Section 17. Route Advisories

17-17-1. PURPOSE

This section prescribes policies and guidelines for issuing Route Advisories.

17-17-2. POLICY

In accordance with Federal Air Regulations, all operators have the right of refusal of a specific route and may elect an alterative. Alternatives include, but are not limited to, ground delay, diversion to another airport, or request to stay on the filed route.

17-17-3. EXPLANATION OF TERMS

a. Required (RQD): System stakeholders must take action to comply with the advisory.

b. Recommended (RMD): System stakeholders should consider Traffic Management Initiatives (TMI) specified in the advisory.

c. Planned (PLN): Traffic management initiatives that may be implemented.

d. For Your Information (FYI): Advisories requiring no action.

e. User Preferred Trajectory (UPT): The route that the user requests based on existing conditions.

f. System stakeholders: A group of interdependent NAS users and FAA air traffic facilities.

17-17-4. ROUTE ADVISORY MESSAGES

a. All route advisories must specify whether an action is RQD, RMD, PLN, FYI.

b. The following information will be included in a route advisory:

1. Header: Includes the DCC advisory number, category of route, and action. A “/FL” indicates that a flight list is attached to the advisory.

2. Name: Descriptive of the situation to the extent possible.

3. Constrained Area: Impacted area referenced by the advisory.

4. Reason: Causal factors for the advisory.

5. Include Traffic: Factors identifying specific flows of traffic in the route.

6. Facilities Included: May indicate the specific facilities or use the phrase “multiple facilities;” a minus sign (-) indicates to omit that facility's traffic from the route.

7. Flight Status: Will indicate all, airborne, or nonairborne.

8. Valid: Time frame for the route will be specified.

9. Probability of Extension: High, medium, low, or none will be stated.

10. Remarks: Further clarifying information.

11. Associated Restrictions: Traffic management restrictions to be implemented in conjunction with the route, e.g., miles in trail. ALT RSTN indicates that there is an altitude restriction associated with the advisory.

12. Modifications: Amendments to the standard Playbook routing.

13. Route: A specific route, route options, or user preferred trajectory around the area may be indicated. When UPT is indicated, an additional route(s) shall be listed. This route becomes the “default” route.

14. Footer: Date/time group for Flight Service Station information.

c. Categories of route advisories and possible actions are listed in the table below:

TBL 17-17-1
Categories of Route Advisories and Possible Actions

17-17-5. RESPONSIBILITIES

a. The ATCSCC must:

1. Be the final approval authority for all routes that traverse multiple center or terminal boundaries.

2. Coordinate routes with impacted facilities prior to implementing the route.

3. Verbally notify all impacted en route facilities of the implementation, modification, or cancellation of routes as the situation dictates.

4. Document and disseminate coordinated routes through an advisory with a flight list, if appropriate.

5. Implement, modify, and/or cancel routes.

b. Field Facilities must:

1. Remain cognizant of operational areas of interest in the National Airspace System (NAS) including local adaptations that affect route changes; e.g., Preferential Arrival Routes and Preferential Arrival Departure Routes, and forward any issues that may require modification to normal traffic flows within their area of jurisdiction when national support may be required.

2. Coordinate routes with facilities within their area of jurisdiction.

NOTE-
Normally the ATCSCC coordinates with en route facilities, en route facilities coordinate with terminals.

3. Participate in the PT TELCON as appropriate.

4. Implement the required routes for flights less than 45 minutes from departure or airborne. The departure Center is responsible for ensuring that proposed flights are on the proper route, and airborne traffic is the responsibility of the Center with track control and communications when the advisory is received.

5. Forward user requests to deviate from required routes to the ATCSCC, if they traverse more than one Center.

c. NAS users should:

1. Amend flight plans to the published route when aircraft are 45 minutes or more from departure;

2. Forward requests to the ATCSCC Tactical Customer Advocate (TCA) when an aircraft is on the ground and is requesting to deviate from a published route.

17-17-6. PROCEDURES

a. System stakeholders must forward information to be considered in route planning and route implementation when capable.

b. Time permitting, the ATCSCC consolidates the information for inclusion into the PT TELCON, or initiates tactical action, as required.

c. The ATCSCC coordinates routes with impacted facilities and issues advisories.

d. The ATCSCC verbally advises all impacted Centers that a route advisory has been issued, modified, or cancelled.

e. Field facilities and users review advisories and dynamic lists, and take appropriate action.

f. Field facilities issue routes to users if flight plans do not reflect the required routes as stated in the advisory.

g. If a route is cancelled, field facilities leave the aircraft on the existing route at the time of the cancellation of the route, unless a new route pertinent to the aircraft is issued.

h. NAS users forward requests to the ATCSCC TCA for flights that request to be exempted from required routes. The TCA completes the coordination and provides a determination on the request to the appropriate party(ies).

i. Routes are implemented, modified, and cancelled as needed.