How do I set up my aircraft to file IFR flight plans in Australia?

Australian pilots filing intra-Australian IFR flights using ForeFlight should consider specific requirements for aircraft setup in ForeFlight. Aircraft changes are made by doing the following:

Open ForeFlight Mobile.
Select More.
Select Aircraft.
Tap on an aircraft to edit. This article will discuss defining ADS-B and RNP codes and setting up the aircraft registration number.

ICAO Filing Codes

When filing an ICAO flight plan, ADS-B and RNP codes must be defined for an aircraft.

ADS-B Codes

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) requires all IFR aircraft to have ADS-B Out systems broadcasting on the 1090 Extended Squitter frequency. Include the appropriate ADS-B capability in the ICAO Surveillance section in an aircraft profile:

B1: 1090 Out only
B2: 1090 Out and In

Add a transponder code such as C, S, or E alongside the ADS-B code.

ICAO Surv Code.PNG

RNP Codes

CASA mandates RNP 2 (Required Navigation Performance within two nautical miles) for IFR flights. Since RNP 2 is not an official ICAO code, specify RNP2 in the Other Information NAV field (Field 18) in an aircraft profile. ForeFlight will automatically add Z to ICAO Equipment codes, indicating additional codes in Field 18.

Aircraft Filing Codes.PNG

Tail Number and Call Sign Codes

CASA requires aircraft registration to be entered with both a three-letter registration code and a two-letter country + three-letter registration code (five letters in total) must be specified:

Three-letter registration code (e.g., “ABC”) in Field 7.
Two-letter country + three-letter registration code (e.g., “VHABC”) in Field 18 after REG/.

Method 1: Default Setup

Enter the three-letter registration code in the Tail Number field in the Aircraft profile page.
Enter the two-letter country + three-letter registration code in the REG field in Other Information.

ForeFlight will automatically populate Field 7 with the three-letter code and Field 18 with the five-letter code. This method simplifies setup and avoids additional changes when filing.

TN and Reg line.PNG

Method 2: Flexible Setup

Enter the five-letter country + registration code in the Tail Number field.
Enter the three-letter registration code in the Call Sign field.

ForeFlight will automatically populate Field 7 with the three-letter code and Field 18 with the five-letter code. This method allows filing with a call sign other than the aircraft’s tail number.

Tn and CS.PNG