Compulsory Reporting Point

A compulsory reporting point is a geographical location at which an aircraft operating under IFR is required to make a position report to ATC without being specifically requested to do so. Compulsory reporting points are depicted on IFR en route charts by a solid triangle symbol.

Position Report Content

A standard IFR position report contains: aircraft identification, position, time, altitude, IFR flight conditions, estimated time at next reporting point, name of the following reporting point, and any pertinent remarks (e.g., weather deviations, equipment issues). The format is prescribed in the TC AIM.

Non-Compulsory Points

Non-compulsory reporting points are depicted by an open triangle on IFR charts. Position reports at non-compulsory points are made only when requested by ATC. In radar-controlled environments, position reports are typically suspended since ATC has continuous position information from radar.

Related Terms

See also: Position Report, IFR, Reporting Point.