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Delivery

When performing clearance delivery, DEL must always check the following elements of an aircraft's flight plan:

  • SID/departure instructions
  • Flight plan route
  • Initial climb (Cleared Flight Level / CFL)
  • Cruising level (Requested Flight Level / RFL)
  • Squawk code

As of 20th March 2024, all departing aircraft shall receive a standard IFR clearance; no oceanic clearances are to be issued.

SID/Departure Instructions

The vast majority of aircraft will depart a controlled aerodrome on a SID (Standard Instrument Departure), a published procedure starting from the aerodrome (generally specific to a runway) leading to the first enroute waypoint of the aircraft.

DEL should verify that Euroscope has assigned the flight a valid SID — i.e., valid for the active departure runway, connects to the aircraft’s flight plan route, and is appropriate for the aircraft’s performance characteristics.

If Euroscope has assigned an invalid SID, then DEL should manually assign a valid SID on the Departure List.

Non-Standard Departures

Occasionally, an aircraft may be unable to accept an assigned SID. Reasons may include having an out-of-date AIRAC, lack of navigation equipment (e.g., non-RNAV), performance constraints (unable to meet minimum altitudes or climb gradients), etc.

In this case, DEL should coordinate with the overlying Approach (APP) unit. APP will issue non-standard departure instructions which DEL shall then relay to the aircraft, such as:

  • A radar vectored departure (fly heading XXX, or climb straight ahead to XXX ft.)
  • Direct to the first flight plan waypoint.
  • Visual climb (aircraft climb visually to their first flight plan waypoint; a left or a right turn may be specified on departure.)

Flight Planned Route

Iceland & the Faroe Islands

BIRD FIR is Free Route Airspace (FRA), meaning that aircraft departing Iceland (as well as the Faroe Islands, which underlies BIRD FIR) are generally free to determine their own routings.

However, aircraft may still be subject to certain rules and restrictions to their routing. For example, departures from BIKF and BIRK are not permitted to use the G3 airway, except if they have short-range navigational equipment only. These restrictions are described in LOPs where relevant, and may be found in the Iceland AIP, ENR 1.8.3.1.3.7.

Greenland

BGGL FIR is not Free Route Airspace.

A "domestic" airways system has been established in BGGL FIR from FL285 and below. Details on the airways may  be found in the Greenland AIP, ENR 3 (ATS Routes.) Generally, flights below FL285 are expected to fly via these airways.

Initial Climb (CFL)

The standard initial climb from all Icelandic airports is FL290, or the aircraft's requested flight level (RFL) if lower.

Initial climb for departures from EKVG and Greenland (BG**) is at the discretion of Reykjavik Control. Traffic permitting, Reykjavik may clear the aircraft to climb directly to RFL.

DEL should verify that the initial climb is set correctly on Euroscope on the CFL (Cleared Flight Level) list item.

Cruising Flight Level (RFL)

DEL should verify that the aircraft’s Requested Flight Level (RFL), i.e. its cruising level, is valid.

In the Reykjavik CTA, IFR cruising levels are allocated following these rules:

  • 2000ft – FL410: Levels are separated by 1000ft, and allocated following the East/West semi-circular rule.
    • I.e., flights with an Eastbound track (000-179°) fly at odd thousands of feet, and flights with a Westbound track (180-359°) fly at even thousands of feet.
    • Technically, between FL290-FL410, this is subject to RVSM approval. However, on VATSIM, we assume that any aircraft requesting to fly in RVSM airspace is RVSM approved.
  • Above FL410: Levels are separated by 2000ft. E.g., FL410 Eastbound, FL430 Westbound, FL450 Eastbound, etc.

Squawk Code

After DEL has checked all of the above elements of the flight plan, DEL should assign the aircraft a discrete four-digit squawk code (aka SSR, or secondary surveillance radar, code) via TopSky.

Clearance Format/Phraseology

[CALLSIGN], cleared to [DEST] via [SID], climb via SID [CFL], [SQUAWK].

E.g.,

🎧 ICE123, cleared to London Heathrow, via the LUTER 2A departure, climb via SID FL290, squawk 4110.

Reroutes

It is generally assumed that unless stated otherwise, an aircraft is being cleared via its flight planned route. If there are any amendments to the routing, DEL shall state them after the SID. E.g.,

🎧 FLI401, cleared to Vagar with a reroute, via the OSKUM 3A departure, after OSKUM direct MY, climb via SID FL290...

It is good practice to indicate that there will be a reroute using language such as "with a reroute" when issuing the clearance, to ensure the pilot is ready to copy.

For partial reroutings, DEL may use the phrase "flight planned route" to indicate where the original route would resume. E.g.,

🎧 ICE123, cleared to London Heathrow with a reroute, via the OSKUM 3A departure, after OSKUM direct RATSU then flight planned route, climb via SID FL290...

If the rerouting is very long, DEL may provide the new routing via a separate transmission, before issuing the clearance itself, to reduce the length of each transmission. If the reroute was provided separately before the clearance, the clearance itself does not need to specify "with a reroute."

Non-Standard Departure Instructions

For aircraft which are not following a SID, then their departure instructions (as coordinated with APP) should be given following the phrase “after departure runway XX…” E.g.,

🎧 ICE236, cleared to Akureyri, after departure runway 01 fly heading 040, initial climb 5000ft, squawk 1217.

Since the aircraft is not following a SID, the initial climb may be issued simply as “initial climb" (or simply "climb" if the aircraft will climb all the way to cruise.)

Whenever an aircraft is maintaining the runway heading/track after departure, the instruction "climb straight ahead to [LEVEL]" may be used to serve as both the departure instruction & the initial climb.

After Issuing Clearance

Upon the pilot's correct readback, they should be instructed to report ready for push & start on the delivery frequency. Only when the aircraft is ready should they be transferred to GND. This is to ensure they are on frequency, should DEL have to re-clear them.

If a VFR departure calls DEL, DEL shall instruct them to contact GND. DEL does not issue VFR clearances.

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