One of the fundamental operational principles that have been incorporated in the draft ICAO Manual of ATS Data Link Applications, 1st Ed. (1999), 3.36 from the beginning is that any ATS data link system shall only allow one ATSU (ATS Unit) to be capable of communicating with a given aircraft at any one time. This requirement was felt to be necessary to ensure that there would be no confusion by the aircrew that a clearance or instruction delivered by the data link system actually came from the proper controller (or controller team). It is therefore essential that when downstream clearances delivered via datalink are in use i.e. including the current controlling authority that sufficient safeguards are in place.
IFATCA Policy is:Where downstream clearance capability is provided via Data Link, sufficient safeguards shall be implemented in accordance with the ICAO Doc 9694 Manual of Air Traffic Services Data Link Applications, First Edition 1999. A route clearance issued to an aircraft should be to destination. If an ATC unit changes a route then that ATC unit should ensure that the new route rejoins the current flight plan route. |
| See: WP 115 – Taipei 1997, WP 81 – Toulouse 1998, WP 90 – Dubrovnik 2009, Resolution B7, B8 – WP 85 – Punta Cana 2010, Resolution B34 – WP 61 – Virtual 2022
See also: ICAO Document 9694 Chapter 3, 3.3-3.5, Chapter 8 |
Last Update: August 9, 2022