Flight Plan Manual (FPL)
Overview
This manual summarises how to fill in the Flight Plan (FPL) based on the ICAO standard used in Brazil and the instructions from DECEA (MCA 100-11).
Content intended for the flight simulation environment. In real-world operations, always use the up-to-date official publications and the AIS/ATS channels.
| Revision | Date | Description | Reviewer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01/2025 | 17/01/2026 | Adaptation to the ATC Portal | 930847 |
What you will find here
- An overview of the form and when to use each type (Full, Abbreviated, Repetitive)
- How to fill in the essential fields (ITEM 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 15, 16)
- A practical guide to ITEM 18 (where most errors happen)
- Examples in tables and ready-to-copy templates
Flight plan types (executive overview)
| Type | When to use (in practice) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Full Flight Plan (FPL) | IFR/VFR in general, especially when the flight requires complete, standardised data | It is the best-known “standard” format on VATSIM |
| Abbreviated Flight Plan (Abbreviated / Simplificado) | Situations where the procedure accepts a smaller set of fields | It still requires consistency and may use ITEM 18 |
| Repetitive Flight Plan (RPL) | Series of recurring flights (routes/routines), with specific rules | Uncommon in simulation, but useful for reference |
How to think about the FPL
The FPL is an “operational contract” between the pilot and ATS:
- Who the aircraft is (ITEM 7, 9)
- How it will fly (IFR/VFR and type of flight – ITEM 8)
- What capabilities it has (ITEM 10 and details in ITEM 18)
- Where it departs from and when (ITEM 13)
- Which way it will go (ITEM 15)
- Where it is going and how long it will take (ITEM 16)
- Remarks and additional parameters (ITEM 18)