Originally Posted by Hotel Kilo

I'm well aware of that. That wasn't the case years ago where you needed 2 HFs for dispatch into the WATRS (now WATS). It was changed a few years back to allow only 1 HF (most aircraft flying those routes have SATCOM now - not just talking DAL here either).

We meet on regular schedule with the Oceanic Control Centers. All carriers that participate attend. We send an operations rep to these meetings. The info coming out of the last few meetings is that WATS, according to New York Oceanic, will require SATCOM (CPDLC) capability for dispatch on the "L" routes. Without it, you won't be able to dispatch a flight on any WATS route. That's where Oceanic is moving. Not sure when, or if there will be major push back from the air carriers.

It's the shear volume of traffic moving up and down the L routes that is driving this. The HF is antiquated and task centric. It's sufficient for a backup should SATCOM fail enroute. The issue they are having is when that one HF fails. Also, how do you maintain flight control when you can't reach your company? Yes, you might relay POS reports thru someone that has working HF/SATCOM, however if you have a maintenance issue, med emergency, or some other related issue, without your one HF working, you are sort of out of span of control at that time. You might only see one little piece as an operator out there in your limited use you personally have flown. However, NY Oceanic sees thousands of flights over months at a time and they have all the info on what does and does not work out there. Thus the push for them to demand a minimum of SATCOM capability for dispatch onto those routes. It's coming. Again, not sure of the timeline.