Completion of the ICAO flight plan form is quite simple and is only a matter of inserting the requested information in the appropriate boxes. The white boxes on the form relate to required information about the flight and are to be completed by the pilot or dispatcher while the shaded boxes indicate the information that is to be inserted by appropriate ATS and COM services.

How to Complete the Flight Plan Form

It is very important to adhere closely to the prescribed formats and manner of specifying data.
A new flight plan format was fully implemented from 15th November 2012 containing certain significant changes from the previous format.
When completing a flight plan the following rules apply:

•  use capital letters, one letter in each space of the field (unless field are not divided into spaces)
• adhere to the prescribed formats and manner of specifying data
• any data should be inserted only in the fields and spaces provided.
• where excess space is available, leave unused spaces blank.
• all times should be clock times in 4 figures UTC (e.g., 1800, 0930, etc.)
• the term “aerodrome”, where used in the flight plan, is intended to cover also sites other than aerodromes, which may be used by certain types of aircraft, e.g., helicopters or balloons.
• note that item numbers on the form are not consecutive (they correspond to item type in standard ATS messages).
• items preceding item 7 are to be completed by ATC and COM services
• items 7 to 18 should be completed as indicated hereunder.
• item 19 completion is to facilitate alerting of SAR (Search and Rescue) services.

Also remember that:

• if your flight plan is for a future date (You may file Your flight plan 120 hours before Estimated Off Block Time – EOBT) make sure that the date is provided clearly in item 18 (preceded by “DOF/”) . If You want to delay Your flight plan over midnight, a CHG (Change) and not DLA (Delay) message should be sent.
• it is essential to advise ATS of cancellation, delay or any changes to the flight plan. When multiple changes are to be made, it is preferable to cancel the existing flight plan and file a new one. The pilot (or representative) should advise ATS about a delay if it exceeds 30 minutes for flights in controlled airspace, or 60 minutes for flights outside controlled airspace.
• after filing the flight plan check if it has been received and accepted. Only then will you be able to use it.
• if, as a result of modifications to the original flight plan, any ATS may receive a CHG

(Change) message only, then the modified flight plan should also be sent along with the message.