In connection with the scheduled August 10 start of the automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) mandate in Canadian airspace, Nav Canada recently issued Aeronautical Information Circular 10/23 describing fight plan filing requirements. The circular also details procedures Nav Canada will use to accommodate unequipped aircraft in ADS-B airspace.
Operators planning to enter ADS-B mandatory airspace must file the following equipage codes in Item 10 of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) flight plan: B1 (ADS-B Out capability) or B2 (ADS-B In and Out capability). In addition, they need to include the following new entry in Item 18: SUR/CANMANDATE.
Due to supply-chain limitations, Nav Canada says a “small number” of operators may not be able to meet equipage requirements in time for the mandate effective date. In those cases, Nav Canada will strive to accommodate non-equipped aircraft “as system capacity permits.” Because assessing ADS-B airspace accommodation requests will be manual and time-consuming, requests must be submitted at least three business days in advance.
Requests for urgent flights (such as medevac, VIP, and rescue) will be prioritized. Nav Canada promised that “in no case will it [approval] be later than four hours prior to the expected time of departure.” A request weblink will be provided before August 10. ADS-B-equipped Canadian state aircraft, as well as foreign state aircraft covered by diplomatic or formal agreements, will not be required to provide advance notice.