Narrative:

During climb out from cyyr, goose bay, we got cleared to FL360. Shortly after leveloff, we got asked by moncton center if we were rvsm equipped, what was immediately answered by my copilot with negative. At this time, I realized that we had to be in rvsm airspace, because of FL360. No further communication was exchanged between moncton center and no comment was made by the controller that we were in rvsm airspace, neither did he ask us to leave FL360. I am familiar with the north atlantic rvsm airspace and our flight originated in bremen, germany, where we came over the north atlantic at FL280, of course, to stay below the rvsm. If we really penetrated rvsm airspace, I am wondering why we were cleared into it in the first place and why no further instructions were made by the controller to leave FL360 and descend below the rvsm flight level. A flight plan was filed in goose bay and we didn't indicate in any way that we were rvsm equipped and had no meaning at all to intentionally penetrate this airspace. Yes, I should have realized this, when we got cleared to FL360 that we had to climb into rvsm airspace and should have confirmed this with moncton center. I guess fatigue and poor flight planning was one of the generating factors in this incident because of a very extensive flying day. I also had absolutely no knowledge that the rvsm airspace already existed in this area and not just over the north atlantic because this was not the first time we operated in this area. The rest of our flight to bangor, me, continued without any further incidents. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter advised that the flight crew had flown below rvsm airspace from birk, but the flight to gbr below rvsm would be a stretch for fuel requirements, thus gladly accepting a higher filed altitude for fuel consumption when offered. After czqm's question of the certification/qualification, they decided to wait until receiving another ATC clearance to determine if they would have to divert due to expected higher fuel consumption at a lower altitude. With no further comment by czqm, the reporter stated they would 'just wait it out.' neither company nor canadian ATC has contacted the flight crew concerning the event. The reporter is still unsure 'if there was a violation.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CZQM CTR CLBS A WW24 FLT CREW INTO RVSM RESTR AIRSPACE. AFTER LEVELOFF AT FL360, CZQM ASKS IF FLT CREW IS RVSM QUALIFIED. ANSWERING -- NO, CZQM TAKES NO FURTHER ACTION.

Narrative: DURING CLBOUT FROM CYYR, GOOSE BAY, WE GOT CLRED TO FL360. SHORTLY AFTER LEVELOFF, WE GOT ASKED BY MONCTON CTR IF WE WERE RVSM EQUIPPED, WHAT WAS IMMEDIATELY ANSWERED BY MY COPLT WITH NEGATIVE. AT THIS TIME, I REALIZED THAT WE HAD TO BE IN RVSM AIRSPACE, BECAUSE OF FL360. NO FURTHER COM WAS EXCHANGED BTWN MONCTON CTR AND NO COMMENT WAS MADE BY THE CTLR THAT WE WERE IN RVSM AIRSPACE, NEITHER DID HE ASK US TO LEAVE FL360. I AM FAMILIAR WITH THE NORTH ATLANTIC RVSM AIRSPACE AND OUR FLT ORIGINATED IN BREMEN, GERMANY, WHERE WE CAME OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC AT FL280, OF COURSE, TO STAY BELOW THE RVSM. IF WE REALLY PENETRATED RVSM AIRSPACE, I AM WONDERING WHY WE WERE CLRED INTO IT IN THE FIRST PLACE AND WHY NO FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS WERE MADE BY THE CTLR TO LEAVE FL360 AND DSND BELOW THE RVSM FLT LEVEL. A FLT PLAN WAS FILED IN GOOSE BAY AND WE DIDN'T INDICATE IN ANY WAY THAT WE WERE RVSM EQUIPPED AND HAD NO MEANING AT ALL TO INTENTIONALLY PENETRATE THIS AIRSPACE. YES, I SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THIS, WHEN WE GOT CLRED TO FL360 THAT WE HAD TO CLB INTO RVSM AIRSPACE AND SHOULD HAVE CONFIRMED THIS WITH MONCTON CTR. I GUESS FATIGUE AND POOR FLT PLANNING WAS ONE OF THE GENERATING FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE OF A VERY EXTENSIVE FLYING DAY. I ALSO HAD ABSOLUTELY NO KNOWLEDGE THAT THE RVSM AIRSPACE ALREADY EXISTED IN THIS AREA AND NOT JUST OVER THE NORTH ATLANTIC BECAUSE THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE OPERATED IN THIS AREA. THE REST OF OUR FLT TO BANGOR, ME, CONTINUED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR ADVISED THAT THE FLT CREW HAD FLOWN BELOW RVSM AIRSPACE FROM BIRK, BUT THE FLT TO GBR BELOW RVSM WOULD BE A STRETCH FOR FUEL REQUIREMENTS, THUS GLADLY ACCEPTING A HIGHER FILED ALT FOR FUEL CONSUMPTION WHEN OFFERED. AFTER CZQM'S QUESTION OF THE CERTIFICATION/QUALIFICATION, THEY DECIDED TO WAIT UNTIL RECEIVING ANOTHER ATC CLRNC TO DETERMINE IF THEY WOULD HAVE TO DIVERT DUE TO EXPECTED HIGHER FUEL CONSUMPTION AT A LOWER ALT. WITH NO FURTHER COMMENT BY CZQM, THE RPTR STATED THEY WOULD 'JUST WAIT IT OUT.' NEITHER COMPANY NOR CANADIAN ATC HAS CONTACTED THE FLT CREW CONCERNING THE EVENT. THE RPTR IS STILL UNSURE 'IF THERE WAS A VIOLATION.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.