4-2-1. CLEARANCE ITEMS
Issue the following clearance items, as appropriate, in
the order listed below:
a. Aircraft identification.
b. Clearance limit.
1. When the clearance limit is an airport, the word
“airport” must follow the airport name.
PHRASEOLOGY-
CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT.
2. When the clearance limit is a NAVAID, and the
NAVAID type is known, the type of NAVAID must follow the NAVAID name.
PHRASEOLOGY-
CLEARED TO (NAVAID name and type).
3. When the clearance limit is an intersection or
waypoint, and the type is known, the type must follow the intersection or
waypoint name.
PHRASEOLOGY-
CLEARED TO (intersection or waypoint name and type).
c. Standard Instrument Departure (SID).
d. Route of flight including PDR/PDAR/PAR
when applied.
e. Altitude data in the order flown.
f. Mach number, if applicable.
g. USAF. When issuing a clearance to an airborne
aircraft containing an altitude assignment, do not
include more than one of the following in the same
transmission:
1. Frequency change.
2. Transponder change.
3. Heading.
4. Altimeter setting.
5. Traffic information containing an altitude.
h. Holding instructions.
i. Any special information.
j. Frequency and beacon code information.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 4-2-8, IFR-VFR and VFR-IFR Flights.
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para
4-5-7, Altitude Information.
4-2-2. CLEARANCE PREFIX
a. Prefix a clearance, information, or a request for
information which will be relayed to an aircraft
through a non-ATC facility by stating “A-T-C
clears,” “A-T-C advises,” or “A-T-C requests.”
b. Flight service stations must prefix a clearance
with the appropriate phrase: “ATC clears,” “ATC
advises,” etc.
4-2-3. DELIVERY INSTRUCTIONS
Issue specific clearance delivery instructions, if
appropriate.
4-2-4. CLEARANCE RELAY
Relay clearances verbatim.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para
10-4-4, Communications Failure.
4-2-5. ROUTE OR ALTITUDE
AMENDMENTS
a. Amend route of flight in a previously issued
clearance by one of the following:
1. State which portion of the route is being
amended and then state the amendment.
PHRASEOLOGY-
CHANGE (portion of route) TO READ (new portion of
route).
2. State the amendment to the route and then
state that the rest of the route is unchanged.
PHRASEOLOGY-
(Amendment to route), REST OF ROUTE UNCHANGED.
3. Issue a clearance “direct” to a point on the
previously issued route.
PHRASEOLOGY-
CLEARED DIRECT (fix, waypoint).
Or
CLEARED DIRECT
(destination) AIRPORT.
NOTE-
Clearances authorizing “direct” to a point on a previously
issued route do not require the phrase “rest of route
unchanged.” However, it must be understood where the
previously cleared route is resumed. When necessary, “rest
of route unchanged” may be used to clarify routing.
4. Issue the entire route by stating the
amendment.
EXAMPLE-
(Cessna 21A has been cleared to the Airville Airport via
V41 Delta VOR V174 Alfa VOR, direct Airville Airport,
maintain 9000. After takeoff, the aircraft is rerouted via
V41 Frank intersection, V71 Delta VOR, V174 Alfa VOR.
The controller issues one of the following as an amended
clearance):
1. “Cessna Two One Alfa change Victor Forty-One Delta
to read Victor Forty-One Frank, Victor Seventy-One
Delta.”
2. “Cessna Two One Alfa cleared via Victor Forty-One
Frank, Victor Seventy-One Delta, rest of route unchanged.”
3. “Cessna Two One Alfa cleared via Victor Forty-One
Frank, Victor Seventy-One Delta, Victor One Seventy-Four Alfa V-O-R, direct Airville airport, maintain Niner
Thousand.”
b. When route or altitude in a previously issued
clearance is amended, restate all applicable altitude
restrictions.
EXAMPLE-
(A departing aircraft is cleared to cross Ollis intersection
at or above 3,000; Gordonsville VOR at or above 12,000;
maintain FL 200. Shortly after departure the altitude to be
maintained is changed to FL 240. Because altitude
restrictions remain in effect, the controller issues an
amended clearance as follows):
“Amend altitude. Cross Ollis intersection at or above
Three Thousand; cross Gordonsville V-O-R at or above
One Two Thousand; maintain Flight Level Two Four
Zero.”
(Shortly after departure, altitude restrictions are no longer
applicable, the controller issues an amended clearance as
follows):
“Climb and maintain Flight Level Two Four Zero.”
NOTE-
1. Restating previously issued altitude to “maintain” is an
amended clearance. If altitude to “maintain” is changed or
restated, whether prior to departure or while airborne, and
previously issued altitude restrictions are omitted, altitude
restrictions are canceled, including SID/STAR/(ATC)
altitude restrictions if any.
2. Crossing altitudes and speed restrictions not annotated
as (ATC) for SIDs and DPs, including ODPs, are
mandatory and cannot be canceled by ATC. ATC altitude
restrictions and/or speed restrictions annotated (ATC) may
be canceled by ATC. In the event of lost communications,
aircraft are expected to comply with all restrictions unless
ATC has previously canceled the ATC-annotated restrictions.
c. Issue an amended clearance if a speed
restriction is declined because it cannot be complied
with concurrently with a previously issued altitude
restriction.
EXAMPLE-
(An aircraft is cleared to cross Gordonsville VOR at
11,000. Shortly thereafter he/she is cleared to reduce
his/her airspeed to 300 knots. The pilot informs the
controller he/she is unable to comply with both clearances
simultaneously. The controller issues an amended
clearance as follows):
“Cross Gordonsville VOR at One One Thousand. Then,
reduce speed to Three Zero Zero.”
NOTE-
The phrase “do the best you can” or comparable phrases
are not valid substitutes for an amended clearance with
altitude or speed restrictions.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para
2-1-18, Operational Requests.
FAAO JO 7110.65,
Section 6, Vectoring, Para
5-6-2, Methods.
FAAO JO 7110.65,
Section 7, Speed Adjustment, Para
5-7-2, Methods.
d. Air traffic control specialists should avoid route
and/or altitude changes for aircraft participating in
the North American Route Program (NRP) and that
are displaying “NRP” in the remarks section of their
flight plan. Specialists at facilities actively participating in the High Altitude Redesign (HAR) program
should avoid route and/or altitude changes for aircraft
participating in full HAR and high altitude
Point-to-point (PTP), and that are displaying
“HAR,” or “PTP” in the remarks section of their
flight plan.
NOTE-
Air traffic control specialists retain the latitude necessary
to tactically resolve conflicts. Every effort should be made
to ensure the aircraft is returned to the original filed flight
plan/altitude as soon as conditions warrant.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para
2-1-4, Operational Priority.
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para 2-2-15, North American Route
Program (NRP) Information.
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para
2-3-2, En Route Data Entries.
FAAO JO 7210.3, Chapter 17, Section 16, North American Route
Program.
4-2-6. THROUGH CLEARANCES
You may clear an aircraft through intermediate stops.
PHRASEOLOGY-
CLEARED THROUGH (airport) TO (fix).
4-2-7. ALTRV CLEARANCE
Use the phrase “via approved altitude reservation
flight plan,” if the aircraft will operate in an approved
ALTRV.
PHRASEOLOGY-
VIA APPROVED ALTITUDE RESERVATION (mission
name) FLIGHT PLAN.
NOTE-
An ALTRV normally includes the departure, climb, cruise,
and arrival phases of flight up to and including holding
pattern or point/time at which ATC provides separation
between aircraft.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para
4-3-3, Abbreviated Departure
Clearance.
4-2-8. IFR-VFR AND VFR-IFR FLIGHTS
a. Clear an aircraft planning IFR operations for the
initial part of flight and VFR for the latter part to the
fix at which the IFR part ends.
b. Treat an aircraft planning VFR for the initial
part of flight and IFR for the latter part as a VFR
departure. Issue a clearance to this aircraft when it
requests IFR clearance approaching the fix where it
proposes to start IFR operations. The phraseology
CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT AS FILED
may be used with abbreviated departure clearance
procedures.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para
4-3-3, Abbreviated Departure
Clearance.
c. When an aircraft changes from VFR to IFR, the
controller must assign a beacon code to Mode-C
equipped aircraft that will allow MSAW alarms.
d. When a VFR aircraft, operating below the
minimum altitude for IFR operations, requests an IFR
clearance and you are aware that the pilot is unable to
climb in VFR conditions to the minimum IFR
altitude:
1. Before issuing a clearance, ask if the pilot is
able to maintain terrain and obstruction clearance
during a climb to the minimum IFR altitude.
NOTE-
Pilots of pop-up aircraft are responsible for terrain and
obstacle clearance until reaching minimum instrument
altitude (MIA) or minimum en route altitude (MEA). Pilot
compliance with an approved FAA procedure or an ATC
instruction transfers that responsibility to the FAA;
therefore, do not assign (or imply) specific course guidance
that will (or could) be in effect below the MIA or MEA.
EXAMPLE-
“November Eight Seven Six, are you able to provide your
own terrain and obstruction clearance between your
present altitude and six thousand feet?”
2. If the pilot is able to maintain terrain and
obstruction separation, issue the appropriate clearance as prescribed in para 4-2-1, Clearance Items,
and para 4-5-6, Minimum En Route
Altitudes.
3. If unable to maintain terrain and obstruction
separation, instruct the pilot to maintain VFR and to
state intentions.
4. If appropriate, apply the provisions of
para
10-2-7, VFR Aircraft In Weather
Difficulty, or para
10-2-9, Radar Assistance Techniques, as necessary.
4-2-9. CLEARANCE ITEMS
The following guidelines must be utilized to facilitate
the processing of airfile aircraft:
a. Ensure the aircraft is within your area of
jurisdiction unless otherwise coordinated.
b. Obtain necessary information needed to
provide IFR service.
c. Issue clearance to destination, short range
clearance, or an instruction to the pilot to contact an FSS if the flight plan cannot be processed.
If clearance is to destination airport, the
phraseology CLEARED TO (destination) AIRPORT must be used. If clearance is to a
NAVAID, state the name of the NAVAID followed by the type of NAVAID, if the type
is known. If clearance is to an intersection or waypoint and the type is known,
the type must follow the intersection or waypoint name.
NOTE-
These procedures do not imply that the processing of
airfiles has priority over another ATC duty to be
performed.
REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.65, Para
2-2-1, Recording Information.
4-2-10. CANCELLATION OF
IFR FLIGHT PLAN
a. If necessary, before instructing an IFR
aircraft arriving at an airport not served by an
air traffic control tower or flight service station
to change to the common traffic advisory
frequency, provide the pilot with instructions on
how to cancel his/her IFR flight plan.
1. Airports with an air/ground
communications station:
PHRASEOLOGY
(Call sign) REPORT CANCELLATION OF IFR ON
(frequency).
2. Airports without an air/ground
communications station:
PHRASEOLOGY
(Call sign) REPORT CANCELLATION OF IFR THIS
FREQUENCY OR WITH FLIGHT SERVICE.
or
(Aircraft call sign) REPORT CANCELLATION OF
IFR THIS FREQUENCY OR WITH (FSS serving the
area or the ATC controlling facility).
EXAMPLE
“N13WA report cancellation of IFR this frequency or
with McAlester Radio.”
b. Respond to a pilot’s cancellation of his/her IFR flight plan as follows:
PHRASEOLOGY
(Call sign) IFR CANCELLATION RECEIVED.
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