AIM 

4/20/23 

non

−

ICAO airport identifiers in Item 13 or Item 16, use the following ICAO procedure. Enter four Z’s (ZZZZ) 

in Item 13 and include the non

−

ICAO airport location identifier, fix, or waypoint location in Item 18 DEP/. A 

text description following the location identifier is permissible in Item 18 DEP/. 

NOTE

−

 

Use of non

−

ICAO identifiers in Item 13 and Item 16 is only permissible when flight destination is within U.S. 

airspace. If the destination is outside of the U.S., then both Item 13 and Item 16 must contain either a valid ICAO air-

port identifier or ZZZZ. Use of non

−

ICAO departure point is not permitted in Item 13 if destination in Item 16 is 

outside of U.S. 

EXAMPLE

−

 

DEP/MD21 

DEP/W29 BAY BRIDGE AIRPORT 

DEP/EMI211017 

DEP/3925N07722W 

2. Departure Time (Item 13) 

Indicate the expected departure time using 4 digits, 2 digits for hours and 2 digits for minutes. Time is to be 

entered as Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). 

3. Requested Cruising Speed (Item 15) 

(a) 

Include the requested cruising speed as True Airspeed in knots using an N followed by four digits. 

EXAMPLE

−

 

N0450 

(b)

 Indicate the requested cruising speed in Mach using an M followed by three digits. 

EXAMPLE

−

 

M081 

4. Requested Cruising Altitude or Flight Level (Item 15) 

(a) 

Indicate a Requested Flight Level using the letter F followed by 3 digits. 

EXAMPLE

−

 

F350 

(b) 

Indicate a Requested Altitude in hundreds of feet using the letter A followed by 3 digits. 

EXAMPLE

−

 

A080 

5. Route (Item 15) 

Provide the requested route of flight using a combination of published routes, latitude/longitude, and/or fixes 

in the following formats. 

(a) 

Consecutive fixes, lat/long points, NAVAIDs, and waypoints should be separated by the characters 

“DCT”, meaning direct. 

EXAMPLE

−

 

FLACK DCT IRW DCT IRW12503 

4020N07205W DCT MONEY 

(b)

 A published route should be preceded by a fix that is published on the route, indicating where the route 

will be joined. The published route should be followed by a fix that is published as part of the route, indicating 

where the route will be exited. 

EXAMPLE

−

 

DALL3 EIC V18 MEI LGC4 

(c)

 It is acceptable to specify intended speed and altitude changes along the route by appending an oblique 

stroke followed by the next speed and altitude. However, note that FAA ATC systems will neither process this 

information nor display it to ATC personnel. Pilots are expected to maintain the last assigned altitude and request 

revised altitude clearances from ATC. 

Appendix 4

−

18 

FAA Form 7233

−

4 

−

 International Flight Plan