognizes its assigned SELCAL code and alerts the pilot with a "ding" sound. The pilot then turns up the radio and listens for a message to him.

We use the "attention" sound of squawkbox, to simulate SELCAL. SELCAL will be used only with aircraft on voice. This allows voice pilots to leave the Roger Wilco room, so long as they remain tuned the FSS frequency on text, monitor for SELCAL alerts, and tune back to Roger Wilco when called.

When the FSS wants to contact you, they will send the message "SELCAL" meaning "wish to talk".

After your first position report, the FSS will conduct a SELCAL check as follows:

KZAK_FSS: "AAL1028, San Francisco Radio. Standby for SELCAL Check."

"SELCAL" <ding>

AAL1028: "San Francisco Radio, AAL1028. SELCAL check OK."

KZAK_FSS: "AAL1028, San Francisco Radio, copy SECAL check OK"

From now on, you may leave the Roger Wilco room. If the FSS needs to talk to you, they will call you with the "SELCAL" message. You should re-tune the Roger Wilco room and reply:

AAL1028: "San Francisco Radio, AAL1028, answering SELCAL."

If you are using the FSSELCAL program (or any other similar SELCAL simulator). Notify the controller that you using FSSELCAL and notify them of your code. If you are using another program, let the controller know what special codes they may need to use to contact you.

Oceanic Exit Handoff

The oceanic routes will have a fix at the border between the Oceanic FIR and your destination ARTCC/FIR. Before crossing this fix the Oceanic FSS shall arrange a handoff to Center. You may be issued a new squawk code before handoff (to facilitate radar identification) or after handoff.

Once handed to Center, you will be radar identified. If you were on an RVSM route, you will be assigned a new altitude complying with standard IFR procedures.

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