Beginning on 25 Feb at 23:59 UTC, Non-Data Link equipped aircraft are not allowed to operate in the NAT HLA airspace from FL290-FL410.

The exemption period has expired. Non-Data Link aircraft may cross the NAT HLA airspace within the NAT surveillance airspace at any altitude provided the aircraft is equipped with ADS-B while operating over Greenland. 

Read more: NAT HLA Data Link Mandate Back In Force

What/When: ICAO Doc 4444 revision effective 5 Nov. 2020, Amendment 9 to PANS-ATM is intended to address the requirements and procedures for:

• Separation methods and minima
• ATS Surveillance services
• Procedures related to in-flight contingencies in oceanic airspace
• Wake turbulence categories of aircraft
• Special air reports; and
• Strategic lateral offset procedures (SLOP)

Read more: ICAO Doc 4444 PANS-ATM 9 Changes

As the world deals with the COVID-19 pandemic, aviation is asking one of the same questions as the rest of the world; may we operate into the European Union? One apparent blessing of the EU structure is its ability to act uniformly in its response to this crisis. This does not mean that all countries are responding identically, but they are all participating in the dissemination of information. In order to centralize information regarding each EU country’s response to COVID-19, an official website has been created. The site, dubbed “Reopen EU,” has been designed as a central repository for specifics concerning the reopening of the EU. We have reviewed the website and offer this blog post for your information. The specific web address is given at the end of the blog.

Read more: Mother May I … Go to the EU?

On January 30, 2020, Phase 2c of the North Atlantic Data Link Mandate (NAT DLM FL290-FL410) went into effect. CPDLC is still required on T213, T13, and T216 in the SE corner of Shanwick Oceanic. Routes T9 and T290 positioned just west of the BOTA airspace do not require CPDLC but have specific Transponder requirements.

ICAO has published an updated version of the NAT Doc 007, applicable from July 2020, with some minor changes regarding the Tango Routes. The specifics of these changes are found in Chapter 6, sections 6.8.1 and 6.8.2.

Read more: Tango Transponders