![]() ![]() ![]() North Atlantic organized tracks were first used in 1898 for commercial shipping! Daily publication of tracks for aircraft use began in 1965. The chart below can be used to help decode the information. Click on the track message image to see how it looks. Eastbound track labels are at the end of the alphabet (W, X, Y, Z). Westbound tracks are labeled A, B, C, D, etc. Each track is labeled by a letter to make it easy to reference on a flight plan. A track NOTAM (Notice to Airmen), also called a “track message,” that defines each day’s tracks is published online.Īirline dispatchers and pilots use the published tracks to plan the day’s flights. The tracks change each day to provide the most efficient routes for the airlines. NATs are like a multi-lane, one-way highway in the sky. To accommodate the twice-daily stampede, air traffic planners in Gander, Newfoundland and Prestwick, Scotland create weather optimized routes across the Atlantic, called the North Atlantic Organized Track system (NATs). Photo: Gopal Vijayaraghavan North Atlantic Track Message Several hundred aircraft converge on the North Atlantic tracks twice a day. Why those times? Because that’s when most passengers want to fly these routes. From 1130z – 1900z all that traffic flies back to North America. North Atlantic Organized Track system (NATs) – Routes across the pondīefore we can fly across the Atlantic, we need to select a track (or route).Įvery day, from 0100z – 0800z (8 pm – 3 am EST) hundreds of airliners fly eastbound from North America to Europe. The flight is one of several hundred aircraft leaving North America, all heading the same direction across the Atlantic. To see how it all works, we’ll ride along with AeroSavvy Airlines flight 105 from New York, JFK to London, Heathrow.ĪeroSavvy 105 will depart JFK around 7:00PM EST. For heaven’s sake, don’t try flying an airplane over the Atlantic using this as your guide!ĪeroSavvy 105 flight crew: Preflight Briefing ![]() Actual procedures, messages, and radio contacts will vary based on aircraft equipment, airline, and the route flown. This article has been written to give the reader a general idea of the procedures used on a trans-Atlantic flight. (Not to be confused with the AeroSavvy Barista). ![]()
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