INIT Page Basics

Step-by-step: INIT Page Basics

1. The INIT page is where every flight starts. Enter a route by typing KJFK/EGLL into the scratchpad, then pressing 1R.

   The FROM/TO field tells the FMS which airports to route between. You get these 4-letter ICAO codes from your Operational Flight Plan (OFP) — the paperwork dispatch provides before every flight. KJFK = New York JFK, EGLL = London Heathrow. Getting this wrong means the FMS calculates the wrong route, fuel, and winds.

2. Enter your alternate airport. Type EGKK and press 2L. The alternate is where you'd divert if you can't land at Heathrow.

   Every flight plan requires an alternate airport — a nearby field you can reach if the destination closes (weather, runway blocked, emergency). EGKK (Gatwick) is a common alternate for Heathrow: it's close enough that fuel reserves cover it, but far enough that different weather patterns apply. The dispatcher selects it on the OFP based on weather forecasts, runway availability, and fuel calculations.

3. Enter a company route. Type KJFKEGLL1 and press 1L. Company routes are pre-stored flight plans that save time.

   Company routes are pre-built flight plans stored in the airline's FMS database. Instead of entering every waypoint manually, you type a route code from the OFP. The dispatcher has already verified this route for airspace restrictions and NOTAMs. If no company route exists, you'd build the route manually on the F-PLN page.

4. Enter flight number BAW178. Type BAW178 and press 3L.

   The flight number comes from the OFP and matches your ATC callsign. BAW = British Airways ICAO code, 178 = flight number. It's how controllers identify you on radar and how ACARS and flight tracking systems associate this FMS with the correct flight.

5. Enter cost index 52. Type 52 and press 5L.

   Cost index is set by the airline, not the pilots — you find it on the OFP. It represents the ratio of time cost to fuel cost. A higher number means "time is expensive, fly faster." The FMS uses it to calculate optimal climb, cruise, and descent speeds. Typical values: 0–20 for fuel conservation, 30–60 for normal ops, 80+ for tight schedules.

6. Set cruise level to FL390. Type 390 and press 6L.

   Cruise flight level comes from the OFP and is coordinated with ATC. It depends on direction of flight (semi-circular rule: eastbound = odd levels like FL350/FL370/FL390, westbound = even), aircraft weight, and wind. FL390 is near the A320's ceiling and efficient for long-haul with low fuel load.