For many United States and Canada-based operators, flights across the Atlantic are a regular occurrence. Even for the domestic flyer, it is not unusual to make a trip to Europe on an annual or biannual basis. Yet, despite the commonplace of these flights, many flight departments and pilots are still paying for expensive third-party services that they can perform on their own or through more cost-effective options, such as RocketRoute. This includes flight planning and filing, retrieving weather and NOTAM information, requesting PPRs and arranging ground handling services.
Let's start with flight planning and filing. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean is typically performed via the North Atlantic (NAT) Tracks or outside of MNPS airspace for those aircraft that do not meet the certification and equipment requirements. Once in Europe, operators are faced with routings that may change from day-to-day based on traffic demands or other factors dictated by Eurocontrol, the agency responsible for managing European Union airspace.
Fortunately, RocketRoute offers a simple solution for these scenarios. Generating a flight plan is achieved with a minimal set of user inputs, which are considered along with aircraft, wind and temperature data by its AutoRouter tool to compute an optimum route of flight and profile. With one click, that route can then be verified with Eurocontrol, thereby providing the operator with confidence that the flight plan will be accepted when filed. Once airborne, aircraft within Eurocontrol airspace can be tracked and their position and other relevant flight information displayed both graphically and in a concise pop-up window. This is a useful feature for those at the home office or any others that have a need to monitor the aircraft location.
Complete weather information and NOTAMs for the departure and arrival airports and, of course, the route of flight, is available in RocketRoute. Weather charts and textual data, such as METARs and TAFs, can easily be added to the flight package. For North Atlantic crossings, the NOTAM containing the valid NAT Track routes is available too.
RocketRoute allows users to request ground handling and other services directly with the provider of their choice. For those customers that have the add-on subscription to the Ac-u-Kwik data, information on airports throughout the world, such as operational hours, runway length and type, on-field services, FBOs, and other providers, is available at their fingertips. That same data can also be part of the flight package. RocketRoute will even alert the user if the destination is a Prior Permission Required (PPR) airport and, if so, provides the tool to request that authorization.
Of course, whether flying domestically or internationally, having the current en route and terminal charts is a must. RocketRoute provides those on a global basis with access available online and through its iOS and Android apps. The charts can also be downloaded to the user's computer, mobile device or EFB for offline viewing.
And if all of this was not enough to convince operators that flying to, from and within Europe was something that they can do on their own AND at a fraction of the cost, RocketRoute will soon have the ability to make eAPIS submissions for departures and arrivals from/to the US. Runway Analysis from market-leader Aircraft Performance Group (APG) is coming too!
With such a powerful and comprehensive tool as RocketRoute, why would you ever again pay for trip planning support for your European flights?
Contact our sales team today to request a free trial of our business and airline versions of RocketRoute.