SLOP on the NAT - Strategic Lateral Offset Procedure

On June 10th 2004 Strategic Lateral Offset Procedure (SLOP) was implemented in the North Atlantic Region. On the 20th of January 2005 SLOP was implemented in the Gulf of Mexico Oceanic airspace and in the Oakland and Anchorage oceanic airspace of the Pacific.

The intent of the procedure is to distribute the traffic following a routing across a 2 mile wide area to the right of the course centerline. Specific procedures include:
• To participate in SLOP the aircraft avionics must be capable of performing automatic offset functions
• It is not necessary to request offset from Air Traffic Control • It is not necessary to inform Air Traffic Control that an offset is being
flown
• The aircraft must cross into the oceanic Flight Information Region (FIR)
on course (over the oceanic entry point)
• Once established in the oceanic FIR the pilot has the option of flying
the course centerline, one mile right or two miles right of centerline. • All offsets must be to the right of centerline
• All position reports are given as if crossing directly over the waypoints
included in the crossing clearance
• The aircraft must cross out of the oceanic FIR on course (over the
oceanic exit point)
• Aircraft that may transit areas of radar coverage within the oceanic FIR
are to maintain their offset

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• NAT
• ICAO
• SLOP
• North
• Atlantic
• Flying
• MNPS
• Shanwick
• Gander
• Shannon
• Santa
• Maria
• New
• York
• Rekjavik

[TheGrumpstein]

So it's essentially like choosing a lane on the motorway.

[albula642]

Aren't all the NATs one way?

[TangoDelta29]

Sweet