Flight planning item 15 of the flight plan what does it state in full?

Hi Titus, I believe the following will help you get a basic understanding of the said item No. 15 on the flight planning form. Alternately you may visit websites like "SKYBRARY" etc. where you will be able to get more and indepth information. You may also visit the FAA or ICAO websites which have a lot of information in PDF formats too. Wish you all the best.

CRUISING SPEED, ALTITUDE/LEVEL AND ROUTE – A BRIEF EXPLANATION

This is the most complex item. It contains very important information from the point of view of ATS therefore a careful and correct filling of this field is required. Mistakes in this field may be an indirect reason for such hazardous occurences as airspace infringement.

In item 15 insert:

Cruising Speed (maximum 5 characters)

Insert the true airspeed for the first or the whole cruising portion of the flight, in terms of:

a) kilometres per hour expressed as “K” followed by 4 figures - Example: K0220 (which means 220 km/h)

b) knots expressed as “N” followed by 4 figures - Example: N0175 (which means 175 knots)

The field also has option to enter speed as a Mach number

Cruising Level (maximum 5 characters)

Insert the planned cruising level for the first or the whole portion of the route to be flown, in terms of:

a) flight level, expressed as “F” followed by 3 figures or - Example: F085 (which means flight level 085),

b) in tens of metres, expressed as “S” followed by 4 figures - Example: S0150 (which means 1500 metres)

c) altitude in hundreds of feet, expressed as “A” followed by 3 figures - Example: A055 (5500 feet altitude)

d) altitude in tens of metres expressed as “M” followed by 4 figures - Example: M0610 (6100 metres altitude)

Route (including changes of speed, level and/or flight rules)

To fill in the “Route” field use points (1) to (6) below and after each element add a single space.

-       Flights along designated ATS Routes:

This will be a combination of Airway, enroute navaids/waypoints, if no airways then enter XXX DCT XXX and then at every point where there is likely to be a change of speed and level one needs to enter XXX//N0200A080 after this again enter Airway, enroute navaids/waypoints, if no airways then enter XXX DCT XXX. There is also provision to enter a lat/long of a particular point and this needs to be entered in a particular format. N999999/E999999 etc.

-       Flights outside designated ATS Routes:

Insert points normally not more than 30 minutes flying time or 370 km (200 NM) apart including each point at which a change of speed or level, a change of track, or a change of flight rules is planned or when required by the appropriate ATS authority(ies). Insert DCT between successive points unless both points are defined by geographical co-ordinates or by bearing and distance.