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NO PDC

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Airspace

AT CHANGI AIRPORT SINGAPORE, THE DELIVERY GIVE CLEARANCE "NO PDC FL350......" , WHAT DOES THE NO PDC MEANS HERE? AS PILOT, WHAT SHOULD WE CONSIDER ABOUT IT? THANKS A LOT!

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2 Answers



  1. Paul Tocknell on Dec 19, 2010

    PDC here in the states stands for Pre Departure Clearance.  It’s a method of getting your IFR depature clearance without having to call ATC. We use PDC in the corporate aircraft I fly and it is really slick.  NO PDC to me, means that Pre Depature Clearance is not available and I would have to manually call for clearance.  However, I have a feeling that it probably takes on a whole new meaning for the type of flying you are doing out of Singapore. And it does…

    I did some google searching and found these PDFs on ICAO’s website:

    http://www.icao.int/icao/en/ro/apac/rvsm_tf18/wp07.pdf

    http://www.icao.int/icao/en/ro/apac/2007/WPAC_SCS_RSG1/wp05.pdf

    http://www.icao.int/icao/en/ro/apac/rvsm_tf19/ReportTF18_19.pdf

    No PDC for you means “No Pre Depature Coordination” and it has to do with the implementation of RVSM airspace and what sounds like a very complicated route structure.  I’ll be honest, after a lot of searching, I’m still not exactly sure what the impletations are for you but I do know this.  I may not have to know what “NO PDC” means, but you should!  You need to contact your local airspace governing authority and ask them. 

    Here’s my best educated guess:  I think if you are flying a NO PDC FL, it means that your flight may have less delays getting your clearance as that altitude (FL 350) has already been arranged with other neighboring countries to be assigned to your depature country or FIR.  It means, that FL 350 does not require a pre depature coordination, which sounds like a good thing.

    Again, that’s a guess and you really should seek someone in your area that has a better understanding of what “No Pre Deapture Coordination” means for you.  If you do find out some more information, please let us know here!

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  2. Best Answer


    wingtip777 on Dec 20, 2010

    thank you for your answer paul!  i get something from the ATC of singapore:
    Reference to your query on NPDC for flights operating in the South China Sea area, you may wish to refer to Singapore AIP under ENR 1.18-19.However we would also like to take this opportunity to respond to your query.NPDC was first practiced in the late 1990’s to reduce the delay for flights departing from South East Asian airports. This is to reduce the coordination between ATC Centres for clearance and an aircraft can start up for departure without Singapore ATC coordinating with downstream ATC centres for levels.When Singapore Delivery give clearance for ‘No PDC FL350’, it means that there is no delay for you. Sometimes there may be another aircraft that has already been given the level requested and you would have encountered being given two or three levels to choose for no delay if the level you requested has been given to another aircraft already.When you are airborne, ATC will then coordinated with the next ATC Centre for FL350 subject to traffic. If it is approved by the next ATC centre, you will be informed by the enroute controllers. However if your requested flight level is not available, ATC will try to offer you the next best level based on your request.

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