IMPLEMENTATION OF OCEANIC CLEARANCE REMOVAL NORTH ATLANTIC EXCEPT FOR SHANWICK

SAFETY BULLETIN

24SAB06

3 December 2024

Implementation of Oceanic Clearance Removal – North Atlantic except for Shanwick

North Atlantic airspace includes the following airspace: New York Oceanic East (KZWY), Gander (CZQX), Reykjavik (BIRD), Bodø (above FL195) (ENOB), Shanwick (EGGX) and Santa Maria (LPPO).

On 4 December 2024, all airspace in the NAT (North America track) system will have implemented the oceanic clearance removal (OCR) procedure, with the exception of Shanwick airspace.

Under the OCR procedure, crews are required to submit the request for clearance (this procedure has remained unchanged). The flight will receive a message back, “RCL received by XXX.” This message will be sent from the airspace to which the RCL was submitted prior to oceanic entry.

Voice message shall be used to submit RCL if:

• If the RCL-received message is not received within 15 minutes of the request, or
• the aircraft is not ACARS Data Link equipped, or
• ACARS Data Link is not operational, or,
• an RCL REJECTED is received by aircraft.

The message RCL-received reply is acknowledging the filed route and max altitude that can be accepted by the flight to cross the oceanic entry point. This is not a clearance to cross the OEP at the altitude filed in the flight plan. This continues to be an area of confusion. The OEP

altitude will be assigned by the domestic controller prior to the OEP. The domestic

controller is responsible for coordinating the altitude to be crossed at the OEP with the oceanic controller.

The pilot is not responsible for altitude assignment at the OEP. As outlined in the OCR

bulletins, if you do not receive the altitude desired for OEP, you can request your desired altitude immediately after OEP. This will be coordinated and assigned by the airspace in which you are operating.

If you are given a route change prior to the OEP, this will either be given via CPDLC or via voice by the domestic controller. If you were not given a re-route when the RCL was received and acknowledged by the controller, fly the flight plan route.

The exception will be Shanwick airspace. The OCR is not being implemented at this time due to software issues. There is no set date as to when Shanwick will be ready to implement the OCR

procedure. In Shanwick airspace only, a clearance for both routing and altitude assignment

is still required. Please be vigilant when flying westbound into Shanwick airspace as this procedure is not the new OCR procedure. This is an identified hazard while operating in the NAT region due to the different operating procedure.

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