Flight Planning Contingency Procedures Version: 1.01
Handouts (HO) & Practice Exercises (PE)
Table of Contents:
HO-01-FPP Impact of Solar Events on ARINC Communication 3
HO-02-FPP Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan (EUR Doc 019) – Appendix A 5
PE-01-FPP Flight Planning 7
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HO-01-FPP Impact of Solar Events on ARINC Communication
Center HF Comms 01 August thru 07 September 2011
Here is an example of an ARINC Communication:
Twenty-four (24) NOAA SEC ALERT and CONTINUED ALERT messages were
received by HDQ ARINC between 01 August and 07 September 2011:
03Aug11 1 ALERT
04Aug 1 ALERT
05Aug 4 ALERTS
06Aug 1 ALERT
08Aug 1 ALERT
09Aug 1 ALERT & 1 CONTINUED ALERT
10Aug 1 ALERT & 1 CONTINUED ALERT
11Aug 1 CONTINUED ALERT
12Aug 1 CONTINUED ALERT
13Aug 1 CONTINUED ALERT
15Aug 2 ALERTS
17Aug 1 ALERT
18Aug 1 CONTINUED ALERT
03Sep 1 ALERT
06Sep 2 ALERTS
07Sep 2 ALERTS
The San Francisco ARINC Radio Communications Center reported:
04Aug11 A solar flare at 0359Z did not impact CWP or NOP HF with the exception
of one flight,XYZ277, XYZ277 Honolulu/PHNL to Kansai/RJBB. Tokyo Radio advised that
the solar activity impacted their HF communications.
05Aug11 The Arctic regions have been affected by solar activity and SFO ARINC
noticed INCERFA messages for overdue aircraft positions in Northern Canada
and Russian airspace. SFO HF comms were not affected by the activity.
08Aug11 Solar impact began at about 2200Z affecting frequencies up to the 20MHz
range in the CEP and area West of Hawaii. Soon afterward a second event was
noted with slight less impact to comms. While aircraft were very weak depending
on the area all messages were delivered in a timely manner. As a precautionary
measure, both Oakland/OAK and Anchorage/ANC Centers were advised of the
impact to SFO operations. The impact ended at about 0020Z 09Aug11 when
comms improved markedly.
09Aug11 0040Z XYZ895 via sat-voice advises SFO they were unable to contact
SFO on HF from 70N 110W to ORVIT (79N 170W) on route Polar 4 due solar activity.
06Sep11 2220Z Numerous frequencies up to the 20MHz range in the CEP, NOP,
& CWP became very weak and the delivery of a few messages to aircraft was
delayed as a result of the temporary loss of HF communications. When available
sat-voice was used by SFO to re-establish comms with aircraft. Several company
dispatch offices relayed position reports (received from aircraft via ACARs &
sat-voice) to SFO ARINC. At 2330Z the solar flare activity and comms improved
markedly thereafter. Operational impact was minor.
The New York/NYC ARINC Radio Communications Center reported:
03Aug11 Moderate impact to HF operations between 1400Z and 1430Z. The
Radio Operators/ROs were advised to use higher frequencies to work around
the solar activity.
08Aug11 Solar impact noted 1815Z thru 1836Z affecting all groups with minor
impact to operations. NAT-E changed to higher frequency 21964, CAR-B went up
to 17907, and the remaining HF groups worked through/around the solar event
and returned to ops normal after about 15 minutes.
NYC HF Families/Groups-
CAR-A Caribbean Family A
CAR-B Caribbean Family B
CAR-A/B Caribbean Family A/B
LDOC Long Distance Operational Control (Non-ATC, Company HF)
NAT-A North Atlantic Family A
NAT-A/E North Atlantic Family A/E
NAT-E North Atlantic Family E
SFO HF Families/Groups
CEP-1 Central East Pacific-1
CEP-2 Central East Pacific-2
CEP-3 Central East Pacific-3
CWP-1 Central West Pacific-1
CWP-2 Central West Pacific-2
LDOC Long Distance Operational Control (Non-ATC, Company HF)
NOP-1 North Pacific-1
NOP-2 North Pacific-2
SOP South Pacific
ANC = Anchorage
NYC = New York
OAK = Oakland
HO-02-FPP Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan (EUR Doc 019) – Appendix A
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PE-01-FPP Flight Planning
Purpose: This exercise requires participants to answer some questions based on a scenario.
Directions: Answer the following questions based on the scenario provided below and Handout H0-02-FPP – Volcanic Ash Contingency Plan (EUR DOC 019).
Debrief: Instructor will solicit responses from participants.
En -route Procedures
You are riding in the jump seat of a part 121 DC-8-70B777, conducting an en route inspection for a proving flight in NAT MNPS airspace from Bangor, Maine (KBGR) to East Midlands Airport in the UK (EGNX).
Your flight is eastbound at FL360 on NAT X nearing 55N040W at M082. It is about 3:00 A.M. The winds aloft are light at this altitude, coming mostly from the north. You and the crew notice the following:
· A smoky or acrid odor that smells like electrical smoke, burned dust, or sulfur.
· A haze developing within the airplane and dust settling on surfaces.
· Engine temperatures change unexpectedly; the flight engineer goes back in the cabin to look out the window at the engines. An orange glow appears at the engine inlet.
· Airspeed fluctuating erratically; blue-colored sparks appear to flow up the outside of the windshield.
1. What phenomenon is likely occurring?
Answer: The flight has probably penetrated an ash cloud possibly coming from one of the volcanoes in Iceland.
2. What actions do you think the crew should take?
Answer: First, the flight is in a true emergency situation, and the PIC will need to exercise his/her emergency authority.
· Reduce thrust to idle immediately. Idle thrust allows engines to continue producing electrical power, bleed air for pressurization, and hydraulic power for airplane control.
· Turn the auto throttles off. This prevents the engines from increasing thrust above idle.
· Exit the ash cloud as quickly as possible. A 180-deg turn out of the ash cloud using a descending turn is the quickest exit strategy. Bearing in mind ICAO NAT DOC 007 contingency procedures for departing the track.
· Turn on engine and wing anti-ice devices and all air-conditioning packs. These actions improve the engine stall margins by increasing the flow of bleed air.
· If possible, start the auxiliary power unit (APU). The APU can power systems in the event of a multiple-engine power loss.
· If volcanic dust fills the flight deck, the crew may need to use oxygen. Use flight deck oxygen at the 100 percent setting.
· Turn on the continuous ignition.
· Confirm that auto start is on, if available.
· If an engine fails to start, try restarting it again immediately.
· Flightcrews should remember that the airplane may be out of the air start envelope if the encounter occurs during cruise.
· Monitor engine exhaust gas temperature (EGT). Because of potential engine debris buildup, the EGT can climb excessively.
· Fly the airplane by monitoring airspeed and pitch attitude. If necessary, follow the procedure for flight with unreliable airspeed.
21000088 - Oceanic and International Operations HO/PE
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FOR TRAINING PURPOSES ONLY