Oceanic and CPDLC

[Stefan Hoks]

Hi there,

Im planning a trip across the pond after reading a lot about it and having flown a few practise flights offline. Past days I tried to install a ACARS/CPDLC client that fit my needs, but so far I wasn't able to make  EasyCPDLC work (the client I prefere most). I also don't yet get the hang of Hoppies Airborne Client. So... Is CPDLC mandatory for oceanic flights? Or can I also cross the pond without ACARS or CPDLC? In that case, will communication go via voice or via text?

Thanks a lot.

Stefan

[Stefan Hoks]

Oh and by the way, I'm flying the Citation Longitude which is most economical around FL440. But most NATS only allow up to FL390. Is there a way to be cleared for a higher FL than 390 when ATC is online? 

[Andreas Fuchs]

Hi Stefan,

no, you do not have to use CPDLC for this airspace, but it may be easier/nicer to receive your oceanic clearance through datalink, if oceanic ATC is active at the time of your flight. I do not use EasyCPDLC, but what does not work? There is a small Wiki as part of the easyCPDLC-website: https://github.com/josh-seagrave/EasyCPDLC/wiki

Regarding your cruise level: FL440 is not a valid "semicircular cruising level" in any airspace. There are certain rules what levels can be used and by default the West-East-scheme applies. You will find more information at VATSIM's Pilot Learning Center: https://my.vatsim.net/learn and also at this website https://flightcrewguide.com/wiki/rules-regulations/semicircular-cruising-level-system-icao/

For your specific question about the NATs being limited to FL390: you do not have to use the NATs when flying inside the NAT HLA, you can follow a so called "Random Route". Even if you follow the lateral track of a NAT, by flying above its defined maximum level (yes, you can do this!), will you be flying a "random route": https://my.vatsim.net/learn/aviation-skills/section/118/page/40

Please read up on it, but also feel free to ask here if you are in doubt.

[Stefan Hoks]

Awesome! Thanks for you reply.

So when I ask for oceanic clearance, via a NATs waypoints but requestion FL430 the controller will interpret it as a random routing?

Regarding EasyCPDLC, unfortunately the .exe file won't launch no matter what I try... Tried launching it as an administrator, tried launching multiple releases, but I can't make it work. I can stick to Hoppies ACARS for now, tho I didn't find a way to request oceanic clearance in the HOPPIE FMC. Free text I suppose?

[Andreas Fuchs]

1 hour ago, Stefan Hoks said:

Regarding EasyCPDLC, unfortunately the .exe file won't launch no matter what I try... Tried launching it as an administrator, tried launching multiple releases, but I can't make it work.

Are you using the latest release? https://github.com/josh-seagrave/EasyCPDLC/releases/tag/cpdlc0.2.0.0

EDIT: did you install all of the required .NET libraries? I just tried running the latest beta version of EasyCPDLC and it asked me to install these .NET libraries. Took a few seconds. It then worked without any issues. Otherwise, some anti-virus program could be blocking the program on your computer. What version of Windows are you using?

 

1 hour ago, Stefan Hoks said:

So when I ask for oceanic clearance, via a NATs waypoints but requestion FL430 the controller will interpret it as a random routing?

When you want to follow certain NAT (=lateral path and level according to NAT-message), you request a NAT with its identifier and the TMI (Track Message Identifier). If you want to follow the path of a NAT at a level outside its definition, you'll need to request and read back all of its waypoints.

Edited December 1, 2022 at 10:27 PM by Andreas Fuchs

[Brad Littlejohn]

2 hours ago, Stefan Hoks said:

Awesome! Thanks for you reply.

So when I ask for oceanic clearance, via a NATs waypoints but requestion FL430 the controller will interpret it as a random routing?

 

 

One thing you may also want to look into is to make sure that the flight level you are requesting is appropriate for your direction of flight. The last thing you want to do is be at the wrong flight level for your direction of flight, then have a mid-air collision with another aircraft who is at their correct flight level for their direction of flight. It's been a while since I've flown a NAT track, but I don't think the flight levels have changed; since the altitude you are looking for is above RVSM, the flight levels for the direction of flight are separated by 2000ft vertically. So FL430 should be westbound, while FL450 would be eastbound. Alternate the directions every 2000ft, up to FL600.

BL.

 

[Stefan Hoks]

8 hours ago, Andreas Fuchs said:

Are you using the latest release? https://github.com/josh-seagrave/EasyCPDLC/releases/tag/cpdlc0.2.0.0

EDIT: did you install all of the required .NET libraries? I just tried running the latest beta version of EasyCPDLC and it asked me to install these .NET libraries. Took a few seconds. It then worked without any issues. Otherwise, some anti-virus program could be blocking the program on your computer. What version of Windows are you using?

 

Yes, I downloaded the latest version. I have Windows 10, which also asks me if I really want to run this program because it's nog very common, when I click "run anyway" nothing happens. I'll check if McAfee doesn't block the program. 

Did you install the .NET libraries manually, or via the installer?

[Andreas Fuchs]

3 hours ago, Stefan Hoks said:

Did you install the .NET libraries manually, or via the installer?

When I ran EasyCPDLC for the first time (yesterday), it asked me whether I wanted to download and install the .NET libraries and I chose "Yes".

[Stefan Hoks]

So just completed my first succesfull CTP flight with quit a lot of ATC online. Thanks for the tips and tricks! Also I used Hoppies ACARS which went well, but I'm looking forward to using EasyCPDLC when I manage to make it work!