Pilot Handbook

U.S. Domestic Controller/Pilot Datalink Communication (CPDLC)

Operations

Updated: June 23, 2021

1
 Table of Contents

Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................... 2

1. Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 2
2. Using CPDLC – Basic Guidance ................................................................................................................. 4
3. U.S. En Route CPDLC Deployment ........................................................................................................... 6
4. Participating in En Route CPDLC – Flight Plan Filing & Flight Planning .................................................. 7
5. Logging On for CPDLC Services ............................................................................................................. 10
6. Initiation & Management of a CPDLC Session ..................................................................................... 12
8. En Route CPDLC Route Messages ......................................................................................................... 18
9. En Route CPDLC Altitude & Speed Messages ....................................................................................... 24
10. Controller Uplink Cancellation ............................................................................................................. 26
11. En Route CPDLC Termination, Transfer, & Log Off ............................................................................. 27
12. Emergency Messages ........................................................................................................................... 29
13. Quick Reference Card ........................................................................................................................... 30
Terms and Acronyms ................................................................................................................................. 33
ICAO Flight Plan Mask ................................................................................................................................ 34

1. Introduction

The purpose of the guide is to assist pilots with basic concepts and description of En Route CPDLC services
within the United States National Airspace System (NAS). While CPDLC avionics systems vary in operation

2
and presentation of CPDLC messages, the examples provided in this document are generic in nature and
used for illustrative purposes only. They must not be used in lieu of the guidance or instructions published
in the manufacturer’s avionics manuals or the FAA-approved Airplane Flight Manual for the operation of
a specific CPDLC avionics system.

A companion to this document is a Quick Reference Card (QRC) intended for use in the aircraft to serve
as a ready reference for using U.S. En Route CPDLC.

The current version of AC 90-117 furnishes guidance to operators and pilots desiring En Route CPDLC
services within the U.S. NAS. Aircraft must be equipped with VDL Mode 2 multi-frequency capability to
participate in En Route services. Part 91 operators do not require a Letter of Authorization for CPDLC
operations within the U.S. domestic airspace. Part 121, part 135, and part 91K operators require
OpSpec/MSpec A056 for CPDLC operations. Resources to assist new CPDLC operators in obtaining
authorization are available on the FAA and Harris Corporation websites.

The contents of this document are taken from numerous official FAA sources concerning the Data Comm
program in the U.S. NAS. These sources are available on the L3Harris website:

https://www.l3harris.com/datacomm

and the FAA Flight Standards Service, Flight Operations Group - Data Communications website:

https://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/avs/offices/afx/afs/afs400/afs410/dataco
mm/

3
2. Using CPDLC– Basic Guidance

Key Points:

• EACH CPDLC CLEARANCE OR MESSAGE SENT BY ATC TO THE AIRCRAFT REQUIRES A RESPONSE.
• RESPOND IN TIMELY MANNER, WORKLOAD PERMITTING, WITHOUT UNDUE DELAY.
• DO NOT SEND FREE TEXT MESSAGES – Exception with EMERGENCY messages
• Best practices, for multi-crewed aircraft:
o Independently & silently review an uplinked CPDLC message sent to the aircraft.
o Agree on content & intent of CPDLC message.
o Confirm change & take the action: FMS or Flight Guidance Mode change, etc.
o Confirm & agree before sending a CPDLC response, report, or request to ATC.
• Responses to a CPDLC messages should be via CPDLC, and responses to voice messages should be via
voice.
• If a CPDLC message is unclear or conflicting, clarify with ATC using voice.

Responding to a CPDLC Message

Each CPDLC message sent to the aircraft requires a response. That response should be accomplished in a
timely manner, workload permitting, but without undue delay. A response timer is started when the
message is first sent to the aircraft. This time alerts the controller if the pilot fails to respond to a CPDLC
message in a timely manner. Additional time is provided for CPDLC messages involving the loading of a
route into the FMS to allow route crosscheck/verification procedures. A reply of ACCEPT/WILCO, ROGER,
or REJECT/UNABLE is required for every CPDLC message.

When to use ACCEPT/WILCO or ROGER

Avionics systems may display either ACCEPT or WILCO for a positive response to the ATC message.
Respond with an ACCEPT/WILCO the CPDLC clearance when:

• After reviewing the uplinked CPDLC message per SOP’s and determining the uplinked CPDLC
clearance is acceptable.
• If loadable route information is included with the CPDLC message:
o After selecting the LOAD prompt and the FMS indicates the clearance has been successfully
loaded, no FMS discontinuities exist, and the loaded route is acceptable per SOP’s.
o Manual entry of a STAR and STAR runway transition may be necessary with some FMS
systems.

Note: Some CPDLC systems display a “ROGER” in lieu of “ACCEPT” to acknowledge messages that do not
involve a clearance. These messages may be system-generated without the controller’s knowledge.
Systems that display “ACCEPT” in lieu of “ROGER”, when activated by the pilot, also send a “ROGER”
response to the ground to acknowledge these types of messages.

4
When to use REJECT/UNABLE

Avionics systems may display either REJECT or UNABLE for a negative response to the ATC message.
Respond REJECT/UNABLE to the CPDLC clearance when:

• The uplinked CPDLC clearance is not acceptable.

• The FMS cannot load the route, or it loads only part of the route, and pilot/flight crew are unable
to resolve the clearance.
• The FMS indicates inconsistencies or discontinuities with the route modification that are not
addressed by en route or terminal charts and that the pilot/flight crew is unable to resolve.
• When SOPs require the pilot/flight crew to obtain a new clearance.

After responding with REJECT/UNABLE. use voice to clarify a clearance due to any confusion concerning
clearance intent, loading failures, route discontinuities, inconsistencies or CPDLC system failures. Do not
respond using free text.

When to use Standby

Select STANDBY only when a timely response is not practical. For example, when additional time is needed
to assess the clearance. STANDBY should not be a standard response to every uplink, it does not close
the CPDLC message. A CPDLC message is closed when the crew responds ACCEPT/WILCO, ROGER, or
REJECT/UNABLE. Selecting STANDBY does not change the expected response time.

When to use FREE TEXT

DO NOT SEND FREE TEXT TO THE GROUND/ATC unless part of an EMERGENCY MESSAGE. The controller
working the aircraft will not receive a FREE TEXT message sent from the aircraft. See Section 12.
Emergency CPDLC Messages concerning use of FREE TEXT with emergency messages sent to ATC.

Using Pre-formatted REPORTS

Some CPDLC messages sent by ATC to the aircraft require a report back from the aircraft, for example, the
CONFIRM ASSIGNED ALITUDE (CAA) CPDLC message. These reports are pre-defined in the avionics as
“REPORTS”, and for some avionics, may pre-fill with information extracted from the FMS or from the
aircraft’s air data systems. Respond only using these pre-formatted REPORTs. Do not respond to the ATC
CPDLC messages using FREE TEXT or append additional FREE TEXT with your response.

Unclear or conflicting CPDLC message from ATC

If a CPDLC message is unclear or conflicting, always clarify with ATC using voice and then respond to the
CPDLC message to close the message dialog.

5
3. U.S. En Route CPDLC Deployment

Key Points:

• Only Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC – e.g., “Washington Center”) will provide En Route
CPDLC services
• CPDLC services are not provided while operating within a Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON)
(e.g., “Potomac Approach”)
• CPDLC is not used to issue approach clearances or to issue a frequency change to an air traffic control
tower
• ARTCC’s where En Route CPDLC is in use is identified by a HI & LO IFR En Route chart annotation.
• The latest En Route CPDLC deployment map is located: www.dcis.harris.com

Where En Route Services are Provided

Only Air Route Traffic Control Centers (ARTCC – e.g., “Washington Center”) will provide En Route CPDLC
services. CPDLC services are not provided while the flight is under control of the Terminal Radar Approach
Control (TRACON) (e.g.,” Potomac Approach”). If a route or altitude will enter TRACON airspace, and the
flight will be under the control of the TRACON before reentering En Route airspace, CPDLC services will
not be available until the flight is back under the control of an En Route CPDLC facility. The flight crew will
receive a message alerting them that CPDLC operations are suspended once communication is transferred
to the TRACON (CPDLC NOT IN USE UNTIL FURTHER NOTIFICATION).

Notification of Deployment

When an ARTCC begins 24/7 En Route CPDLC services,

a NOTAM is issued, and an annotation is made on the
ARTCC boundary depiction on the U.S. HI and LO IFR En
Route charts with the correct CPDLC logon: “KUSA”.

Discretion to use CPDLC Services

Using CPDLC is at the controller’s discretion. If the

controller uses voice to communicate with the aircraft,
pilots must respond using voice and not use CPDLC.
Pilot desiring not to use En Route CPDLC services
should not logon to “KUSA”.

6
4. Participating in U.S. Domestic En Route CPDLC – Flight Plan Filing &
Flight Planning

Key Points:

• To signify a desire for U.S. Domestic En Route CPDLC, file the following items in the ICAO Flight Plan:
o In Field 7: When filing a flight plan ensure that the aircraft’s FAA/ICAO approved Flight ID is
included in Field #7. If no Flight ID applies, flights must use the tail number for Field 7.
o In Field 10a: Include “J4” in Field 10 to indicate VDL Mode 2 Capability
o In Field 18: Include:
▪ “DAT/FANSE” or “DAT/FANSER”, as applicable (see AC 90-117 for details)
▪ “REG/<aircraft registration>” when using an approved Flight ID in Field 7, e.g., “REG/N123HS”
• L3Harris has published a detailed U.S. Domestic CPDLC Flight and Route Planning Guide to support En
Route CPDLC available at https://www.l3harris.com/datacomm.

ICAO Flight Plan: Field 7, Field 10a, & Field 18

To signify a desire to participate in En Route CPDLC in the U.S. NAS, annotated the ICAO Flight Plan with
the following entries. Enter the aircraft’s registration or the FAA/ICAO approved Flight ID in Field 7. When
filing an approved Flight ID, this Flight ID must be entered into the FANS LOGON’s Flight ID field exactly
as filed. Do not use IATA air carrier flight designations. if a Flight ID is entered in Field 7, In Field 18,
ensure that the Registration Number (e.g., N-number) is included in the REG/ entry.

Field 7: FLIGHT ID = NJT123

or if no FLIGHT ID, then enter Registration N#

Field 18: REG/N123QS

7
The aircraft must be equipped with a with a FANS 1/A or FANS 1/A+ avionics system using VHF Datalink
(VDL) Mode 2. File the code "J4" in Field 10a to indicate this capability. This is the only permitted CPDLC
media type in the U.S. NAS as per AC 90-117.

To participate in U.S. domestic En Route CPDLC, the pilot/operator must file either "DAT/FANSE" or
“DAT/FANSER” in Field 18. Refer to the L3Harris U.S. Domestic CPDLC Flight and Route Planning Guide for
filing options for the DAT/FANSE or FANSER code:

FANSER Aircraft

“DAT/FANSER” identifies a small group of aircraft with an FMS that is unable to load a STAR when a route
CPDLC message is uplinked to the aircraft or require landing runway information to load. Operators
should confirm with their OEMs concerning the need to file DAT/FANSER. Aircraft not affected by this
restriction should file DAT/FANSE.

Datacom Clearance (DCL) and Pre-Departure Clearance (PDC)

Operators/pilots who file DAT/1FANSE or DAT/1FANSER will also receive Datalink Clearances (DCL) at
those airports where DCL is provided. To specify a preference for DCL or PDC clearances, see the L3Harris
U.S. Domestic CPDLC Flight and Route Planning Guide for filing DAT/ code options.

Flight Planning & Route Planning Considerations

Receiving a clearance via DCL & CPDLC requires strict adherence to flight plan route planning and route
construction requirement. Route planning tools that significantly improve the chance of obtaining a
“cleared as filed” (CAF) clearance are available at the FAA’s Air Traffic System Command Center’s
website under the Route Management Tools: https://www.fly.faa.gov/rmt/coded_departure_routes.jsp

There are several important rules that must be followed to receive a clearance via CPDLC. These are:

1. Filing of an airway must include both an entry and exit point (NAVAID or waypoint).
a. Unnamed airway intersections are not loadable via CPDLC.
b. A fix-radial-distance (FRD) point may be used describe a route between NAVAIDs in place
of radial-to-radial routing or an unnamed airway junction.
(e.g., ..TCH..TCH094074..MTU..).
2. Pilot defined waypoints supporting random RNAV routes are not loadable.

8
 3. On departures, the first route elements must be a fix or a SID/ODP. Use of a SID must exit either
at the common segment terminus waypoint or transition terminus waypoint. You may not exit
the SID at random waypoint.
4. Use of a STAR, enter at the first transition waypoint or at the first waypoint on the common route.
It is desirable to fly an appropriate STAR transition. Do not enter a STAR at a random waypoint.

Pilots must avoid filing multiple flight plans from a departure airport in anticipation of changing
conditions or destinations. Doing so negatively impacts the flight plan correlation process and could lead
to an invalid clearance being issued to the departing aircraft.

If a flight plan needs to be amended, cancel the old flight plan before re-fling the new flight plan.

Aircraft Change (Tail Swap) Procedures

Prior to CPDLC, aircraft changes involving a simple tail swap between the same type of aircraft could be
handled with the local controller (e.g., clearance delivery). With CPDLC, this is no longer possible as this
creates problems with ARTCC controllers managing flight plan correlation between aircraft using CPDLC.

If a tail swap is necessary, the flight plan with the old aircraft tail number should be canceled and a new
flight plan with the new tail number should be filed if the pilot intends to use DCL or En Route CPDLC.
Failure to follow these procedures could result in the aircraft’s tail number being placed on the CPDLC
block list.

If it is not possible to cancel the old flight plan, and the tail swap is coordinated with the local ATC, DO
NOT LOGON TO KUSA OR USE CPDLC FOR THE FLIGHT.

Additional flight planning information may be found in the U.S. Domestic CPDLC Flight and Route
Planning Guide to support En Route CPDLC available at https://www.l3harris.com/datacomm

9
5. Logging on for CPDLC Services
Key Points:

• Prior to logging on, verify:

o That the filed flight plan is loaded in the FMS to include filed SID/ODP and STAR
o That the registration (tail number) and/or Flight ID, departure airport, and destination airport
match what is filed the ICAO flight plan.
• Log on using “KUSA”:
o At DCL airports: At least 30 minutes prior to filed departure time to obtain DCL.
o At Non DCL airport: At the pilot’s discretion; RECOMMENDED to logon on ground.
o Prior to entry into U.S. airspace if CPDLC is not already in use.
• A successful connection is indicted when the FANS displays a logon established “KUSA”.
• A valid logon remains even if a CPDLC session has not been established with ATC.
• A logon is required only once per flight unless LOGON FAIL or RELOGON MESSAGE is displayed.
o Attempting additional logons will terminate an existing CPDLC session in En Route airspace.
o Unless you receive a LOGON FAIL or RELOGON MESSAGE, do not re-logon.

Logon Procedures

Before logging on to KUSA, verify the following flight-specific information is entered into the FMS:

1. The flight plan is loaded into the FMS, including the SID/ODP and STAR.
2. The Flight ID entered into the FMS matches either the aircraft’s registration or the Flight ID filed
in Field 7 of the flight plan.
3. If logon requires a separate entry of the tail number and when a Flight ID is also used, ensure that
the tail number entered is identical to that used in the REG/ field in Item 18 of the filed flight plan.
4. Both departure and destination airports are the same as those filed in the flight plan.

These steps are necessary to ensure that the FAA’s CPDLC system can correlate a logon attempt with the
IFR flight plan filed for that aircraft. Loading the filed flight plan, including a SID/ODP & STAR if filed, into
the FMS prior to logging on at a DCL airport ensures that any ATC route modifications to the filed flight
plan can be loaded directly into the FMS using the “Push-to-Load” feature of the system.

“KUSA” is the single National Data Authority (NDA) in the U.S. Domestic Airspace. Do not log on using the
ARTCC identifier (e.g., KZKC for Kansas City ARTCC).

A logon to “KUSA” can occur up to four (4) hours prior to the filed departure time or prior to penetrating
US airspace if arriving internationally and not using CPDLC service. At airports with DCL service, logon
should be made at least 30 minutes prior to the proposed departure time to receive your IFR clearance.

Flight crews should wait at least 10 minutes after landing before initiating a new CPDLC logon to ensure
that FAA’s system will have enough time to clear previous flight information.

10
A logon to “KUSA” can be accomplished using VDL Mode 2, VDL Mode 0 – also known as ACARS, or
SATCOM. This will enable logging on when the aircraft is outside the range of VDL Mode 2 ground stations.
It is therefore highly recommended that pilots log on to “KUSA” while on the ground as part of their
normal preflight preparation. You do not need to wait until airborne to log on. However, before a CPDLC
session between the aircraft and ATC is allowed, the aircraft must be using VDL Mode 2 for En Route
CPDLC.

During oceanic operations, VDL Mode 2 may have been disabled in order to enable CPDLC via SATCOM.
If this is the case, then the flight crew should ensure that VDL Mode 2 is reactivated prior to logging on to
“KUSA” while airborne prior to oceanic exit.

Indications of a successful logon to “KUSA” will vary with FANS equipment:

11
Normally, a logon to ‘KUSA” is required only once per flight unless
LOGON FAIL, RELOGON MESSAGE, or similar message is displayed (refer
to operating manuals). Attempting additional logons or multiple logon
attempts will terminate an existing CPDLC session and establish a new
session. Multiple logon attempts can result in a rejection of service. 6.
Initiation & Management of a CPDLC Session
Key Points:

• The establishment of a CPDLC session between the aircraft and ATC is indicated when the Current
Data Authority (CDA) or Active Center/Facility shows “KUSA”.
• Except when departing a DCL airport, establishment of a CPDLC session is also indicated by receipt of
the welcome message:
o “CONFIRM CPDLC CONTACT WITH KUSA. ROGER/ACCEPT THIS MESSAGE”.
o Respond to this welcome message with ROGER/ACCEPT.
• When departing a DCL airports, the CPDLC session remain active after departure.
• CPDLC sessions transfer from ARTCC to ARTCC
• CPDLC is not used while under TRACON control, but CDA–Active Center/Facility remains “KUSA”.
• A temporary loss of CPDLC connection to the ground may occur – Indications vary by OEM.
o Verify CDA-Active Center/Facility is still “KUSA”, if so, no immediate action is required.
o Do not logoff and re-logon to “KUSA”.
o Follow procedures operator or OEM procedures, if available. Let the aircraft data comm radio
and/or ground systems resolve the issue. Await re-connection with the ground.
o Use voice for ATC communications until reconnection is confirmed.

CDA & Activation of En Route CPDLC

Once a successful logon to “KUSA” is accomplished, ATC may establish an air traffic control “session” with
the aircraft. The air traffic controller must initiate this action, and several things are required for a
successful session to be established. One requirement is a verification that the aircraft is using VDL Mode
2 for its CPDLC communication. Once a “session” is established with the aircraft, the controller can begin
exchanging CPDLC messages with the aircraft in lieu of using voice. An indication that a “session” has
been established is the Current Data Authority (CDA) or Active Center/Facility in the FMS shows “KUSA”:

12
The CDA will remain “KUSA” while operating within U.S. domestic airspace. An active CPDLC session will
transfer as the aircraft flies from one ARTCC to another.

If the aircraft is not departing from a DCL airport and the aircraft has logged on to KUSA, CPDLC messaging
may begin once the aircraft receives and acknowledges the welcome message: “CONFIRM CPDLC
CONTACT WITH KUSA. ROGER/ACCEPT THIS MESSAGE” and the aircraft has checked in via voice with the
controlling ARTCC.

If the aircraft is departing from an airport with DCL services, the CDA remains “KUSA” and the ARTCC
controller may begin CPDLC messaging once control of the aircraft is transferred to the ARTCC and the
aircraft has checked in via voice. In this case, no welcome message is sent to the aircraft since a CPDLC
session was established on the ground.

13
Transfer of Communication (TOC)

ZKC - ARTCC ZID - ARTCC TRACON ZID - ARTCC

• MONITOR KC • CONTACT • Voice • MONITOR INDY

CENTER 128.350 INDINAPOLIS Communication CENTER 120.470
• MONITOR KC APPROACH Only - No CPDLC
CENTER 124.300 128.175 • Voice TOC to ZID
• CONTACT INDY ARTCC
CENTER 132.200

As the flight progresses from one ARTCC facility to another ATC facility (e.g., from ZKC to ZID), the
controller can elect to send the communication message via CPDLC. a CONTACT CPDLC message is
uplinked to the aircraft providing the next facility frequency. Respond “WILCO/ACCEPT” to the CPDLC
message, set the new ATC frequency, then use standard voice procedures to establish contact with the
new controller. If the flight progresses into an ARTCC were CPDLC is not in use, the message: “CPDLC IS
NOT IN USE UNTIL FURTHER NOTIFICATION” is also sent to the aircraft. Pilots must ACCEPT/ROGER this
message.

When transferring communications from sector to sector within the same ARTCC. The receiving controller
has two options when using CPDLC. The controller can use a CONTACT message, which is described above.
The second option is to use a MONITOR message, this will instruct the flight crew to monitor the next
sectors frequency. The crew must also confirm their assigned altitude via CPDLC. The message that the
flight deck will receive as an example is MONITOR KC CENTER 128.250 along with a CONFIRM ASSIGNED
ALTITUDE message. The pilot will respond to both messages using CPDLC. The CONFIRM ASSIGNED
ALTIUDE REPORT is used to report the last ATC assigned altitude to the ATC, which is then verified against
the last assigned altitude displayed to the controller. The controller will use voice to address any
mismatch.

NOTE: AS OF MAY 2021, ALL TRANSFER OF CONTROL IS BEING ACCOMPLISHED USING THE CONTACT
MESSAGE. USE OF THE MONITOR/CONFIRM ASSIGNED ALTITUDE MESSAGES SET IS PLANNED TO BE
IMPLEMENTED AT A FUTURE DATE.

The CONTACT CPDLC message will be used to transfer control to a TRACON facility. While under the
control of a TRACON, the CDA-Active Center/Facility will remain “KUSA” but CPDLC services are not
provided until the aircraft re-enters ARTCC airspace. Any CPDLC messages sent from the aircraft to ATC
will receive the response “UNABLE” along with the message “CPDLC NOT IN USE UNTIL FURTHER
NOTIFICATION”.

Temporary Loss of CPDLC Connection to the Ground

14
In rare situations, the aircraft may lose its communication connection with the ground stations. This is
indicated to the flight crew through a “NO ATC COMM” or similar message – refer to your OEM manual.
In this situation, the CPDLC session with ATC remains active and the CDA-Active Center/Facility still
displays “KUSA”, as shown above. No immediate action is required. Follow published aircraft
procedures, if provided. Await a re-connection with the ground and use voice for ATC communications
until reconnection is confirmed. Most important: DO NOT LOG OFF AND RE-LOG ON TO “KUSA”.

Pilots should revert to voice for all communications with ATC. CPDLC messages cannot be sent from the
aircraft to the ground and vice versa during a period of loss of CPDLC connectivity with the ground stations.
If this loss connection with the ground stations continues for an extended period, the active CPDLC session
maybe terminated. If this occurs, the CDA-Active Center/Facility will clear and the logon with “KUSA” is
terminated. An “ATC COMM TERMINATED” or similar message is may also displayed. Pilots may now
attempt to re-log on to “KUSA”.

15
7. ATC Clearances and Pilot Requests Using CPDLC
Key Points:

• ATC can use CPDLC to issue common ATC clearances.

o Respond ACCEPT/WILCO or UNABLE/REJECT
• ATC can request a REPORT from the aircraft.
o Respond using the pre-formatted REPORT page.
o DO NOT respond using FREE TEXT.
• DO NOT send request using FREE TEXT. These will be rejected and are not displayed to the controller.
• DO NOT send multiple requests at the same time in one message to ATC.
• DO NOT send a second request of the same type (e.g., Altitude, Route, Voice Contact) when you
have not received a response to a previous request.

ATC Clearances

The controller may use CPDLC to send common ATC clearances to the aircraft. The pilot should respond
ACCEPT/WILCO or UNABLE/REJECT as appropriate to the CPDLC clearance message.

Do not use FREE TEXT to send comments, inquires, or requests to ATC in response to an CPDLC clearance
message. FREE TEXT CPDLC messages sent to ATC are not displayed to the controller and result in the
following message being sent to the aircraft:

“MESSAGE NOT DELIVERED. FREE TEXT/DUE TO REASON NOT SUPPORTED. CONTACT ATC OR RESEND REQUEST”

There are only two (2) pre-formatted “Due To” explanation messages that are accepted by the FAA’s
ground system.

1. “Due To Weather”
2. “Due To Performance”

These may be appended to a REJECT/UNABLE response to an

ATC CPDLC clearance or to CPDLC REQUEST (single altitude or
direct to fix) message sent by the flight crew to ATC.

Do not append additional FREE TEXT commentary to the CPDLC

REJECT/UNABLE response or REQUEST message.

Pilot-Initiated REQUEST Messages Using CPDLC

The pilot may send the following Pre-formatted REQUEST messages to ATC using CPDLC:

• REQUEST DIRECT TO [position] – position must be on the current ATC-assigned route.

• REQUEST [altitude] – Do not use block altitudes.
• REQUEST VOICE CONTACT
• EMERGENCY MESSAGES

16
Using any other pre-formatted REQUEST available through FANS will generate an error message sent to
the aircraft. If the request is not covered by one of the four pre-formatted REQUESTs (see above), use
voice to make your request.

Send only one request at a time. Do not send multiple requests in the same CPDLC downlink message to
ATC (such as Request Direct to ABC and Request Climb to 350). The FAA ground system will respond
“UNABLE” to multiple request downlink messages.

Sending ATC a Request with an Open Transfer of Communications Message

If the pilot sends a REQUEST to ATC with an open transfer of communications, CONTACT or MONITOR
message from one sector to another sector within the current controlling ARTCC (e.g., within ZKC), that
request is forwarded to the receiving sector and will remain open and available to the next controller.

However, if the REQUEST is sent with an open transfer of communications, CONTACT message, to a
different ARTCC (e.g., transfer of control from ZKC to ZID), the ground system cannot forward the message
and will respond UNABLE to the request and send the message “REQUEST AGAIN WITH NEXT ATC UNIT”

Multiple Message Elements in a Single Request from the Aircraft

Do not send multiple requests in a single downlink. For example, do not send a REQUEST DESCENT TO
FL300 and REQUEST DIRECT TO PVD in the same message to ATC. The FAA ground system will respond
UNABLE and send the FREE TEXT message “DOWNLINK MESSAGE NOT SUPPORTED”.

All pilot requests should be in the form a single REQUEST message to ATC. For example, the pilot should
send a REQUEST DESCENT TO FL300 and then send a separate REQUEST DIRECT TO PVD. ATC can then
respond individually to each CPDLC REQUEST message.

ATC Response to a Pilot Request Message

ATC will respond to a pilot-initiated REQUEST message using CPDLC with either a revised clearance
approving the request or with an UNABLE response if they are not able to approve the request. The flight
crew must review any UNABLE message sent by ATC. The crew must also reply ACCEPT/ROGER if there is
a FREE TEXT explanation accompanying the UNABLE message explaining why ATC was unable to approve
the request.

17
8. En Route CPDLC Route Messages

Key Points:

• Route clearances that ATC can issue via CPDLC:

o Direct-to-fix: PROCEED DIRECT TO [position]
o Re-route to a fix on your cleared route: CLEARED TO [position] VIA [routeclearance]
o Full route clearance: CLEARED [routeclearance]
• Pilots may only request direct-to a fix if that fix is on their active flight plan.
• Use “Push-to-Load” capability to load route clearance sent by ATC into the FMS.
o Use LOAD or INSERT prompt to insert ATC uplinked clearance into the FMS.
▪ Manually load SID and SID transition when clearance received via DCL.
▪ Manually load STAR and STAR transitions, when instructed (FANSER aircraft).
o Review new loaded route clearance.
o If acceptable, activate/execute the route clearance modification in the FM, and then respond
with an ACCEPT/WILCO.
o Respond with a REJECT/UNABLE if you are unable to accept the clearance.

Route Messages & Route Requests

U.S. En Route CPDLC allows a controller to issue a new route or a revised route to an aircraft. Re-routes
required for traffic management purposes will include the FREE TEXT message “TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
REROUTE”. Flight crew-initiated route change requests are currently limited to a “Direct-To-Fix” request
to a waypoint that is on the active flight plan in the FMS and that as part of the current IFR clearance.

Push to Load Function

CPDLC allows route messages sent by ATC to be directly loaded into the FMS (“Push-to-Load”), a function
that is required to use CPDLC within the U.S. NAS. The flight crew should use this capability to minimize
the potential for data entry errors when executing clearances involving a loadable route.

Route Verification Text

Except for a PROCEED DIRECT TO [position] uplink, CPDLC re-route uplinks have a FAA-produced FREE
TEXT route string representing the changed portion of the CLEARED ROUTE included at the end of the
route clearance message to assist in route and leg verification procedures:

----- FOD KG75M DAFLU J70 LVZ LENDY6 KJFK (Full Reroute)

----- CLEARED TO DAFLU VIA FOD KG75M DAFLU (Partial Reroute)

In the event the FAA produced route string exceeds 256 characters, the free text route will be truncated
with a “./.” with the destination airport as the last piece of information (e.g., J70 LVZ ./. KJFK). NOTE, THE
ROUTE THAT IS LOADED INTO THE FMS IS THE ATC CLEARED ROUTE. Resolve any discrepancies between
this FREE TEXT route string and the route loaded using the LOAD prompt with ATC via voice.

18
Types of Route Clearances

There are three types of route clearances presently issued using CPDLC:

• PROCEED DIRECT TO [position] – Clearance to a point (fix, NAVAID, etc.) on the current ATC
assigned route. When the [position] is any fix other than the destination, the clearance will include
the FREE TEXT CPDLC “REST OF ROUTE UNCHANGED”. Pilot action is required to execute the
direct-to-fix change within the FMS. The [position] in a Direct-To-Fix uplink must be on the
currently cleared route.

Example:

PROCEED DIRECT TO GLA. REST OF ROUTE UNCHANGED

Note: If a LOAD prompt is available, it should be used. Not all aircraft have the capability to load
information from CPDLC message into the FMS e.g., PROCEED DIRECT TO RBV may not be loadable
on one airframe where it is loadable on others. See aircraft documentation for additional
information.

19
• CLEARED TO [position] VIA [route clearance] – This is a revised route clearance to a position (fix
waypoint, or NAVAID) that is on the current route and ATC clearance. This CPDLC message will
include the following elements:

o The position to which you are re-cleared to (fix, waypoint, or NAVAID),

o FREE TEXT “LOAD NEW ROUTE TO [position]”, and
o FREE TEXT “REST OF ROUTE UNCHANGED”.

In the figure above, ATC sends the clearance CLEARED TO [GLA] VIA [BRAVO Q97 XXRAY Q38] to
the aircraft using CLEARED TO [position] VIA [route clearance]. There is no discontinuity at BRAVO
because the uplink fix [BRAVO] is in the existing cleared, active flight plan loaded in the FMS.

CPDLC Message Example:

or

Note: Some systems may display only the message “CLEARED TO [position] VIA ROUTE
CLEARANCE” and the pilot must load the route into the FMS to see/verify the modified route or re-
clearance via their Nav Display. Other aircraft may display the actual uplinked route received
from ATC. FAA’s Route Verification Text is intended to help resolve any ambiguity.

Do not confuse a “CLEARED TO [position] VIA [routeclearance]” CPDLC revised route message with
a “PROCEED DIRECT TO [position]” CPDLC message. Flight crews have misinterpreted the
“CLEARED TO [position] VIA” message as a “direct to” [position] clearance and have executed a
“direct to” in the FMS to the “CLEARED TO” waypoint. A “CLEARED TO [position] VIA
[routeclearance] message will always include the text “+LOAD NEW ROUTE TO [position]+”. Using
the LOAD or INSERT prompt will ensure that the new revised route is loaded into the FMS.

20
Revised route messages are most often sent when it is necessary to re-route the aircraft around
constrained airspace (e.g., weather/air traffic) or Special Use Airspace:

This revised route may be based on routing points defined by a fix-radial-distance (FRD) from a NAVAID
or a LAT/LONG. FRD positions (Place-Bearing-Distance in the FMS) or LAT/LONG positions are included
when the controller uses their trackball capability at their station to build the revised route. For example:

• The controller could clear the aircraft around the Restricted Area by re-routing the aircraft over
FIX D and then to FIX B as shown above.
• However, the controller may also use the Trackball to build a route based selected points that will
provide the required separation from the Restricted Area, but is shorter than a route overflying
FIX D.
• The Trackball selected point(s) result in a FRD or a LAT/LONG point being included in the “CLEARED
TO [position] VIA [routeclearance]” CPDLC message.
o CLEARED TO FIX B VIA PXT270030

This capability is a powerful feature of En Route CPDLC in the US NAS. However, its benefit is only realized
if flight crews use the LOAD or INSERT (i.e., “Push-to-Load”) functionality of the FMS. Do not attempt to
build these revised route clearances in the FMS on your own. Use the LOAD or INSERT function.

21
• CLEARED [route clearance] – This clearance represents a new route that is different from the filed
route or the previous routing issued by ATC. This CPDLC route will always include the routing to
the destination airport. This uplink is a route replacement; executing the LOAD or INSERT
command will cause the FMS to delete your entire active flight plan from the aircraft to the
destination and replace it with the uplinked flight plan. It may also delete performance data along
with En Route wind & temperature data. For example:

Original ATC Clearance: KMEM to KATL:

BBKNG7 KERMI DCT HUTCC DCT KNSAW DCT RUSSA GLAVN1

New ATC Clearance KMEM to KATL:

SELPH7 SELPH BNA NEWBB IHAVE MTHEW CHPPR1

or

Note: Some systems may display only the message “CLEARED ROUTE CLEARANCE” and the pilot
must load the route into the FMS to see/verify the new/modified route clearance on the nav
display. Other aircraft may display the actual uplinked route received from ATC. FAA’s FREE TEXT
is intended to help resolve any ambiguity.

22
PILOTS MUST MANUALLY LOAD THESE ROUTE ELEMENTS (exceptions to the “Push-to-Load”
functionally):

1. SID and SID transitions received via a DCL clearance.

2. STAR runway-dependent transitions (normally selected by loading the approach)
3. STARs only when prompted by the CPDLC message “MANUALLY LOAD ARRIVAL [STAR Name]”
(Aircraft that file “DAT/FANSER” due to known STAR loading issues)

CLEARED ROUTE CLEARANCE

MANUALLY LOAD ARRIVAL OMN.HILEY6.
CLEARED YAZUU EMJAY J174 ORF ISO J121 CHS J79 OMN.HILEY6 KMIA.

After using the “Push-to-Load” functionality to load CPDLC route clearance, pilots may need to update or
re-initialize performance, route wind/temperature data, and airport/alternate data in the FMS.

If no load prompt is displayed on the FMS (e.g., no “LOAD”, “APPLY”, “INSERT” or “ACTIVATE” prompt
displayed), this may indicate a partial clearance load, or that a load failure exists. It is possible that the
route sent has an unresolvable discontinuity, a partial load occurred, or a failure exists within the system.
The crew may select STANDBY and attempt to resolve the discontinuity or the loading issue using SOPs.
Otherwise, respond REJECT/UNABLE to the CPDLC message sent by ATC and revert to voice.

If the fix cleared to in the route clearance is too close to the aircraft’s position, or behind the current
position, contact ATC via voice for further guidance before accepting or rejecting the clearance.

23
9. En Route CPDLC Altitude & Speed Messages
Key Points:

• Altitude clearances may be issued by ATC via CPDLC.

o Climb Via & Descend Via clearances are not issued using CPDLC.
o DCL may include a Climb Via clearance (but recall that SIDs must be manually inserted).
• Pilots may request a single altitude
• DO NOT use FREE TEXT to request an altitude.
• CPDLC will be used to send the current local altimeter setting when below FL180 or assigned an
altitude that is below FL180. You must ACCEPT/WILCO this altimeter setting CPDLC message.
• ATC may send a CONFIRM ASSIGNED ALTITUDE (CAA) CPDLC message.
o Pilots must use the CONFIRM ASSIGNED ALTITUDE REPORT function to send this report.
o DO NOT respond using FREE TEXT

Types of Altitude and Speed Messages

ATC may send the following CPDLC altitude instructions to an aircraft:

• MAINTAIN [altitude]
• CLIMB TO AND MAINTAIN [altitude]
• DESCEND TO AND MAINTAIN [altitude]
• EXPEDITE CLIMB TO [altitude]
• EXPEDITE DESCENT TO [altitude]
• IMMEDIATELY CLIMB TO [altitude]
• IMMEDIATELY DESCEND TO [altitude]
• CROSS [position] AT AND MAINTAIN [altitude]
• CROSS [position] AT AND MAINTAIN [altitude] AT [speed]

ATC may include “AT PILOTS DISCRETION” to an uplinked altitude message.

Note: CPDLC is not used to issue immediate or expeditious clearances unless voice communication is not
operationally feasible or when voice communications have failed.

Pilots/Flight Crews may send the following CPDLC altitude REQUESTS to ATC:

• REQUEST [altitude] – Single altitude only. Cannot request a block altitude.

• REQUEST CLIMB TO [altitude]
• REQUEST DESCENT TO [altitude]

NOTE: Some aircraft may only have a single flight crew selectable altitude request. The avionics will send
the appropriate clearance request e.g., REQUEST CLIMB TO [altitude] or REQUEST DESCENT TO [altitude]
based on aircraft automation.

24
PILOTS MUST NOT APPEND “AT PILOTS DISCRETION” TO THIS ALTITUDE REQUEST.

However, pilots may append these preformatted message explanations this altitude REQUEST:

• “Due to Weather”
• “Due to Performance”

DO NOT USE ANY OTHER PRE-FORMATED MESSAGES OR ADD FREE TEXT TO THE REQUEST. Revert to
voice with any other request or explanation.

When an altimeter setting is required to be provided with an altitude clearance, ATC will send a CPDLC
altimeter setting message. Pilots must ACCEPT/ROGER the CPDLC message.

The En Route CPDLC provided altimeter setting is not to be used for final approach. Use normal altimeter
setting procedures when conducting approach maneuvers within TRACON or Tower airspace. In the event
a Remote Altimeter Setting Source (RASS) is required for operations into a facility’s airspace/approach
flight crews should use approved procedures in obtaining the appropriate RASS before commencing such
operations.

When a controller requires a verification of assigned altitude, the controller may send a CONFIRM
ASSIGNED ALTITUDE (CAA) request to the aircraft. The flight crew will select the requested REPORT and
respond with an ASSIGNED ALTITUDE report indicating their assigned altitude, which may be the altitude
set in the altitude pre-selector.

DO NOT USE FREE TEXT TO REPORT ASSIGNED ALTITUDE.

ATC will not use CPDLC to issue “Climb Via” or “Descend Via” clearances, which are not currently
supported by the CPDLC message set defined by the ICAO Global Data Link Manual. Pilots should expect
“Climb Via” and “Descend Via” clearances via voice.

25
10. Controller Uplink Cancellation
Key Points:

• ATC will cancel a CPDLC clearance issued in error and issue alternate instructions using voice.
• Phraseology:

DISREGARD CPDLC (type) CLEARANCE (description of clearance) AND SEND AN UNABLE

(clearance)

“American Fifty-Two, disregard CPDLC altitude clearance to flight level three five zero and send
an unable. Climb and maintain flight level three one zero.”

“Delta Four Twenty-Three, disregard CPDLC route clearance direct Memphis and send an unable.
Cleared direct Nashville, direct Memphis, rest of route unchanged.”

• Flight crew must REJECT/UNABLE the CPDLC message sent in error by ATC.

In rare circumstances, a controller may need to override a CPDLC clearance sent to the aircraft and issue
alternate control instructions. The CPDLC clearance being overridden may not have been received on the
flight deck at the time of this voice communication. This phraseology tells the pilot exactly which clearance
requires an UNABLE response.

26
11. En Route CPDLC Termination, Transfer, & Log Off
Key Points:

• When En Route CPDLC is not in use by an ARTCC, aircraft receives message:

CPDLC NOT IN USE UNTIL FURTHER NOTIFICATION

o CDA will remain “KUSA” on Logon/status page.

o No CPDLC messages except EMERGENCY REPORTS can be sent.
• CPDLC sessions are automatically terminated by FAA when flight will no longer need CPDLC services.
• CPDLC sessions are automatically transferred between the U.S. domestic airspace border and
international border when CPDLC is used in both airspaces.
• If CPDLC is not in use in the receiving airspace or the aircraft is not eligible for CPDLC services, CPDLC
services are terminated at handoff.

Non CPDLC Equipped Airspace

Except when operating in TRACON airspace or non-domestic airspace, aircraft are automatically notified
when En Route CPDLC is not in use by an ARTCC and the following CPDLC message is sent to the aircraft:

CPDLC NOT IN USE UNTIL FURTHER NOTIFICATION

Flight crews have the option to terminate the use of CPDLC by logging off from “KUSA”, providing they
have accepted/rejected all pending clearances that require a response. This also applies to military aircraft
entering Special Use Airspace (SUA).

All accepted CPDLC clearances up to that point remain in force unless ATC issues an amended clearance.

Aircraft Outbound from the U.S.

The FAA ground system will initiate a CPDLC transfer to an adjacent CPDLC enabled external facility (e.g.,
CZEG - Edmonton Center, Canada) automatically and without flight crew action. The FAA ground system
sends a Next Data Authority (NDA) message to notify the aircraft avionics of the identity of the next Air
Traffic Service Unit (ATSU) permitted to establish a CPDLC connection, for example, CZEG. The FAA ground
system will then instruct the aircraft to automatically log on to the next ATSU allowing it to establish an
NDA CPDLC connection. When the aircraft is near the next ATSU’s airspace, a CONTACT CPDLC message
is sent to the pilot(s). Once the pilot sends ACCEPT/WILCO to the CONTACT CPDLC, the next ATSU
identified as “NDA” automatically becomes the CDA.

If the aircraft enters adjacent Non-U.S. airspace (e.g., Mexico) where CPDLC services are not provided, or
if the aircraft enters oceanic airspace but did not file as Satellite Communication (SATCOM) equipped in
the flight plan, then flight crews can expect a termination of CPDLC services upon handoff via voice or via
a CONTACT CPDLC message. Any future CPDLC connection must be initiated by the flight crew if desired.

27
Aircraft Inbound to the U.S.

The FAA will coordinate with the adjacent FIRs and ensure that as soon as En Route CPDLC is in use at any
ARTCC, NDA processing will occur in the adjacent FIR so the aircraft will automatically log on to KUSA and
KUSA will be become CDA upon transfer of control. The CPDLC welcome message is sent to the aircraft.

Note: During the initial 2019 En Route CPDLC rollout, in some cases the CDA session with the adjacent FIR
will be terminated prior to the NDA session being setup with the aircraft, because the first CPDLC enabled
ARTCC is not a boundary ARTCC. In this case, the flight crew will receive an indication that the CPDLC
session is terminated, rather than a change in CDA. The previous logon to KUSA will be removed from the
avionics in some aircraft. When this occurs, the flight crew will need to manually log on to KUSA. When
the aircraft approaches a CPDLC enabled ARTCC, session initiation will occur. The aircraft may never
receive a session if they do not fly into a CPDLC enabled ARTCC.

28
12. Emergency Messages

Key Points:

• VOICE REMAINS PRIMARY FOR EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

• Pilots can send a CPDLC EMERGENCY REPORT to ATC.
o FREE TEXT can be used only with EMERGENCY messages, but only as a one-way aircraft to
ground link (e.g., in case of loss of VHF voice radio capability).
• ATC will receive the CPDLC EMERGENCY REPORT but will not acknowledge it using CPDLC.
• Pilot & controller will revert to voice to resolve the emergency.

Emergency CPDLC Messages

The flight crew may send the following EMERGENCY CPDLC messages to ATC:

• PAN PAN
• MAYDAY MAYDAY
• [remainingfuel] OF FUEL REMAINING AND [remainingsouls] SOULS ON BOARD
• CANCEL EMERGENCY
• DIVERTING TO [position] VIA [routeclearance]
• OFFSETTING [distanceoffset] [direction] OF ROUTE
• DESCENDING TO [altitude]
• [freetext]

FREE TEXT is permitted when sending an EMERGENCY REPORT. This is an exception to the general rule
and anticipates situations where VHF voice radios may be unusable.

When an emergency downlink is received, the En Route Controller can display and review the emergency
message but is not able to acknowledge the emergency downlink via CPDLC. Flight crews can expect voice
contact from the controller and both parties should use standard operating procedures to resolve the
emergency condition.

If an aircraft is transiting airspace where a CPDLC session is not active, the emergency message will be
made available to a supervisor of the En Route facility. In addition, the National CPDLC site will receive an
alert that will be provided to the affected facility notifying that an Emergency downlink has been received.

29
13. Quick Reference Card
Below is the Quick Reference Card (QRC) which is a short and concise document that lists the best
practices for using En Route CPDLC. This Quick Reference Card was designed to be referenced on the go,
on an iPad or mobile device for pilots.

30
 Enroute CPDLC Quick Reference Guide

Flight Plan Requirements “NO COMM” or “DATALINK LOST”

 Verify Reg Number or Flight ID in Item 7 These indicate a temporary loss of datalink
 Include in Item 10a “J4” to indicate VDL Mode 2 communications with the ground.
capability  Verify CDA/ATC CTR is still “KUSA”
 Verify REG/ and CODE/ in Item 18  If CDA/ATC CTR is “KUSA”, no immediate action is
 Include in Item 18 for En Route CPDLC: required. DO NOT RE-LOGON
• “DAT/FANSE”, or  Follow published aircraft procedures, if available.
Await re-connection with the ground. Use voice for
• “DAT/FANSER” for aircraft with STAR loading
ATC communications until reconnection is confirmed
issues
 If the NO COMM state continues for 16 minutes,
• May substitute “DAT/1FANSE2PDC” or
then the active CPDLC session will terminate and the
“DAT/1PDCFANSE”
CDA will clear
 If CDA/ATC CTR does not show “KUSA”, attempt re-
On CPDLC LOGON STATUS PAGE/MENU
log on. If not successful, contact ATC via voice
 Verify
• Registration Number Recommended Pilot/Flight Crew CPDLC Procedures
• Flight ID  Every CPDLC message sent by ATC requires a
response
 LOAD Flight Plan:  Respond as soon as possible to all CPDLC messages
• Departure Airport  Respond appropriately:
• Destination Airport • ACCEPT/WILCO/ROGER
• Route • REJECT/UNABLE
• SID/ODP & Dept. Runway • STANDBY
• STAR If STANDBY selected, follow with a
ACCEPT/REJECT or WILCO/UNABLE
Logon for DCL or CPDLC Services response
 Log on using “KUSA” • Select REPORT
• DCL Airports: EDT - 30 minutes  When appropriate, for multi-crewed aircraft:
• Other Airports: EDT - 5 minutes • Independently & silently review an uplinked
CPDLC message sent to the aircraft
If network coverage available, log on is accepted on the • Agree on content & intent of CPDLC
ground. Otherwise, log on is accepted once airborne and message
within network coverage.
• Confirm change & take the action: FMS or
Flight Guidance Mode change, etc.
 Successful log on – CDA/ATC CTR shows “KUSA”
• Confirm & agree before sending a CPDLC
 Do not re-log on if CDA/ATC CTR shows “KUSA”
response, report, or request to ATC

Initiation & Management of En Route CPDLC Services ATC CPDLC Reports

 Start of in-flight CPDLC services begins with welcome  ATC can request a REPORT using CPDLC (e.g.
message: CONFIRM ASSIGNED ALTITUDE)
“CONFIRM CPDLC CONTACT WITH
 Respond using the pre-formatted REPORT page
KUSA. ROGER/ACCEPT THIS MESSAGE”
Except when departing a DCL airport
Pilot Requests Using CPDLC
 Respond to the welcome message with  Send only these pre-formatted REQUESTS via CPDLC
ACCEPT/WILCO to ATC
CPDLC services transfer from ARTCC to ARTCC
• REQUEST [altitude] – request a single
Suspended while operating in TRACON airspace
altitude
Do not request block altitudes
REQUEST VOICE CONTACT
Enroute CPDLC Quick Reference Guide

31
 •REQUEST DIRECT TO [position] position Enroute CPDLC Quick Reference Guide
must be on the current ATCassigned route.
• EMERGENCY MESSAGES CPDLC Altitude Messages
 DO NOT send any other pre-formatted REQUEST  Use CPDLC to request a single altitude
They are not currently supported  ACCEPT/WILCO an altimeter setting CPDLC message
 Send ONLY ONE REQUEST with each CPDLC message  Respond to a CONFIRM ASSIGNED ALTITUDE REPORT
request:
o Select & send ALTITUDE REPORT
CPDLC Route Messages
 Route clearances issue via CPDLC: CPDLC Termination, Transfer, & Log Off
• PROCEED DIRECT TO [position]  “CPDLC NOT IN USE UNTIL FURTHER
Direct-to-fix NOTIFICATION”
• CLEARED TO [position] VIA [routeclearance] • Indicates En Route CPDLC is not in use
Re-Route to a fix on your current cleared route
• CDA/ATC CTR remains “KUSA” • No
• CLEARED [routeclearance] CPDLC messages except
Full Route Clearance – Replaces entire flight plan EMERGENCY REPORTS can be sent
 Load route clearance sent by ATC into the FMS  CPDLC sessions are automatically transferred
• Select LOAD, APPLY, or INSERT new route between the U.S. domestic airspace and
into FMS international FIR when CPDLC is used in both
• Manually insert Departure Procedures airspaces
• Manually insert Arrival Procedures, when  If CPDLC is not in use in the receiving FIR, or the
required aircraft is not eligible for CPDLC services, CPDLC
 Review new route clearance services are terminated at handoff
 If acceptable, activate the new route clearance in the
FMS, respond ACCEPT/WILCO CPDLC Emergency Messages
 If not acceptable, respond REJECT/UNABLE  VOICE REMAINS PRIMARY FOR EMERGENCY
COMMUNICATIONS
HELPFUL REMINDERS:  Pilots may send a CPDLC EMERGENCY REPORT to ATC
if voice is not be available
 NEVER USE FREE TEXT EXCEPT FOR AN  ATC will receive the CPDLC report but will not
EMERGENCY acknowledge it using CPDLC. ATC will attempt to
 VOICE REMAINS PRIMARY FOR EMERGENCY contact the aircraft via voice
COMMUNICATIONS  FREE TEXT can be used only with EMERGENCY
 ALWAYS REVERT TO VOICE TO CLARIFY IF THERE messages, but only as a one-way aircraft to
IS CONFUSION ground link – e.g., in case of loss of VHF voice
radio capability

32
Terms and Acronyms
Acronym Definition
ACARS Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System
ACID Aircraft Identification (Code)
ACK Acknowledge
ADAR/PDAR Adapted Departure-Arrival Route/Preferential Departure-Arrival Route
ADR/PDR Adapted Departure Route/ Preferential Departure Route
ANSP Air Navigation Service Provider
AOC Airline Operations Center
ARTCC Air Route Traffic Control Centers
ATC Air Traffic Control
ATS Air Traffic Services
ATSU Air Traffic Services Unit
CAA Confirm Assigned Altitude
CAF Cleared As Filed
CDA Current Data Authority
CPDLC Controller-Pilot Data Link Communication
CSP Communication Service Provider
DAT Data Application information
DCIT Data Comm Implementation Team
DCL Departure Clearance
DCNS Data Communications Network Service
DM Departure Message
DP Departure Procedure
DPP Departure Procedure information (SID/Climb via and Climb out)
ERAM En Route Automation Modernization
ERR Error indicator
FAA Federal Aviation Administration
FANS Future Air Navigation System
FIR Flight Information Region
FLID Flight Identification
FMS Flight Management System
FPL/FP Flight Plan
FRC Full Route Clearance
IATA International Air Transport Association
IC Initial Contact
ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization
ID Identification
IFR Instrument Flight Rules
NAS National Airspace System
NAVAID Navigational Aid
NDA Next Data Authority
PDC Pre-Departure Clearance
REG Registration
SATCOM Satellite Communication
SID Standard Instrument Departure
STAR Standard Terminal Arrival Route
STBY Standby indicator
TDLS Tower Data Link System
TFM Traffic Flow Management
TMU Traffic Management Unit
TOC Transfer of Communication
TRACON Terminal Radar Approach Control
UM Uplink Message
VDL VHF Data Link
VHF Very High Frequency

33
ICAO Flight Plan Mask

34