1.10.1 Procedures For The Submission Of A Flight Plan
1.10.1.1 A flight plan shall be submitted prior to operating:
any flight or portion thereof to be provided with air traffic control service;
any IFR flight within advisory airspace;
any flight within or into designated areas, or along designated routes, when so required by the appropriate ATS authority to facilitate the provision of flight information, alerting and search and rescue services;
any flight within or into designated areas, or along designated routes, when so required by the appropriate ATS authority to facilitate co-ordination with appropriate military units or with air traffic services units in adjacent States in order to avoid the possible need for interception for the purpose of identification;
any flight across international borders.
Note: The term "flight plan" is used to mean variously, full information on all items comprised in the flight plan description, covering the whole route of a flight, or limited information required when the purpose is to obtain a clearance for a minor portion of a flight such as to cross an airway, to take off from, or to land at a controlled aerodrome.
1.10.1.2 The pilot-in-command or the operator shall use the ICAO Flight Plan Form.
1.10.1.2.1 Flight plans and ATS messages must be filed in accordance with amendment 1 of 16th edition of PANS-ATM, DOC 4444. FPL and ATS messages filled in other format will be rejected and consequently such flights will be delayed.
1.10.1.3 A flight plan prior to departure should be submitted to the Air Traffic Services reporting office (ARO) at the departure aerodrome. If no such unit exists at the departure aerodrome, the flight plan should be submitted to the unit serving or designated to serve the departure aerodrome (see ENR 1.11)
1.10.1.4 Flight plans shall not be submitted more than 120 hours before the estimated off-block time of a flight.
1.10.1.5 The flight plan shall be submitted by the operator or pilot-in-command to the nearest ATC unit. At least 180 minutes prior to ETD for the following:
Flights departing Malaysia airports whose destinations are outside Malaysia.
Flights departing Peninsular Malaysia airports for Sabah/Sarawak and vice versa.
Flights operating within Peninsular Malaysia.
Flights operating within Sabah and/or Sarawak.
1.10.1.6 Flights departing from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (WMKK), FPL submission is only through WMKKZPZM WMKKYOYX. If there is an AFTN/AMHS problem on the airline's system, the airline's representative can attend the ARO to submit the FPL through the terminal available at the ARO. Submission by email is subject to approval and coordination with the officer on duty via telephone +603-87784100/4101 and it is limited to flights departing less than one hour from EOBT.
1.10.1.7 In the event of a delay of 30 minutes in excess of the estimated off-block time for a controlled flight or a delay of one hour for an uncontrolled flight for which a flight plan has been submitted, the flight plan should be amended or a new flight plan submitted and the old flight plan cancelled, whichever is applicable.
1.10.1.8 ATC will acknowledge:
'IFR flight cancelled at....... (time)' or if information available which indicates the likelihood of IMC prevailing along the route, will notify these conditions as follows:
Instrument MET conditions reported (or forecast) in the vicinity of.................................................
Note: The fact that a pilot reports flying in VMC does not of itself constitute cancellation of an IFR flight plan.
1.10.1.9 Closing a flight plan
1.10.1.9.1 Unless otherwise prescribed by the appropriate ATS authority, a report of arrival shall be made in person, by radiotelephony or via data link at the earliest possible moment after landing, to the appropriate air traffic services unit at the arrival aerodrome, by any flight for which a flight plan has been submitted covering the entire flight or the remaining portion of a flight to the destination aerodrome.
1.10.1.9.2 When a flight plan has been submitted only in respect of a portion of a flight, other than the remaining portion of a flight to destination, it shall, when required, be closed by an appropriate report to the relevant air traffic services unit.
1.10.1.9.3 When no air traffic services unit exists at the arrival aerodrome, the arrival report, when required, shall be made as soon as practicable after landing and by the quickest means available to the nearest air traffic services unit.
1.10.1.9.4 When communication facilities at the arrival aerodrome are known to be inadequate and alternate arrangements for the handling of arrival reports on the ground are not available, the following action shall be taken. Immediately prior to landing the aircraft shall, if practicable, transmit to the appropriate air traffic services unit, a message comparable to an arrival report, where such a report is required. Normally, this transmission shall be made to the aeronautical station serving the air traffic services unit in charge of the flight information region in which the aircraft is operated.
Note: The intent of this provision is to facilitate a reclearance to a revised destination, normally beyond the filed destination aerodrome.
1.10.1.10 Adherence to flight plan
1.10.1.10.1 Except as provided for in 1.10.1.11 and 1.10.1.13, an aircraft shall adhere to the current flight plan or the applicable portion of a current flight plan submitted for a controlled flight unless a request for a change has been made and clearance obtained from the appropriate air traffic control unit, or unless an emergency situation arises which necessitates immediate action by the aircraft, in which event as soon as circumstances permit, after such emergency authority is exercised, the appropriate air traffic services unit shall be notified of the action taken and that this action has been taken under emergency authority.
1.10.1.10.2 Unless otherwise authorized or directed by the appropriate air traffic control unit, controlled flights shall, in so far as practicable:
when on an established ATS route, operate along the defined centre line of that route; or
when on any other route, operate directly between the navigation facilities and/or points defining that route.
1.10.1.10.3 Subject to the overriding requirement in 1.10.1.10.2, an aircraft operating along an ATS route segment defined by reference to very high frequency omnidirectional radio ranges shall change over for its primary navigation guidance from the facility behind the aircraft to that ahead of it at, or as close as operationally feasible to, the change-over point, where established.
1.10.1.10.4 Deviation from the requirements in 1.10.1.10.2 shall be notified to the appropriate air traffic services unit.
1.10.1.11 Inadvertent changes.
1.10.1.11.1 In the event that a controlled flight inadvertently deviates from its current flight plan, the following action shall be taken:
Deviation from track: if the aircraft is off track, action shall be taken forthwith to adjust the heading of the aircraft to regain track as soon as practicable.
Variation in true airspeed: if the average true airspeed at cruising level between reporting points varies or is expected to vary by plus or minus 5 per cent of the true airspeed, from that given in the flight plan, the appropriate air traffic services unit shall be so informed.
Change in time estimate: if the time estimate for the next applicable reporting point, flight information region boundary or destination aerodrome, whichever comes first, is found to be in error in excess of three minutes from that notified to air traffic services, or such other period of time as is prescribed by the appropriate ATS authority or on the basis of air navigation regional agreements, a revised estimated time shall be notified as soon as possible to the appropriate air traffic services unit.
1.10.1.12 Intended changes.
1.10.1.12.1 Requests for flight plan changes shall include information as indicated hereunder:
Change of cruising level: aircraft identification; requested new cruising level and cruising speed at this level, revised time estimates (when applicable) at subsequent flight information region boundaries.
Change of route:
Destination unchanged: aircraft identification; flight rules; description of new route of flight including related flight plan data beginning with the position from which requested change of route is to commence; revised time estimates; any other pertinent information.
Destination changed: aircraft identification; flight rules; description of revised route of flight to revised destination aerodrome including related flight plan data, beginning with the position from which requested change of route is to commence; revised time estimates; alternate aerodrome(s); any other pertinent information.
1.10.1.13 Weather deterioration below the VMC.
1.10.1.13.1 When it becomes evident that flight in VMC in accordance with its current flight plan will not be practicable, a VFR flight operated as a controlled flight shall:
request an amended clearance enabling the aircraft to continue in VMC to destination or to an alternative aerodrome, or to leave the airspace within which an ATC clearance is required; or
if no clearance in accordance with a) can be obtained, continue to operate in VMC and notify the appropriate ATC unit of the action being taken either to leave the airspace concerned or to land at the nearest suitable aerodrome; or
if operated within a control zone, request authorization to operate as a special VFR flight; or
request clearance to operate in accordance with the instrument flight rules.
1.10.1.14 Termination of control
1.10.1.14.1 A controlled flight shall, except when landing at a controlled aerodrome, advise the appropriate ATC unit as soon as it ceases to be subject to air traffic control service.