Watch out for new RCO locations and frequencies

(Updated on 3 Oct 06 – brochure and map now available!) 

In some parts of the country pilots are discovering they can no longer raise the FIC on 126.7.

The reason is that the redesign of the Remote Communications Outlet (RCO) system, including frequencies, is taking effect as was highlighted in AIC 23/05. FICs no longer monitor 126.7 in areas where a new Flight Information Service En route (FISE) frequency has been established but they still use 126.7 for the Aeronautical Broadcast Service (SIGMET and urgent PIREP) and to conduct communication searches.

For example, recently in the Toronto area, the RCO for 126.7 at Lester B. Pearson International Airport was changed to one of the four new frequencies - 123.275. Buttonville continues to use 123.15. Muskoka and Sudbury have been changed to their final RCO configuration wherein a discrete FISE frequency has been established on 123.475 for both areas.

No changes have occurred yet for RCOs at Midland/Huronia (dial-up), St. Catharines, London, Sarnia, Windsor, Campbellford (dial-up), Wiarton and Kingston, which all use 126.7 and which is still monitored by London Radio.

However, the next RCO site to change is Windsor, on Jan. 18, 2007, where FISE 123.375 will be established and 126.7 will be unmonitored. Any further RCO changes in Ontario will not occur until the fall of 2007.

As the transition to the new RCO system occurs, it is important to remember where to find the most up to date information. Currently, the best source to obtain RCO locations and up-to-date frequencies is in the CFS under the FIC entries: Halifax, Quebec, London, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Pacific Radio (Kamloops) and Arctic Radio (North Bay IFSS).

To help further inform pilots of the RCO redesign Nav Canada has published a brochure that describes the RCO Redesign and expands on the AIC which was issued last year. The brochure, along with a map, can be found at http://www.navcanada.ca/NavCanada.asp?Language=en&Content=ContentDefinitionFiles\Services\ANSPrograms\RCORedesign\default.xml (English) or http://www.navcanada.ca/NavCanada.asp?Content=ContentDefinitionFiles\Services\ANSPrograms\RCORedesign\default.xml (French). The map will be periodically updated as changes occur.

Nav Canada will also publish 126.7 where it is unmonitored. The symbol will be “126.7 (bcst)” with an explanation in legends indicating the frequency is unmonitored and inactive except when the FIC uses it to provide the Aeronautical Broadcast Service or to conduct communication searches.

COPA has been working with Nav Canada over the past few years to help design and implement this change. In addition to the changes noted in this article, we have also requested that all aerodromes in the CFS include a RCO frequency in the COMM section and this will be investigated as well as other options for publication of RCO information in the CFS, on maps and charts.

We have also suggested that Nav Canada ensure that the aeronautical data that they provide to international agencies be formatted so that the FSS “nearest to” function in GPS units will highlight the appropriate FISE frequency.