FLIGHT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES (NMG, Ch. 50) National Flight Following Frequency (168.6500 MHz) The National Flight Following Frequency is used to monitor interagency and contract aircraft. All aircraft on point-to-point or mission flights should establish/terminate flight following, and confirm Automated Flight Following (AFF) on the National Flight Following frequency. All dispatch centers/offices will monitor the National Fight Following frequency at all times. A CTCSS tone of 110.9 must be placed on the transmitter and receiver of the National Flight Following frequency. The National Flight Following frequency is to be used for flight following, dispatch, or redirection of aircraft. No other use is authorized.
Types of Flights Point-to-Point Point-to-point flights originate at one developed airport or permanent helibase, with a direct flight to another developed airport or permanent helibase. These types of flights are often referred to as "administrative" flights. These flights require point-to-point approved pilots and aircraft. A point-topoint flight is conducted higher than 500 feet above ground level (AGL) except for takeoff and landing. Mission Flights Mission flights are those flights that do not meet the definition of a point-to-point flight. These types of flights are often referred to as “tactical” flights. A mission flight requires work to be performed in the air (such as retardant or water delivery, reconnaissance, smokejumper delivery, sketch mapping), or through a combination of ground and aerial work (such as delivery of personnel and/or cargo from a helibase to an unimproved landing site, rappelling, cargo letdown, or wild horse herding). The pilot and aircraft must be agency approved (carded) for the mission being performed. ======================== Aircraft Chapter 50 50 - 5 FAA FLIGHT PLANS AND FLIGHT FOLLOWING (NMG, Ch. 50) AGENCY FLIGHT PLANS AND FLIGHT FOLLOWING (NMG, Ch. 50) =============================== Agency flight plans are the responsibility of the originating dispatch office and are documented on a Flight Request/Flight Schedule or an Aircraft Resource order for mission flights. For mission flights, there are two types of Agency flight following: automated Flight Following (AFF), and Radio Check-in. AFF is the preferred method of agency flight following. If the aircraft and flight following office have AFF capability, it shall be utilized. Periodic radio transmissions are acceptable when utilizing AFF. (See AFF procedures below for more information). Radio Check-in/Check-out flight following requires verbal communication via radio every 15 minutes. The dispatcher will log the aircraft call sign, latitude, longitude and heading. Agency flight following is used for all mission flights. All aircraft operating on Agency flight plans shall monitor Air Guard. Helicopters conducting Mission Flights shall check in prior to and immediately after each takeoff/landing per IHOG, Chap. 4. For point-to-point flights, AFF flight following may be used as well. The pilot or flight manager will, as a minimum, contact dispatch prior to the flight with an estimated time of departure, estimated time enroute, souls and fuel on board and will close out with dispatch once the aircraft is on the ground. Flight following is the responsibility of the originating dispatch office and will remain so until transferred through a documented, positive handoff. The flight following dispatch office shall be continually staffed while an aircraft is airborne. Confirmation of an aircraft arrival at a specified destination is required to ensure that a flight has been completed safely. It is the pilot's responsibility to close out a flight plan. If an aircraft is overdue, it is the receiving dispatcher’s responsibility to initiate aircraft search and rescue actions. Flight following problems are documented through the SAFECOM system. Active FAA IFR Flight Plan: IFR flight plans shall be filed, activated upon departure, and closed upon arrival. An FAA Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan is required when flying into known or forecasted Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC). An IFR flight plan may be filed at pilot discretion in other cases. Active FAA VFR Flight Plan with Check In: VFR flight plans shall be filed, activated upon departure, and closed upon arrival at destination. If an FAA Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan is used, then a radio check-in every 60 minutes or less to an FAA facility is required. Telephone Departure and Arrival Times: Confirmation is completed when an aircraft is contacted via radio or the receiving dispatch center is called via telephone upon arrival at the airport. Aircraft ordered as an “A” (aircraft) request on a resource order and which are not located on the local unit will be tracked by telephone/radio arrival confirmation. Operational Control Hand Off: The receiving unit will notify the sending unit (via established channels) immediately when they have established radio contact with the incoming aircraft or otherwise obtained operational control of the aircraft. Overdue Aircraft: Aircraft will be considered overdue when 30 minutes have elapsed from the ETA provided on the resource order and contact has not been established. ======================== Aircraft Chapter 50 50 - 6 AUTOMATED FLIGHT FOLLOWING (AFF) REQUIREMENTS AND PROCEDURES (NMG, Ch. 50) FLIGHT MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES ========================== Aircraft Flight Request/Schedule Form Used for documenting aircraft, pilot, passenger, itinerary, and type of flight plan. Required information on this form includes (but is not limited to): Incident Name/Number and Request Number FAA Registration, “N” number and Call Sign Aircraft Make/Model/Color Pilot and Vendor Name and Contact Information Mission Description Passenger/Cargo Information Flight Itineraries Flight Plan Type/Method of Flight Following Aircraft Flight Request/Schedule Form Requirements The Aircraft Flight Request/Schedule Form is required to be completed (regardless of the type of flight plan filed) for those flights that are: Point-to-Point (excludes preposition flights as directed by EACC) Mission flights with fuel stops or passenger pickup (not direct to an incident) Flights leaving the geographic area In accordance with the guidelines above, the sending dispatch office is responsible for initiating a flight schedule form. This needs to occur before the aircraft begins flight. Dispatch offices should communicate with pilots and/or flight managers to coordinate the completion of a flight schedule form as accurately as possible. The type of flight plan must be documented as this information is critical for initiating search and rescue actions. Once the flight schedule form is created by the sending office, it must be emailed to [email protected] or faxed to the Eastern Area Coordination Center with a follow up phone call. If EACC is the hiring/sending office, a form will be created and faxed to the receiving dispatch office. EACC will fax the form to all the affected dispatch offices when Agency Flight Plans are filed. The form will be emailed or faxed to the National Coordination Center (NICC) by EACC for those flights leaving the geographic area. Responsibilities of the Sending Unit Obtain actual time of departure (ATD) and estimated time of arrival (ETA) from the initial departure airport from pilot/vendor. Relay the ATD, ETA, and type of flight plan/flight following being utilized (FAA or Agency, AFF or Radio check-in) to EACC. Notify EACC of known delays/advances of a flight plan exceeding 30 minutes. ========================= Aircraft Chapter 50 50 - 7 ===================== Assist with search procedures for overdue aircraft. Utilize the Interagency Aviation Mishap Response Guide and Checklist. On any flight requiring stops enroute to a destination within the Eastern Area, instruct the pilotin-command or flight manager to contact the EACC at 414-944-3811. Aircraft support vehicles should contact EACC at fuel stops. On any flight proceeding beyond the Eastern Area, instruct the pilot-in-command or flight manager to contact the NICC at 800-994-6312. Aircraft support vehicles should contact the NICC at each fuel stop. Responsibilities of EACC Relay the flight itinerary and type of flight plan/flight following being utilized to the requesting unit or NICC via phone/fax. Notify the requesting unit or the NICC in delays/advances of a flight plan exceeding 30 minutes. Assist with search procedures for overdue aircraft. Utilize the Interagency Aviation Mishap Response Guide and Checklist. Responsibilities of the Receiving Unit Confirm arrival of all tactical aircraft by telephone to EACC. Notify EACC of any delays of a flight plan exceeding 30 minutes; notify EACC of any aircraft overdue by more than 30 minutes. Initiate/assist with search procedures for overdue aircraft. Utilize the Interagency Aviation Mishap Response Guide and Checklist. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "massfire" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/massfire. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
