1. The aircraft operator will provide a list of participating tail numbers. The list will be updated with additions and deletions.
2. At the appropriate time, the airline files the Flight Plan for a participating flight via normal flight plan filing mechanisms. The flight plan must have the Flight Identification (FID) in field 7, the departure airport, and registration number in field 18, per standard requirements for FANS operations.
When a NAT Track is filed in the flight plan, the airline shall file the flight plan using the lat/long waypoint definitions for the track, rather than the NAT Track name or the NAT Track grid point names. When a NAT track is filed in the flight plan in this manner, the airline shall include “these coordinates are identified as the [NAT Track name]” in the airlines remarks section for aircrew (this item is not part of the
Flight Plan filed with the FAA).
If an airline files “FRC” in the Remarks field of the Flight Plan, PDC clearances will be inhibited for the flight, while DCL processing will continue.
When an airway is included in the flight plan, the entry and exit point should be designated by a published named waypoint. If there is an airway crossing point between two airways, i.e. where two airways cross, the airways crossing point should be designated by a published named waypoint in the filed flight plan.
Note: If the filed flight plan does not designate any applicable airways entry, exit, and crossing points between two airways by a published named waypoint, the uplinked DCL will not load on some aircraft. This will result in a rejection of the uplink by the aircrew, and reversion to voice.
3. For participating flights at an airport utilizing “auto mode”, the airline shall: a. Automatically identify PDCs received from the Tower, and prevent these from being transmitted to the aircraft. b. Automatically identify PDC requests received from the aircraft, and respond saying “request Departure Clearance using FANS-1/A or request your ATC clearance via voice ”.
4. 45 minutes prior to the proposed departure time, ERAM/Host triggers: a. strip printing with the planned route b. a DCL Clearance message for controller review and optional data input i.e. SID Initial Altitude. The controller sends the clearance to automation, automation formats it into a FANS-1/A clearance using UM 80, UM169 UM19, UM169, UM123 and, and places the clearance in a queue awaiting downlink request (see Appendix for sample messages).
Note: The DCL creation time (45 minutes as stated above) will be a variable parameter in the DTAP system, and will be adjusted during the trials from e.g. 60 minutes to 20 minutes to collect data on the acceptability of different timeframes from both a flight deck and ATC

perspective. The closer the time to departure, the more negative impact on the aircrew, while the farther from the departure time the more workload increase for the controller. This will be a trials objective outlined further in the DCL Trials Management Plan.
5. For each flight plan, the DTAP shall compare the registration number in field 18 with the list of participating aircraft list from Step 1. a. When there is no registration number, or the registration number is not part of the participating flight list, the PDC clearance will be handled as it is today, and no DCL clearance will be sent. b. When the registration number is part of the daily participating flight list the controller/automation: i. Removes the PDC from the system. ii. Edits the DCL Departure clearance, and adds it to the Departure clearance queue (available for transmission to the flight crew upon DCL request). c.
6. At the appropriate time, and while still at the gate, the aircrew logs-on to FANS using the local Tower address.
7. The ATC System conducts the log-on and connects CPDLC with the aircraft.performs correlation of the log-on with existing flight plans. a. If the log-on request message (FN_CON) has the required data, the ground system will accept the og-on by sending a positive log-on response (FN_AK). In all other cases the ground system will send a negative FN_AK. b. If the log-on is attempted and no response is received, or a negative response is received, the aircrew may attempt one further log-on before reverting to voice for their departure clearance. c. When a DCL clearance is created, FPL correlation can be attempted. If FPL correlation with the log-on data received in an accepted log-on request, ground system shall: i. Send a positive log-on response (positive FN_AK) ii. Connect CPDLC with the aircraft by sending a CR1 (aircraft responds with a CC1).
8. The aircrew requests the Departure Clearance using only DM25 (REQUEST CLEARANCE).
Note: If the aircrew uses any other message type to request the Departure Clearance, to include appending a freetext to the DM25, the ground system shall respond with a freetext “MESSAGE NOT SUPPORTED BY THIS ATS UNIT”.

9. The ground system a. Delivers the Departure clearance to the aircraft using FANS-1/A message elements um80, um169, um19, um169 and um123 all within the same message (see Appendix A for message samples). The clearance will contain an intermediate level to maintain, a beacon code, and the cleared route of flight, and potentially the STAR at the arrival airport (not Approach or Arrival Runway). No altitude or speed constraints shall be included in the loadable part of the message (um80), other than those automatically loaded from the aircraft’s Nav Database with an uplinked STAR. b. The uplink will never contain a departure runway or SID in the loadable portion (um80), though it may contain a SID and transition as appropriate in a non-loadable um169 freetext element within the clearance.
Note: The SID is included in the non-loadable portion because FAA systems cannot include the runway departure runway in the uplink and this is required for correct loading of the SID. Although departure runway cannot be provided within the DCL Trials, inclusion of departure runway is an important feature for aircrew and will the FAA is investigating how to provide it in the operational DCL system. c. If the [routeclearance] in an uplink contains an arrival procedure/transition, then the last waypoint in the [routeinformation] must be the same as the first fix in the transition (if specified) or the procedure (if a transition is not specified). If the uplink contains a
Transition, the Transition name must be included in the proceduretransition field of the procedurename variable. d. Based on the flight plan from the airline, the ground system will uplink the lat/long waypoint definitions for the track, rather than the
NAT Track name or the NAT Track grid point names. e. The ground system will determine which waypoint names have two or more locations in the worldwide published Nav database. i. When the ground system determines that a waypoint name has two or more locations, and can unambiguously identify the waypoint name intended for the departure clearance, the ground system shall include the optional lat/long field for that waypoint name in the Departure Clearance uplink. ii. When the ground system determines that a waypoint name has two or more locations, and cannot unambiguously identify the waypoint name intended for the departure clearance, the ground system will not include the optional lat/long field for that waypoint name in the Departure Clearance uplink.
Note: Some aircraft require inclusion of the optional lat/long field to process duplicate waypoint names. In case ‘ii’, above, the uplink will be unloadable for these aircraft; aircrew will need to reject the clearance and revert to voice. f. Um169[freetext] elements shall include no more than 80 characters. g. When an airway is included in the uplink, the entry and exit point should be designated by a named waypoint. If there is an airway crossing point between two airways, i.e. where two airways cross, the airways crossing point should be designated by a published named waypoint in the filed flight plan.
Note: If the filed flight plan does not designate any applicable airways entry, exit, and crossing points between two airways by a published named waypoint, the uplinked DCL will not load on some aircraft. This will result in a rejection of the uplink by the aircrew, and reversion to voice.
10. If the airline has requested a DCL copy, the ground system shall provide a decoded copy of the clearance, excepting beacon code, to the
AOC via the airline-supplied 7character ACARS address. The DCL copy shall include a header “COURTESY COPY – NOT AN ATC
CLEARANCE. Requesting airlines shall be capable of distinguishing the DCL copy from a PDC clearance, and shall acknowledge

received DCL copies. The AOC system may optionally provide the flight’s Gate along with the acknowledgement of the DCL copy. The
AOC system shall ensure that the DCL copy is not forwarded to the aircrew/aircraft.
11. The aircrew loads the DCL clearance into the FMS and reviews it. If acceptable, the flight crew activates the route in the FMS and downlinks “WILCO”. If unacceptable, the crew downlinks “UNABLE”.
12. Aircrew requests wind/temp data, Take-Off data, and Performance Data. These requests shall not be done using the route request function.
Note: Using the route request function risks overwriting the clearance received from ATC. Therefore, other request functions shall be used for this data.
13. One or more Revised Departure clearances may be sent by ATC prior to aircraft departure (see Appendix A for sample messages). These clearances will contain some or all of the same information as the initial Departure clearance, The uplink will never contain a departure runway or SID in the loadable portion (um79, um80, or um83), though it may contain a SID and transition as appropriate in a non-loadable um169 freetext element. No altitude or speed constraints shall be included in the loadable part of the message (um79, um80, um83), other than those automatically loaded from the aircraft’s Nav Database with an uplinked STAR. Revisions may contain um80, um83, or um79, according to the information being revised. a. Formatting rules and notes listed for the original DCL clearance also apply to DCL revisions. b. Um83 sha ll be used when the revision includes a route change starting at a specified position (the “AT” point) which is the last point in the SID or the SID Transition (if these are present) or any point after that, excluding any point within the Arrival, Approach, or associated Transitions. c. The ground system shall not include a departure airport in um83. d. The Um79 sha ll be used when the revision includes a route change ending at the specified position (the “TO” point) is a point after the SID or the SID Transition (if these are present) up to and including the first point in the first Arrival, Approach, or associated
T ransition in the aircraft’s active route. e. The ground system shall not include an arrival airport in um79. f. Um80 shall be used when the revision includes a route change and um79 or um83 is not appropriate according to rules 13.b. and
13.c, above.
Note 1: Although departure runway cannot be provided within the DCL Trials, inclusion of departure runway is an important feature for aircrew and will the FAA is investigating how to proved it in the operational DCL system.
Note 2: Beacon code changes will be done automatically, without controller intervention. Because these are automatic, there is a remote chance that a beacon code revision could occur at any time prior to CPDLC disconnect (see next step). If received, the aural annunciations would be suppressed from TOGA to 400ft, but visual annunciation would still take place. It is possible, the not likely, that beacon code changes could be sent as the aircraft climbs out, and both aural and visual annunciations would take place until the CPDLC connection is terminated at 12,000ft MSL

14. If the airline has requested a DCL Revision copy, the ground system shall provide a decoded copy of the clearance, excepting beacon code, to the AOC via the airline-supplied 7-character ACARS address. The DCL copy shall include a header “COURTESY COPY – NOT
AN ATC CLEARANCE. Requesting airlines shall be capable of distinguishing the DCL copy from a PDC clearance, and shall acknowledge received DCL copies. The AOC system may optionally provide the flight’s Gate along with the acknowledgement of the DCL copy. The
AOC system shall ensure that the DCL copy is not forwarded to the aircrew/aircraft.
15. The aircrew loads the DCL clearance into the FMS and reviews it. If acceptable, the flight crew activates the route in the FMS and downli nks “WILCO”. If unacceptable, the crew downlinks “UNABLE”.
16. As the aircraft passes through an altitude at or above 12,000ft, the ground system disconnects CPDLC. The specific altitude above
12,000ft can be configured on a NAS-wide basis.
Note: Aircrew transiting to another FANS-supporting airspace (e.g. Oakland Oceanic, New York Oceanic) would need log-on to the FANS facility. No automatic transfer of the CPDLC connection will occur.

UM
Number
Response
Attributes
ASN1
Definition
Sample Clearance
UM80
{RouteClearance}
UM169
[freetext]
UM19
MAINTAIN
[level]
UM169
[freetext]
Urg(N)/Alr(A)/
Resp(W/U)/Rec(RC)
Urg(N)/Alr(L)
/Resp(R)
Urg(N)/Alr(A)/
Resp(W/U)/Rec(VC)
Urg(N)/Alr(L)/
Resp(R)
Airport Departure[0]
Airport Destination [1]
Procedure Arrival [6]
Route information [7]
FreeText ::=
IA5String (SIZE
(1..256))
LevelType ::=
CHOICE levelFeet [0] levelFlightLevel[2]
FreeText ::=
IA5String (SIZE
(1..256))
KDFW
KMIA
SSCOT1.SZW
..AEX.J50.CEW.J2.
SZW
CLARE2.EIC RNAV SID
MAINTAIN 10000FT
EXP FLXXX WI 10 MIN
AFT DEP. DEP FREQ 118.55
EDCT 2145Z
UM123
SQUAWK [code]
Urg(N)/Alr(M)/
Resp(W/U)
Code ::= SEQUENCE
SIZE (4) OF
CodeOctalDigit
CodeOctalDigit ::=
INTEGER (0..7)
SQUAWK 0562
Notes:.
Lab Validation
(6) Optional if a ARR is not part of the route Information
FL/FT, MIN/MILES, Freq is
Ctrl selected from DP,
EDCT – display if HADS provides

1.
Repeating the last fix in the DP as part of the first fix in the Route Information sequence (e.g. Clare2.EIC with EIC starting the route information)
2.
For arrivals the Arrival Transition fix will be included as the last fix in the Route information sequence as appropriate to the route of flight.
3.
Second UM169 (additional Info) is a structured free text message with variable fields – FLXXX, MINS/MILES, DP Freq,
EDCT if provided

UM
Number
Response
Attributes
ASN1
Definition
UM80
{RouteClearance}
UM169
[freetext]
UM19
MAINTAIN
[level]
UM169
[freetext]
Urg(N)/Alr(A)/
Resp(W/U)/Rec(RC)
Urg(N)/Alr(L)
/Resp(R)
Urg(N)/Alr(A)/
Resp(W/U)/Rec(VC)
Urg(N)/Alr(L)/
Resp(R)
Airport Departure[0]
Airport Destination [1]
Procedure Arrival [6]
Route information [7]
FreeText ::= IA5String
(SIZE (1..256))
LevelType ::=
CHOICE levelFeet [0] levelFlightLevel[2]
FreeText ::= IA5String
(SIZE (1..256))
Sample Clearance
KLGA
KDFW
LIT.BYP5
LANNA.J48.MOL.J22.VXV..SYI
..MEM.J66.LIT
LGA2.LGA SID
RWY 13 WHITESTONE CLIMB
MAINTAIN 5000FT
EXP FLXXX WI 10 MIN
AFT DEP. DEP FREQ 120.4
EDCT 2145Z
UM123
SQUAWK [code]
Urg(N)/Alr(M)/
Resp(W/U)
Code ::= SEQUENCE
SIZE (4) OF
CodeOctalDigit
CodeOctalDigit ::=
INTEGER (0..7)
SQUAWK 3021
Lab Validation
FL/FT, MIN/MILES,
Freq is Ctrl selected from DP, EDCT – display if HADS provides

Route Modification:

No change to the DP or Transition is allowed. Route information:
UM
Number
Response
Attributes
ASN1
Definition
Sample Clearance Lab Validation
UM169
[freetext]
Urg(N)/Alr(L)
/Resp(R)
FreeText ::= IA5String
(SIZE (1..256))
REVISED ROUTE
UM83
AT [position]
CLEARED
[routeClearance]
Urg(N)/Alr(M)/
Resp(W/U)
PositionPosition ::=
SEQUENCE SIZE (2)
OF Position – atposition
RouteClearance ::=
SEQUENCE
Airport Destination [1]
Procedure Arrival [6]
Route information [7]
CEW
KMIA
SSCOT1.SZW
KRSTO..SZW
UM19
MAINTAIN
[level]
Urg(N)/Alr(A)/
Resp(W/U)/Rec(VC)
LevelType ::= CHOICE levelFeet [0] levelFlightLevel[2]
MAINTAIN 10000FT
Notes:
Within um83 the specified position (the “AT” point) must be the last point in the SID or the SID Transition (if these are present) or any point after that, excluding any point within the Arrival, Approach, or associated Transitions.

Procedure Departure and
. Route information:
, links with an existing downstream route of flight waypoint
UM
Number
Response
Attributes
ASN1
Definition
Sample Clearance Lab Validation
Urg(N)/Alr(M)/
Resp(W/U)
Urg(N)/Alr(L)
/Resp(R)
Urg(N)/Alr(A)/
Resp(W/U)/Rec(VC)
PositionPosition ::=
SEQUENCE SIZE (2)
OF Position – toposition
RouteClearance ::=
SEQUENCE
Airport Departure[0]
Route information [7]
FreeText ::= IA5String
(SIZE (1..256))
LevelType ::= CHOICE levelFeet [0] levelFlightLevel[2]
CLEARED TO MCB
KDFW
SWB
CLARE2.SWB
MAINTAIN 10000FT
:
1.
Within um79 the specified position (the “TO” point) must be a point after the SID or the SID Transition (if these are present) up to and including the first point in the first Arrival, Approach, or associated Transition in the aircraft’s active route.
2.
Route amendment from aircraft ground position to an existing FMS route waypoint – MCB/AEX - Inserts modification to existing route (e.g. Baseline DCL Clearance UM80)

UM
Number
Response
Attributes
ASN1
Definition
Sample Clearance Lab Validation
UM169
[freetext]
UM80
{RouteClearance}
UM169
[freetext]
UM19
MAINTAIN
[level]
Urg(N)/Alr(L)
/Resp(R)
Urg(N)/Alr(A)/
Resp(W/U)/Rec(RC)
FreeText ::= IA5String
(SIZE (1..256))
Airport Departure[0]
Airport Destination [1]
Procedure Arrival [6]
Route information [7]
FreeText ::= IA5String
(SIZE (1..256))
REVISED DP AND RTE
KDFW
KMIA
CYY.CYY6
CLL.IAH.J86.LEV.Q102.CYY
ARDIA3.CLL RNAV SID
UM169
[freetext]
Urg(N)/Alr(L)
/Resp(R)
Urg(N)/Alr(A)/
Resp(W/U)/Rec(VC)
Urg(N)/Alr(L)/
Resp(R)
LevelType ::=
CHOICE levelFeet [0] levelFlightLevel[2]
FreeText ::= IA5String
(SIZE (1..256))
MAINTAIN 10000FT
REVISED DEP FREQ 125.12
Notes:
1.
Amendment to the baseline DCL Clearance to replace the existing route of flight with a New Route of flight with New Arrival
Procedure – using UM80