Software developer question - I'm looking for ICAO Flightplan RAW data format definition

[Ronald Vermeij]

NOTE TO VATSIM FORUM ADMINS: Our VATSIM former currently has no 'dedicated (software) developer section as far as i can see.
So that is why I choose to post my question over here. Feel free to move this posting to the correct sub-forum and please notify me about this
 

Hello to all software developers in the VATSIM community
I am looking to find the exact data-dictionary / exact field-data specifications of the RAW ICAO flightplan format.

QUESTION: Do you have hint for me about:
- Which organization has defined the raw flight-plan (exchange) data standard: (UN?/ ITU?/ ICAO? / A commercial corporation?)
- In which of their document this raw flight-plan data_standard / field formats have been specified?

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WHAT HAVE I DONE/FOUND SO FAR MYSELF ALREADY?
An Internet Search already provided me with these documents / presentations / websites below:

ICAO (old)
"Flight Planning Amendment 1 - 2012"
- https://www.icao.int/MID/Documents/2012/infpl_sg4/ip04.pdf

"Doc4444 - rules of the air and Air Traffic Services(1996)"
- https://aviation-is.better-than.tv/ICAO 4444 v13.pdf

"Doc9854 - Global Air Traffic Management Operational Concept"
- https://www.icao.int/Meetings/anconf12/Document Archive/9854_cons_en[1].pdf

ICAO (new)
"ICAO - Developer API's:"
- https://applications.icao.int/dataservices/apis.html
- https://www.icao.int/safety/iStars/Pages/API-Data-Service-new.aspx

"FF-ICE project docs and presentations"
- https://www.icao.int/airnavigation/FFICE/Pages/default.aspx
- https://www.icao.int/airnavigation/IMP/Documents/Doc 9965 - Manual on FF-ICE.pdf

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FAA
(old) "AIM document (okt 2017)"
- https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/media/aim.pdf

(new) "Various SWIFT PROJECT presentations"
- https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/technology/swim/swift/

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EUROCONTROL
"EUROCONTROL Specification forthe Air Traffic Services MessageHandling System (AMHS)"
- https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/2019-04/AMHS Spec 2.1_released issue_web.pdf

"ADEPX - Specifications"
- https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/publication/files/EUROCONTROL Specification ADEXP 3.2.pdf

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The best documents I have found so far are the ones below:
FAA - "FAA ICAO Flight Planning Interface Reference GuideVersion 3.0" from 2012
https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ato/service_units/air_traffic_services/flight_plan_filing/guidance/reference_guide/media/web Reference Guide v1.3.pdf

FLIGHTATM - "AFTN Terminal User guide"
http://flightatm.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/GEN_AFTN_Terminal_User_Manual.pdf

FAA - "eAIM - Appendix A. ICAO FLIGHT PLANS"
https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/fs_html/appendix_a.html

 

[Ronald Vermeij]

UPDATE ON MY QUEST: (Wednesday 28-april-2021) Problem solved: I've found what I was looking for, and learned a whole lot more along the way.

Here are the links to the relevant source documents which have provided me the answers:
ICAO: "DOC444$, AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO THE PROCEDURES FOR AIR NAVIGATION SERVICES AIR TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT FIFTEENTH EDITION — 2007" (page A3-2)"
ICAO DOC4444 - Amendement 1
 

EUROCONTROL: "EUROCONTROL Specification for ATS Data Exchange Presentation (ADEXP), ANNEX A – ADEXP FIELD DEFINITIONS (NORMATIVE)"
EUROCONTROL - ADEXP Technical messages specifications


TIP: See the next postings below, how i got to my (own) answers

[Ronald Vermeij]

SHORT SUMMARY OF MY DISCOVERY (for those who are interested in what goes behind the computer-screens on in the wonderful world of ATC).

1. WHAT ATC-ERS AND PILOTS CALL A [FLIGHTPLAN] IS ICT-TECHNICALLY SEEN AN [ATS MESSAGE]:
"ATS" stands for "Air Traffic Control Service" message.
There are various types of ATS messages, from which a [flightplan] is just 1 of them.

EXAMPLE OF A RAW (BEHIND THE SCREENS) ATS MESSAGE:
A filed flightplan message sent by London airport to Shannon, Shanwick and Gander centres:
FPL-ACA101-IS
–B773/H-CHOV/C
–EGLL1400
–N0450F310 L9 UL9 STU285036/M082F310 UL9 LIMRI 52N020W 52N030W 50N040W 49N050W
–CYQX0455 CYYR
–EET/EISN0026 EGGX0111 020W0136 CYQX0228 040W0330 050W0415 SEL/FJEL)

[Ronald Vermeij]

2. ATS MESSAGES TRAVEL FROM A TO B OVER AN ATMHS NETWORK WHICH USES A X400 ADDRESSING SCHEME:
"ATHMS" stands for "Air Traffic Services Handling System".
In its essence: This AMHS works in the same way as your sent-emails get automatically forwarded
by various globally spread email-servers over the Internet - to somebody else email-inbox.

EXAMPLES OF A REAL LIFE AMHS
http://en.monitorsoft.ru/products/amhs/

SLIDESHOWS ON AMHS:
https://www.slideserve.com/vartan/amhs-ats-message-handling-system
https://www.slideserve.com/dpage/faa-ground-to-ground-atn-implementation-plan-powerpoint-ppt-presentation

[Ronald Vermeij]

3. ATS MESSAGES CAN BE ENTERED INTO / RETRIEVED FROM AN ATHMS NETWORK BY USING A TERMINAL:
- They can be entered 100% manually as in hand-typed
- They can be send/retrieved automatically by connected computer systems

EXAMPLE: SCREENSHOTS OF A REAL-LIFE AFTN TERMINAL
http://flightatm.com/aftn-terminal-screen-shots/
 

[Ronald Vermeij]

4. ALL ATS-MESSAGES HAVE A PRE-DEFINED MESSAGE-CONTENT-FORMAT (This was the information I was looking for):
"Message formats" define strict (data-entry) rules about what type of information one can enter into which specific ATS-message field.

EXAMPLES - ICAO - Flightplan fields:
https://www.icao.int/EURNAT/Other%20Meetings%20Seminars%20and%20Workshops/FPL%202012%20ICAO%20EUR%20Region%20Plan/Documentation%20related%20to%20FPL%202012%20Amendment/Amendment%201%20Doc4444.EN.pdf

EXAMPLES - EUROCONTROL - ADEXP message definition document:
https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/publication/files/EUROCONTROL%20Specification%20ADEXP%203.2.pdf

[Ronald Vermeij]

5. RELEVANT BACKGROUND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION DOCUMENTS: (for those who want to do some more digging themselves)
ICAO Doc4444 (C16) : "PANS-ATM, Procedures for Navigation Services – Air Traffic Management"
This document defines all high-level global and technical standards

ICAO Doc9705: "Manual of technical provisions for  the  aeronautical telecommunication  network (atn)"
ICAO Doc9880: "Manual on detailed technical specifications for the aeronautical telecommunication network (atn) using iso/osi standards and protocols"
These documents defines a lot of technical specifications of the involved ATS message parsing computer systems.

EUROCONTROL: Various eu-specific (Adexp/ Oldi) technical specification documents - which are all based on global "ICAO Doc4444" standard.
https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/2020-07/eurocontrol-guidelines-for-on-line-data-interchange-oldi-1.1.pdf
https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/2020-08/eurocontrol-oldi-specification-5.0.pdf
https://www.eurocontrol.int/sites/default/files/publication/files/EUROCONTROL%20Specification%20ADEXP%203.2.pdf

FINAL WORD:
I hope you all have enjoyed this background information trip about what really goes on behind the ATC-screens.
Keep the blue side up :-)