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Delivery

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

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

As of 20th March 2024, oceanic clearances are no longer required forall departing aircraft. All aircraft shall be issuedreceive a standard IFR clearance.clearance, no oceanic clearances are to be issued.

SID & Departure Runway

DEL should verify that Euroscope has correctly assigned a valid SID (Standard Instrument Departure) for the flight. The SID should be valid for the active departure runway, connect to the aircraft’s flight plan route, and be appropriate for the aircraft’s performance category.

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 Reasons may include having an out-of-date AIRAC, lack of navigation equipment (e.g., non-RNAV), performance constraints (unable to meet minimum altitudes or climb gradients), etc.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

Routing

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.

SSR 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 via TopSky.

Clearance Phraseology

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

For example:

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

Non-Standard Clearances

Reroutes

When an aircraft’s clearance contains changes to its route, DEL should add the phrase “with a reroute” to the clearance. DEL may alternatively give the new routing in a separate transmission, if the new routing is very long.

Non-Standard Departures (Not on a SID)

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…” For example:

🎧 ICE236, cleared to Akureyri, after departure runway 01 climb straight ahead to 5000ft, squawk 1217.

Since the aircraft is not following a SID, the initial climb may be issued simply as “climb XXX.” If the aircraft is climbing straight to its cruising level, the word “climb” may also be omitted, as in the 2nd example below:

🎧 ICE237, cleared to Akureyri, after departure runway 19 direct REKVA, FL230, squawk 1227.

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 aircraft calls DEL, DEL should instruct them to contact GND. DEL does not issue VFR clearances.

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