PLANIFICATION

FLIGHT PLANNING

It is extremely unlikey that you will be able to conduct a flight across the Atlantic and remain in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) for the entire flight.

ICAO flight plans must be filled for flights operating in the North Atlantic Region. At or above FL 060 you must file an IFR flight plan. Only the trans-oceanic flights below the FL 060 will be authorized in VFR. But do consider that VFR flights in this airspace deprives the pilot of the flexibility of using the altitudes above the FL 055. The higher altitudes may enable a smooter flight, free of precipitation, icing and turbulence.

To this added an aditionnal complication : VFR flights at night are prohibited in Iceland and Greenland.

Planning your Trans-Atlantic flight for the summertime will allow you to take advantage of the most favorable conditions. Not only are the ground (and water !) temperatures less menacing, but also the amount of available daylight is considerably greater (only 4 hours during the winter times).

Canada, Denmark and Iceland require that pilot and aircraft must be IFR rated for transoceanic flights, regardless of tha altitude to be flown. Other NAT states allow VFR flights at o below FL055.

WEATHER

The air masses usually found over the Atlantic are those that have moved across the north Canada and eastern US (consequently very cold and dry air masses). As these air masses move out over the Atlantic, they rapidly assume maritime caracteristics (warm and wet). This modification may be sharp and very noticable especially during winter months, when the air becomes very unstable with snow or hail showers or even thunderstorms.

The dominant feature of the North Atlantic the warm Gulf Stream, founded along the eastern canadian shores. The low pressure system moving across the North Atlantic may be reinforced by the sudden increase of temperature and will trend to follow the stream motion, thus creating adverse weather conditions in between western Greeland and eastern Canada.

On occasions and extensive high pressure area builds up over Europe. This blocks the eastward motion of lows and forces them to curve northward, resulting in stationnery lows along side Greenland east shore. This situation may persist for days with little motion.

MANDATORY EQUIPMENTS AND EMERGENCY GEAR

The following items are required by Transports Canada (CAR's) and ICAO regulations, to be carried for all transoceanics flight :

RADIOS :

- VHF radio

- HF radio

Exceptions :

- The route Iqaluit (Canada) - Sonde Stromfjord (Greenland) - Keflavik (Iceland) - ALDA (61N10W) - Benbecula is approved for non-HF equipped aircraft. This refere to the most northern routes.

- Aircraft may proceed across Atlantic without HF radios at FL250 or above on the route : Goose Bay (Canada) - Narsarsuaq (Greenland) - Keflavik (Iceland) - ALDAN (61N10W).

SURVIVAL

On single engine flights over the water beyond 100 NM distance from land, or 200 NM in the case of multi-engine aircrafts able to maintain flight on one engine :

- Hypothermia protection (survival suits) for each occupant ;

- Life rafts equipped with an attached survival kit sufficient for the survival on water of each person aboard the aircraft.

OVERLAND SURVIVAL GEAR :

The following will have to be carried on flights over or into the interior of Labrador, Greenland, Iceland and Scotland :

- Land survival equipment for polar and sparsely settled areas