NOTICE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION

N 8900.148
Effective Date:
3/3/11

National Policy

Cancellation Date:
3/3/12

SUBJ: OpSpec B044, Planned Redispatch or Rerelease En Route

1. Purpose of this Notice. This notice provides revised guidance for Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) certificate-holding district offices (CHDO) and principal operations
inspectors (POI) who have oversight responsibility of certificate holders conducting airplane
operations under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) part 121. This notice also
broadcasts a revision to operations specification (OpSpec) paragraph B044, Planned Redispatch
or Rerelease En Route. The revision to B044 represents a mandatory template change.
2. Audience. The primary audience for this notice is FAA CHDOs and POIs with oversight
responsibility over certificate holders conducting flag or supplemental international airplane
operations under part 121. The secondary audience includes Flight Standards divisions and
branches in the regions and in headquarters (HQ).
3. Where You Can Find This Notice. You can find this notice on the MyFAA employee
Web site at https://employees.faa.gov/tools_resources/orders_notices. Inspectors can access this
notice through the Flight Standards Information Management System (FSIMS) at
http://fsims.avs.faa.gov. Operators and the public can find this notice on the FAAs Web site at
http://fsims.faa.gov.
4. Background.
a. OpSpec Changes. In conjunction with the FAA Office of the General Counsel (AGC)
AGC-200, the Flight Standards Service (AFS) Air Transportation Division (AFS-200)
determined that prescriptive language needed to be added to OpSpec paragraph B044.
Previously, B044 had eight special limitations and provisions. The revised template, Revision 2,
now contains 11 specific conditions and limitations, which prescribe the requirements that
partner with the authorization contained in the OpSpec.
b. Fuel Management Requirement. The more prescriptive language of the OpSpec is
necessary to ensure regulatory compliance and standardization in certificate holders flight
documentation and weather briefing information. A requirement for an internal fuel monitoring
program has been added to ensure adequate fuel management of flights operating in accordance
with B044.

Distribution: Electronic Only

Initiated By: AFS-200

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5. Guidance. FAA Order 8900.1, Flight Standards Information Management System (FSIMS),
Volume 3, Chapter 18, Section 4, Part B Operations SpecificationsEn Route Authorizations and
Limitations, contains guidance on how to issue OpSpec B044. Order 8900.1, Volume 3,
Chapter 25, Section 4, Part 121 Flag Operations, Supplemental Operations Outside the
Contiguous States, and Extended Overwater Operations, contains detailed guidance on the actual
application of a planned redispatch or planned rerelease, as well as adequate training for
crewmembers, dispatchers, and persons authorized to exercise operational control. There is also a
job aid contained in the Web-based automated Operations Safety System (WebOPSS) under the
Guidance tab associated with B044.
6. Action. CHDO personnel and POIs must review the BO44 job aid as well as the new
guidance contained in Order 8900.1, Volume 3, Chapter 18, Section 4 and Volume 3, Chapter 25,
Section 4.
a. Certificate Holders Currently Issued OpSpec B044. Revision 2 to B044 is a
mandatory change. CHDO personnel and POIs of certificate holders who are currently issued
OpSpec B044, Revision 1a, will have 6 months from the date of this notice to ensure that the
certificate holders dispatch or flight release processes are compliant with all of the conditions
and limitations of OpSpec B044, Revision 2. Once a CHDO personnel member or POI
determines that the certificate holder is able to comply with the conditions and limitations, he or
she may issue B044, Revision 2, and archive Revision 1a.
Note: The template for B044, Revision 1a, will be decommissioned 6 months
from the date of this notice. In order for certificate holders to continue to conduct
planned redispatch or rerelease operations, they must be able to comply with all of
the conditions and limitations contained in the new template.
b. Initial Authorization. For certificate holders applying for initial authorization of
OpSpec B044, follow the guidance contained in Order 8900.1, Volume 3, Chapter 18, Section 4;
Order 8900.1, Volume 3, Chapter 25, Section 4; and the job aid located in the WebOPSS under
the Guidance tab associated with B044.
7. Disposition. We will incorporate the information in this notice into FSIMS before this notice
expires. Direct questions concerning the information in this notice to the Air Carrier Operations
Branch (AFS-220) at 202-267-9518.
for
John M. Allen
Director, Flight Standards Service

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Appendix A

Appendix A. Sample OpSpec Paragraph B044 for Part 121, Planned Redispatch or
Rerelease En Route
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Federal Aviation
Administration

Operations Specifications

B044. Planned Redispatch or Rerelease En Route

HQ Control:
HQ Revision:

xx/xx/xxxx
XX

a. The certificate holder is authorized to conduct planned redispatch for flag operations or planned rerelease for
supplemental operations that include a departure or arrival point outside the 48 contiguous United States under
14 CFR part 121, 121.631 in accordance with the provisions of 121.593 through 121.661 and 121.173, and
the conditions and limitations provided below. For the purposes of this operations specification paragraph, a planned
redispatch or rerelease is one that is planned before takeoff to be redispatched or rereleased in accordance with
121.631(f) at a predetermined point along the route of flight to an airport other than that specified in the original
dispatch or flight release.
b. Conditions and Limitations. In addition to the requirements in 121.593 through 121.661 and 121.173
(to include requirements applicable to weather, terminal and en route facilities, and fuel supply requirements), the
certificate holder must comply with the following conditions and limitations to exercise the authorization of this
operations specification:
(1) Within the specific area of en route operations, this operations specification paragraph must be listed in
operations specification paragraph B050.
(2) The dispatch or flight release must contain the following:
(a) A release to the initial destination airport;
(b) A plan for redispatch or rerelease from the planned redispatch or rerelease point to the intended
destination airport. The planned redispatch or rerelease point must be a point that is common to both the route from
the origin airport to the intended destination airport, and the route from the origin airport to the initial destination
airport;
(c) Alternate airports for both the initial destination airport and the intended destination airport, in
accordance with 121.621 or 121.623;
(d) The fuel required to fly from the origin airport and land at the initial destination airport;
(e) The fuel required to fly from the redispatch or rerelease point and land at the intended destination
airport; and
(f) The total fuel required to fly from the origin airport and land at the intended destination airport based
on the redisaptch or rerelease. In determining these fuel requirements, the certificate holder must comply with
121.647.
(g) The appropriate weather reports, forecasts, and NOTAMs affecting the route to be flown, and the
facilities at all airports specified in the dispatch or flight release.

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Appendix A

(3) The flight plan must be prepared prior to departure from the origin airport to the initial destination airport,
and from the redispatch or rerelease point to the intended destination airport. The flight plan must contain an
operational analysis that includes the following:
(a) The total fuel listed in subparagraph b(2)(f) of this operations specification;
(b) Routes to be flown, including the flight levels. The portions of the routes that are common to both the
route from the origin airport to the initial destination airport and the route from the origin airport to the intended
destination airport may be combined in the body of the flight plan;
(c) Estimated times en route; and
(d) Alternate airports for both the initial destination airport and the intended destination airport, in
accordance with 121.621 or 121.623.
(4) A new operational analysis must be conducted within 2 hours prior to the flights arrival at the planned
redispatch or rerelease point. In preparing the new operational analysis, the dispatcher or person designated to
exercise operational control (other than the pilot in command) must:
(a) Conduct an updated fuel analysis based on the current route of flight, wind conditions, and aircraft
weight on the route from the planned redispatch or rerelease point to the intended destination airport and any
required alternate airports; and
(b) Inform the pilot in command of the results of the updated fuel analysis and all current information
concerning weather conditions, navigation and ground facilities, known air traffic delays, and services at the
intended destination and alternate airports specified in the redispatch or rerelease, as required by 121.601(c) for
flag operations or 121.603(b) for supplemental operations.
(5) If the operational analysis required in subparagraph b(4) of this operations specification indicates there is
sufficient fuel onboard to complete the redispatch or rerelease to the intended destination airport, the dispatcher or
person designated to exercise operational control (other than the pilot in command) must issue a dispatch or flight
release from the planned redispatch or rerelease point to the intended destination airport. That redispatch or rerelease
must contain:
(a) A release from the planned redispatch or rerelease point to the intended destination airport;
(b) An updated route, if required based on the operational analysis conducted in subparagraph b(4) of this
operations specification;
(c) An alternate airport for the intended destination airport, as required by 121.621 or 121.623;
(d) The fuel required to fly from the planned redispatch or rerelease point and land at the intended
destination airport. In determining these fuel requirements, the certificate holder must comply with 121.647;
(e) The appropriate weather reports, forecasts, and NOTAMs affecting the route to be flown, and the
facilities at all airports specified in the dispatch or flight release; and
(f) The name of the dispatcher or person authorized to exercise operational control issuing the redispatch
or rerelease, along with the time of issuance.
(6) The pilot in commands decision on whether or not to accept the redispatch or rerelease shall be made part
of the redispatch or rerelease. The redispatch or rerelease must be retained in accordance with 121.695 or
121.697, as applicable.

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Appendix A

(7) If while the aircraft is en route the flight cannot continue in accordance with the dispatch or flight release
provided in subparagraph b(2) or (5) of this operations specification, the certificate holder must comply with the
provisions of 121.631(f) and (g) to amend the release.
(8) Loss of Communication:
(a) Pilot in Command. If there is a total loss of communication while en route, the pilot in command must
follow the lost communications procedures as outlined in the Aeronautical Information Manual, or the provisions
specified in ICAO Annex 2, as applicable to the airspace in which communication is lost.
(b) Aircraft dispatcher and persons designated to exercise operational control. If there is a total loss of
communication while en route, the aircraft dispatcher or person designated to exercise operational control must
follow the emergency procedures set forth in 121.557(b) and (c) for flag operations, and 121.559(b) and (c) for
supplemental operations.
(9) If the estimated time of arrival at the initial destination or intended destination exceeds 15 minutes beyond
the flight plan, the cruise altitude varies by 4,000 feet or more from the flight plan, or the airplane deviates more
than 100 NM from the route specified in the flight plan, the flightcrew must notify the aircraft dispatcher or person
designated to exercise operational control as soon as practicable. The aircraft dispatcher or person designated to
exercise operational control must then evaluate the fuel onboard and determine if additional action is necessary.
(10) The certificate holder must establish policies and procedures for monitoring the actual fuel burn during
flight, and comparing it to the planned fuel burn. The certificate holder must conduct a real time analysis of any fuel
burn en route that exceeds the planned fuel burn, and ensure that sufficient fuel remains at the redispatch or rerelease
point to allow a flight to continue to the intended destination airport. If sufficient fuel for continuation to the
intended destination is not onboard the aircraft at the time of redispatch or rerelease, the certificate holder must have
policies and procedures in place to ensure that the flight lands at the initial destination or alternate airport or, if
appropriate, amend the dispatch or flight release to include another suitable airport authorized for that type of
aircraft.
(11) The provisions of this operations specification paragraph must not be used in conjunction with the
provisions of operations specifications paragraphs B043 or B343.

1. Issued by the Federal Aviation Administration.

2. Support information reference:
3. These operations specifications are approved by direction of the Administrator.

4. Date approval is effective:

Amendment number:
5. I hereby accept and receive the operations specifications in this paragraph.

Date:

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