Flight Plan Codes

Years after the FAA adopted the so-called ICAO flight plan for all flights, many pilots still don’t really understand what codes to put in the boxes. We can help.

lbencini-tibo

Wednesday, May 01, 2024 at 08:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

Many pilots incorrectly store equipment codes in their Electronic Flight Bags (EFBs) for FAA Flight Plan Form 7233-4, Blocks 10 and 18.
Block 10 codes specify an aircraft's communication, navigation (e.g., VHF, WAAS GPS), and surveillance (e.g., ADS-B OUT/IN) capabilities.
Block 18 provides additional information, primarily detailing Performance-Based Navigation (PBN) capabilities (e.g., RNAV-5, -2, -1; RNP APCH) and ADS-B compliance.
PBN emphasizes an aircraft's operational capabilities (what the equipment *can do*) rather than just the installed hardware, with distinct RNAV and RNP specifications reflecting accuracy and monitoring.

See a mistake? Contact us.

Today, it is common practice for active pilots to use an electronic flight bag (EFB), typically a tablet with an aviation app like ForeFlight or Garmin Pilot, among others. One of the advantages of an EFB is the ability to store information about specific aircraft. Information about onboard equipment can easily be stored and used when filing flight plans without entering the same information every time. As an instrument flight instructor, I’ve found that equipment flight plan codes stored in EFBs are commonly incorrect. Let’s dig deeper into the codes.

Our focus is on the two blocks dealing with equipment in the Flight Plan (FAA Form 7233-4): Block 10: Equipment and Block 18: Other Information. Note that since the old domestic flight plan was dropped in August 2019, it is now just the Flight Plan; let’s drop the “ICAO” and “International” monikers.