Business aircraft crews are being urged to ensure they are using true Mach numbers in all airspace where the Mach number technique (MNT) is applied for longitudinal separation. According to a bulletin from the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), some pilots are unaware that their displays show uncorrected Mach numbers and will not therefore be conveying their true Mach speed to air traffic controllers.
Peter Ingleton, IBAC director and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) liaison, explained that two undisclosed business aircraft manufacturers have been made aware that their products do not display true Mach speed. Both airframers are now supposed to be informing their customers of the need to apply the corrected Mach numbers, which can be found in the aircraft flight manual. IBAC is urging all operators to check that they apply true Mach numbers in MNT airspace, which includes numerous routes worldwide, including the north and south Atlantic sectors, the northern Pacific and the U.S. West Coast.
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