ICAO Equipment Codes
Summary
Updated 6/18/2025. Read time: 15 minutes
Edits: Added large cabin aircraft equipment (IRUs, Datalink, etc) and authorizations (LOAs).
A PC-12 Part 91 operation equipped with WAAS GPS, ILS, VOR, VHF Comms, ADS-B Out, and no LOAs, will likely have the following equipment codes (Foreflight Format).
FAA Equipment: /G (or /L for RVSM authorized)
ICAO Equipment: B, G, R, S, Z. And if equipped: D, F, W, Y
ICAO Surveillance: B1 or B2, L
ICAO Remarks:
PBN/ B2, C2, D2, O2, S2.
NAV/SBAS.
SUR/260B.
CODE/aircraft six-digit hex code.
OPR/ Operator name and contact
PER/A
A fully equipped G600 Part 91 operation with all the LOAs to go with it will have many more:
FAA Equipment: /L
ICAO Equipment: B, D, E2, E3, F, G, H, I, J1, J3, J4, J5, P2, R, S, W, X, Y, Z
ICAO Surveillance: B1, D1, L
ICAO Remarks:
PBN/ A1, B1, C1, D1, L1, O1, S2
NAV/RNP2 M2
DAT/1FANSER2PDC
SUR/260B RSP180 CANMANDATE
SEL/assigned four-digit SELCAL code.
CODE/aircraft six-digit hex code.
OPR/ Operator name and contact
PER/C
LOAs:
A056 Datalink Communication (CPDLC)
B036 Oceanic and Remote Continental Navigation Using Multiple Long-Range Navigation Systems (RNP 2, 4, & 10)
B039 (North Atlantic High Level Airspace)
B046 (RVSM)
C052 (International GPS-based approaches)
D195 (MEL)
On a return trip from Mexico, I handed our local handler what I thought was the perfect ICAO flight plan. Even if you file your flight plan, the tower submits one of theirs at this airport for you. Someone completely disregarded my attention to detail because what I received back had no resemblance regarding the route, flight level, speed, survival gear, equipment codes, and even the color of the aircraft.
Being in Rome and short on time, I decided to do as Romans do and launch with what I was given. Unsurprisingly, it was an uneventful flight with no issues or questions from ATC. So, I wondered why filing correctly matters if the system can handle so much misinformation.
Rural Mexico is one thing, but the more complex, technologically advanced, or congested the area of operations, the more these codes matter. They can make a difference in completing the mission or being excluded from your desired operation.
Details
Entering the details into a flight plan seems basic, but the lack of understanding of what these codes mean leads to much confusion, and it's hard to get straight answers. After reading through the guidance material, you find yourself asking the same question you did at the beginning: "So what do I put on my flight plan?" It's compounded by the fact that operators rarely revisit these topics and are in constant flux and redefining by FAA and international regulators. And, practically speaking, as in my example, ATC doesn't seem to care if you get it wrong.
This article will treat the flight plan as the destination using as much plain English as possible. A good rule of thumb when filling out the boxes is that if you don't know what the equipment is, you probably don't have it. The more complicated the aircraft, the more entries you have, but it also becomes clearer what to put in your flight plan as manufacturers spell it out better in their guidance material.
ICAO
ICAO is an international qazi-regulatory organization that attempts to harmonize and improve worldwide aviation operations. The ICAO flight plan has been required for IFR operations by the FAA since 2016.
Moving to the ICAO flight plan took some prodding because the domestic FAA one was simpler. Decades ago, the ICAO plan was more straightforward, too, but it has become rigorously complex with technological improvements. With today's WAAS GPS, LPV approaches, Sat Comms, Mode S Transponders, ADS-B, and Datalink (FANS CPDLC, ATN CPDLC, ACARS, & ADS-C) equipment options, it takes a good handle on your aircraft equipment to file correctly.
There are millions of combinations of ICAO flight plan codes. To simplify, I assume a Part 91 operation in an aircraft capable of flying above FL180, you have already complied with the ADS-B Out mandate, and you use flight planning software to fill out flight plans for you.
Box 10a and 10b, aircraft equipment, and Box 18, remarks, are the most challenging boxes of an ICAO flight plan. We're going to skip the self-explanatory parts and tackle the meat of the challenges. Using Foreflight's aircraft data entry format, the data is broken up into FAA Equipment, ICAO Equipment (Box 10a), ICAO Surveillance (Box 10b), ICAO Perf-Based Nav (Box 18 PBN Remarks), and Other Information (more Box 18 Remarks).
FAA Equipment
Though there are 19 options, if you have an operatable WAAS GPS, only two codes apply:
/G: GPS capable of approaches
/L: GPS capable of approaches and RVSM authorized.
If you are authorized for RVSM operations via the domestic ADS-B exemption, you can file /L on domestic flights. Internationally, you need a B046 RVSM LOA to file /L. Without the LOA, you should change it to /G on international legs. The rest of the options may apply if your GPS or other equipment is inoperative for that particular flight. Read this article for more information on domestic RVSM.
Box 10
The three below charts organize flight plan entries by your three main equipment types: navigation, communication, and surveillance. They serve as a quick guide and reference to cover most 91 operators' situations for Box 10a and 10b. Note that the codes you file depend on what equipment is on the aircraft, where you fly, and your FAA LOA Authorizations.
Navigation Equipment
Code S is shorthand for L + O + V. If you select Code S, do not use L, O, or V.
LOA 052 is optional. No special training or authorization is required to conduct GPS approaches in the US. Other international jurisdictions require both training and the LOA. The FAA started issuing this LOA at the request of operators who were asked to produce evidence of the above by foreign authorities.
If equipped with the required RVSM equipment and a 1090 ADS-B Out, conducting domestic RVSM operations does not require an LOA. However, you still need to jump through some paperwork hoops of verifying the accuracy of your ADS-B and submitting an RVSM monitoring request. More information on domestic RVSM without an LOA is available here.
At least one HF is required. You can substitute FANS 1/A CPDLC or approved SATVOICE for one of the HFs.
Communication Equipment
8.33 kHz comm spacing adds additional frequency selections and, since 2017, has been required for operations in Europe. Switching between 25 kHz and 8.33 kHz has been a selectable option in turbine aircraft for a while, especially if the aircraft manufacturer is European.
Europe ATN CPDLC registration info is available within this article.
Surveillance Equipment
Locate your six-digit aircraft hex code on an ADS-B Performance report or the FAA registration database.
Further Details
If you made it this far, you have reached level three in our descent into the technical rabbit hole of ICAO flight plans. Some additional equipment options, surveillance details, and PBN explanations follow.
Box 10A: Additional aircraft equipment
A: GBAS Landing system.
GBAS is similar to WAAS and is potentially the future replacement for ILS approaches. WAAS has ground-based GPS stations spaced across the country to improve the accuracy of GPS and allow for LPV approaches. GBAS does the same thing, but several GPS ground stations are based right on the airfield.
The new approaches coming out, as a result, are called GLS approaches. They fly just like an ILS and have some advantages. It has less equipment than an ILS (cheaper), can service all runways at an airport vs. only one (cheaper), and has potentially advantageous features like radius-to-fix waypoints (efficient).
Before you get your hopes up, the avionics technology is still catching up. Stay tuned because you currently do not have this option on GA aircraft, and airports are hesitant to invest in the infrastructure.
B: LPV (Localizer Performance with Vertical guidance)
WAAS-equipped GPS units can fly LPV approaches. They act like ILS approaches but should not be confused with GLS approaches. Within the US, Part 91 operations do not need any authorization to fly these approaches. Flying abroad, some nationalities require specific training and authorization for LPV approaches. As a result, the FAA can issue the optional LOA C052 for international operations.
C: Loran C
You don't have one. Introduced in the late 1950s, Loran C is the precursor to GPS. It works the same way but is all ground-based units instead of satellite units. In the last decade, the system was defunded and scheduled to shut down but later was half-heartedly refunded as a backup system to GPS. Redundancy is great, but good luck finding a serviceable Loran C avionics unit in the civilian market.
F: ADF
ADF used to be included in the standard equipment code (S). Now that it is becoming less common, if you are equipped, you need to select this option individually.
G: GNSS
Aka: GPS. This would be an installed, IFR-certified GPS, no portables. GNSS is a large term that could include other satellite systems as well, like Galileo (EU), GLONASS (Russia), and BeiDou (China).
H: HF Radio
High Frequency (HF) radios are required when beyond VHF radio coverage. More details specific to HF requirements in the North Atlantic airspace are available here.
I: Inertial Navigation
An IRU is very expensive. It's an onboard position calculator. Think of it like you are your own personal GPS satellite flying through the sky, and you have an RNAV system independent of any satellites. Mid-sized jets are usually the floor of an IRU option.
Data Communication
Most of the remaining options involve ACARS, CPDLC, and ADS-C. These technologies are trickling down into lighter aircraft, and more widespread use is on the horizon. More details about the background and different types of datalink systems can be found in the Aircraft Equipment Article. A brief summary is below.
ACARS
Revolutionary 40 years ago, ACARS sends text messages via ARINC ground and satellite stations, which relay your message to whoever you want. ACARS has enjoyed widespread adoption among airlines and mid-to-large business aircraft but is not common on light general aviation GA aircraft.
CPDLC
Controller Pilot Data Link Communications is like ACARS. The difference is you are sending text messages to ATC controllers. There are several different means of sending messages: VHF, HF, or satellites.
Domestically, CPDLC rolled out and will replace most cruise radio communications in the future. No LOA for Part 91 operations is required if you have the equipment, but registration is required. Lots of info here to get started with Domestic CPDLC.
ATN CPDLC (VHF-based) is required to fly above FL285 in Europe, but with many exemptions. Aircraft with less than 19 seats and 100,000 lbs built before February 5th, 2020, are exempt. If you are exempt, you must add DAT/CPDLCX in the remarks section of your flight plan. Newer aircraft must have the equipment, and operators should apply to the login list. Check out the Aviate section for more info here.
Box 10b: Surveillance (aka, transponder/ADS-B)
Quick recap:
Mode A transponders = code only
Mode C = Mode A + altitude
Mode S = Mode C + ADS-B data
Mode S has seven possible flight plan entries depending on the combination of aircraft ID, pressure-altitude, extended squitter, and enhanced surveillance capabilities. ADS-B technology evolved so quickly over the last decade that most of these flight plan codes are for early adopters.
For enlightenment, aircraft ID is your transponder's unique 6-digit HEX code. The pressure altitude is the same as Mode C altitude. Extended squitter expands the amount of data the transponder can broadcast. Enhanced surveillance is the additional data sent, which includes bugged altitude, roll angle, true track angle, ground speed, mag heading, IAS/ Mach, vertical rate, and true airspeed.
Here is a simplification: If you are equipped with 1090 ADS-B out to comply with the mandate in 2020, select equipment codes L and B1 (or B2 if you have ADS-B In and Out). Any 1090 ADS-B out transponder for aircraft flying above FL180 has all those above-listed capabilities. Flying below FL180 and only in domestic airspace is where you can get by with the 978 transponders and would file a different code.
Lastly, ADS-C. ADS-B repeatedly broadcasts your information, whereas ADS-C shares your data when it is interrogated (contacted by ATC). The data can flow over radio frequencies or satellites.
Box 18: Remarks
The remarks section of ICAO flight plans holds the remaining space for elaborating on some equipment codes. These are the PBN/, NAV/, SUR/, SEL/, CODE/, OPR/, PER/ entries, and 11 other less common options.
In reverse order, PER/ is your approach speed aircraft category. OPR/ is your operator name. CODE/ is how the 6-digit Mode-S HEX code you broadcast is linked to your tail number in your flight plan. SEL/ is your four digit SELCAL code if you are registered. SUR/ is the type of surveillance. 1090 ADS-B Out transponders are all SUR/260B. NAV/ specifies the kind of area navigation equipment. NAV/SBAS (Satellite-Based Augmentation System), i.e., WAAS GPS, is the most common, but with an RNP 2 LOA (B036), it becomes NAV/RNP2 M2.
PBN/
Lastly, Performance Based Navigation (PBN/) drills into the details of the performance of your area navigation (RNAV) units. Understand that RNAV is an umbrella term that includes GNSS (GPS), TACTAN, INS, and LORAN-C navigation systems, and all can be used over an area without flying point-to-point over ground stations. WAAS GPS receivers have become the ubiquitous RNAV option due to their reliability, accuracy, and low cost.
Also nested within RNAV is RNP (Required Navigational Performance). RNP = integrity monitoring + fault detection notifications for the pilot. It is a higher standard of RNAV utilized when navigation accuracy is critical. This can lead to some confusion about how IFR procedures are labeled. For example, the FAA publishes RNAV STARs or approaches. The FAA labels them RNAV to set a lower bar for operators who use different RNAV systems to participate. In other countries, procedures may be labeled RNP instead.
Furthermore, within RNP, there are tiers of accuracy applied to different phases of flight and areas of operation, decreasing from 10nm of accuracy to 0.15nm. While a WAAS GPS is accurate enough for the lowest RNP values, you still need a corresponding LOA to utilize several RNP operations. That is because it is not all about your GPS equipment. At the most precise end, dual GPS units are required for redundancy, backed up by TCAS and a second crew member, and you get into specific training requirements for operators.
Below is the rundown of the different RNAV and RNP terms and corresponding flight plan codes, assuming you have GPS RNAV equipment. Look within the Limitation section of your AFM to see what your aircraft manufacturer certified the aircraft to do.
RNAV 5: Formally called B-RNAV in Europe, it is for point-to-point enroute navigation (Code B2).
RNAV 2: US Q & T routes (Code C2).
RNAV 1: ODP/SID/STAR procedures labeled RNAV, formally called P-RNAV in Europe (Code D2).
RNP 10/ RNP 4: Both are for oceanic operations, and LOA B36 is required (Code A1/L1).
RNP 2: For Enroute operations without navaids, but it’s not currently in practical use in the US. Internationally, it is required along two Tango routes (T9 and T290) off the coast of France. LOA B36 Required (Other Information: NAV/RNP2).
RNP 1: ODP/SID/STARS that require a GPS. This is sometimes confused with RNAV 1 or P-RNAV. Specific RNP 1 procedures may have advanced navigation features such as radius fix turns, meaning curved routes (Code O2).
RNP Approach: RNP 0.3. LNAV, LNAV/VNAV, LPV approaches. GPS approaches are RNP approaches! No LOA is required within the US, but you may want LOA C052 for international operations. (Code S1 for non-WAAS, Code S2 for WAAS).
RNP AR: RNP 0.15 approaches and departures. “Authorization Required” on approach plates. LOA C384 is required (Code T1 with Radius Fixes, Code T2 without).
Technical Resources
Congratulations! You made it through a brief summary of the material. If you want to engage further with the topic or look into acquiring LOAs for your operation, the learning never stops. Below are some resources.
AC 90-105A Approval Guidance for RNP Operations and Barometric Vertical Navigation in the US National Airspace System and in Oceanic and Remote Continental Airspace
AC 90-101A Approval Guidance for RNP Procedures with AR
AC 90-117 Data Link Communications
AC 91-85B Authorization of Aircraft and Operators for Flight in Reduced Vertical Separation Minimum (RVSM) Airspace
NAT Doc 007 North Atlantic Operations and Airspace Manual
AIM Appendix 4. FAA Form 7233-4 – International Flight Plan
Aviate
Verify your flight plan codes and equipment for domestic and international flights.
Acquire necessary LOAs for your operation.
Navigate
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