Yup, just when you have finally finished reading (and understanding) what you think is the most recent one, they release another one.

To help you dive in and avoid all the ‘gotchas’ of the NAT HLA ops, here is a summary of what I spotted that has changed.

A Summary

This is Version 2024, Amendment 4 and it was snuck onto the ICAO on the 4th July so you might have missed it. No, we don’t know what happened to amendments 2 and 3. The 2024 version itself was valid from March 2024.

THE BIG BITS

Here’s a quote from the doc itself:

The requirement for oceanic clearances has been removed. Refer to section 6.2.26 – 6.2.39

NAT communication failure procedures have been amended. Refer to sections 5.6.9 – 5.6.11

The oceanic clearance removal is scheduled for the AIRAC date 21 March 2024. All NAT Air Traffic Service Providers will strive to implement the change on this date (they didn’t all manage it. Reykjavik and Santa Maria did). Refer to NOTAMs to confirm the final implementation date for each NAT State.

THE 2024 VERSION CHANGES

2024 saw a whole bunch of changes. Here’s a recap:

• We lost OWAFS. It was cut forever. Bye bye OWAFS
• Chapter 4 saw bits on speed added in (the planned Mach number must be included in the ICAO flight plan for aircraft capable of maintaining an assigned Mach, and something about how ATC uses this for separation calculations)
• Chapter 5 was chopped because it was all about ‘Oceanic ATC Clearances’ and these are (soon to be) a thing of the past
• The new Chapter 5 (Communications and Position Reporting Procedures) then had a shiny new section (5.6) on communication failure procedures
• Chapter 6 (previously the chapter known as 8 – NAT HLA Flight Operation & Navigation Procedures) was fixed up with bits from old chapters 5 and 7 thrown in (All the stuff on not needing oceanic clearances and how to do RCLs instead was added)
• Everything after it turned into different numbers because chapter 7 (Mach Number) also got deleted
• Chapter 8 was edited to incorporate the change to SSR transponder operations (10 minutes)
• A new section in Chapter 11 was added talking about space weather (it says read Part III of Doc 006)

THE V4 CHANGES

It is only really one thing (PHEW!). Chapter 6 has had a bunch of edits and incorporations all about response messages to the RCL.

• 6.2.26 How and when to send the RCL
• 6.2.27 What the RCL contains
• 6.2.28 When to use voice
• 6.2.29 All about the response to the RCL
• 6.2.30 – 32 How the RCL is processed, and some changes to where to request them from depending on routing
• 6.2.33 – 35 Route changes prior to OEP
• 6.3.36 – 39 Shanwick stuff including entering without a clearance

Know something we don’t?

Share it! You can do it here with a comment, email te**@**************ce.space or send a pigeon.

Need to find Doc 007? The best spot is, as always, ICAO’s own repository for it.