FAA · Information for Operators (InFO)
InFO 26005: North Atlantic (NAT): Failure to Promptly/Correctly Load Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) Route Uplinks.
In Brief
What It Addresses
This InFO serves to inform Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 91, 91K, 121, 125, 129 and 135 operators of incorrect or late CPDLC uplinks by flightcrews, and what the Gander Area Control Centre (ACC) describes as “significant flightcrew confusion” associated with newly introduced oceanic clearance procedures, leading to a “significant increase in frequency congestion, pilot errors and ATC workload.”
Why It Matters
In 2023, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) NAT Regional office issued NAT Bulletin 2023_001 on new procedures discontinuing blanket issuances of oceanic clearances. Instead, the bulletin said that any “necessary changes to [an] aircraft’s current flight plan” were to be addressed “by specific Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearances as required.”
Recommended Action
Training managers and pilots should review flight manual procedures on CPDLC route uplinks and NAT procedures on oceanic clearances. The following resources are available: • NAT Oceanic Clearance Removal Bulletin, Serial Number 2023_001.
From the Document: selected source passages, quoted as written, for a quick overview.
Distributed by: Flight Standards
http://www.faa.gov/other_visit/aviation_industry/airline_operators/airline_safety/info/all_infos____________ An InFO contains valuable information for operators that should help them meet certain administrative, regulatory, or operational requirements, with relatively low urgency or impact on safety. This is a guidance document. Its content is not legally binding in its own right and will not be relied upon by the Department as a separate basis for affirmative enforcement action or other administrative penalty. Conformity with the guidance document is voluntary only. Nonconformity will not affect rights and obligations under existing statutes and regulations.
Subject: North Atlantic (NAT): Failure to Promptly/Correctly Load Controller-Pilot Data Link Communications (CPDLC) Route Uplinks.
Purpose: This InFO serves to inform Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 91, 91K, 121, 125, 129 and 135 operators of incorrect or late CPDLC uplinks by flightcrews, and what the Gander Area Control Centre (ACC) describes as “significant flightcrew confusion” associated with newly introduced oceanic clearance procedures, leading to a “significant increase in frequency congestion, pilot errors and ATC workload.”
Background: In 2023, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) NAT Regional office issued NAT Bulletin 2023_001 on new procedures discontinuing blanket issuances of oceanic clearances. Instead, the bulletin said that any “necessary changes to [an] aircraft’s current flight plan” were to be addressed “by specific Air Traffic Control (ATC) clearances as required.” Gander ACC implemented these new procedures in December 2024, introducing CPDLC route uplinks for cases where a flight was not “cleared as filed.”
On May 1, 2025, Canada Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP) Supplement 046/2025 was published, announcing that Gander ACC domestic controllers would issue route amendments via voice. However, per ICAO NAT Region State Letter 25-0258.TEC, dated August 1, 2025, significant flightcrew confusion on data link procedures persists. At an ICAO NAT meeting in October 2025, Gander ACC announced its intent to resume CPDLC route uplinks, possibly “before summer, 2026.”
Discussion: Shortly after implementing the new procedures (in December 2024), Gander ACC observed a significant increase in CPDLC route uplinks not promptly and/or correctly actioned by flightcrews. Gander ACC standard practice is to query flightcrews via the CPDLC message “CONFIRM ASSIGNED ROUTE,” about 5 minutes after receiving a “WILCO” response to a route uplink. Rather than responding after loading the new route, flightcrews have responded to the “CONFIRM ASSIGNED ROUTE” message prior to loading the full new route. This leads to ATC out-of-conformance alerts, which take time and resources to address and may also distract a controller from more important tasks.
InFOInformation for Operators
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration
InFO 26005
DATE: 01/27/26
Flight Standards Service
Washington, DC
Distributed by: Flight Standards
Flightcrews also have incorrectly actioned the following uplink messages:
UM79, “CLEARED TO [point] VIA ROUTE CLEARANCE.”
This is not a clearance to proceed direct to the [point] displayed in the uplink, but rather a new route to that [point].
UM80, “CLEARED ROUTE CLEARANCE.”
This is not a “cleared as filed” message. It is a new route.
Recommended Action: Training managers and pilots should review flight manual procedures on CPDLC route uplinks and NAT procedures on oceanic clearances. The following resources are available:
NAT Oceanic Clearance Removal Bulletin, Serial Number 2023_001. Note that procedures still require flightcrews to submit a “request for clearance (RCL),” via data link or voice.
NAT Oceanic Errors Safety Bulletin (OESB), Serial Number 2017_002, CPDLC section.
Advisory Circular (AC) 91-70D, Oceanic and Remote Continental Airspace Operations, paragraph 4.4.3 and Figure 4-1.
AIP –Canada, ENR 7., North Atlantic (NAT) Operations.
Contact: Questions or comments regarding this InFO should be directed to the Flight Technologies and Procedures Division, Flight Operations Group at 9-AWA-AVS-AFS410@faa.gov.
Source: Federal Aviation Administration — www.faa.gov. Reproduced from the published record; FlightPush adds formatting only.
InFO 26005