BCA had hoped to discuss the U.S. NOTAM situation with officials at the FAA, but we were repeatedly rebuffed, with the explanation that the agency's aviation information management group was too understaffed and overworked to talk to the press. Nevertheless, a sympathetic public affairs officer was able to circulate some questions around the agency's NOTAM experts, and the following emailed answers were received just as we went to press.

To Dave Stohr, the whole issue of GNEs, LHDs, Mach control and serious procedural mistakes can be boiled down to two deficiencies: lack of SOPs — or having but not following them — and lack of knowledge. President and founder of Air Training International, Stohr teaches international procedures and, through IBAC, represents business aviation to the North Atlantic Systems Planning Group.

As BCA was going to press, a pilot we know with considerable oceanic crossing experience in his logbook offered the following general checklist for keeping your operation gross navigation error (GNE) free. Pay attention to these points, and you have a pretty good chance of staying out of trouble.