West Atlantic Route System Route Restructure and Separation Reduction

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WATRS Plus Control Area (CTA) Chart (12 Sept 08) (MS PowerPoint)- WATRS Plus CTAs are: the West Atlantic Route System (WATRS), the Atlantic portion of Miami Oceanic and the San Juan CTA/FIR.

WATRS Coordinates (17 Apr 08) (MS Word)

Emphasis Items

• Weather Deviation Procedures: Recommended Pilot Bulletin (MS Word)

Table of Contents

Section 1 — Acronyms

• List of Acronyms (MS Word)

Section 2 — WATRS Plus Airspace Redesign and Separation Reduction Project

• Project Decription: On 5 June 2008, the FAA introduced a redesigned route structure and a reduced lateral separation standard in WATRS Plus CTAs. The redesigned route structure is based on introducing 50 nm lateral separation between aircraft that are authorized Required Navigation Performance 10 (RNP 10) or RNP 4.

  The FAA "WATRS Plus Operational Policy & Procedures Notice" posted below under "Operating Policy" provides project objectives, operating policies and operator requirements.

• Operating Policy
• FAA Notice: WATRS Plus Operational Policy & Procedures (15 Nov 2012) (MS Word)
• Contingency, Weather Deviation & Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures (16 Feb 2006) (MS Word)
• Strategic Lateral Offset Procedures (25 Feb 2011) (MS Word)
• SAT Comm Voice Procedures (5 April 08). Procedures to communicate with ARINC and ATC via SAT Comm Voice. (MS Word)
• FAA RNP Authorization Policy & Procedures: RNP 10 and Operator-Option RNP 4

  Important Note: RNP 10 is the minimum "navigation specification" for 50 NM separation. RNP 4 is an operator option.

  • Briefing (23 Feb 08) (MS PowerPoint): Policy/Procedures For RNP 10 Operator/Aircraft Authorization. This 23 Feb 08 update contains minor changes. The powerpoint briefing outlines policy and procedures for operator and aircraft authorization for RNP 10.
  • FAA RNP 10 Job Aid For Operator/Aircraft Authorization (26 Mar 2013) (MS Word)
  • Acceptable Navigation System Configurations For Operations In WATRS Plus Control Areas (MS Word)This document explains policies for operations in WATRS Plus control areas.
  • FAA Order 8400.12 (PDF)(RNP 10 Operational Approval). U.S. operators will follow the guidance of FAA Order 8400.12 (as amended). Operational and airworthiness policies will remain unchanged, however, revision is in progress to remove old manual LOA references and add provision for combination of one GPS and one INS or FMS/IRU (See Job Aid, Part 5).
  • FAA RNP 4 Job Aid (26 Mar 2013) (MS Word)
  • FAA Order 8400.33 (MS Word)(Authorization for RNP 4 in Oceanic & Remote Area Operations)
  • FAA Order 8400.33 — Table of Contents (MS Word)
  • Operations Specification & GA Automated Letters of Authorization (LOA)
    • Operations Specification Paragraph B036 (Class II Navigation Using Multiple Long-Range Navigation Systems (LRNS)).
    • Automated GA Letter of Authorization (LOA) B036 (Operations in RNP Airspace)
• FAA Inspector Guidance (FAA Flight Standards Inspectors)
  • FAA Order 8900.1, E-Handbook. Inspector guidance in paragraph 4-107 (RNP in Class II Airspace) is followed in the RNP 10 Job Aid. Paragraph 4-107 is in E-Handbook Vol. 4, Chapter 1, Section 5 (Special Navigation Areas of Operation). Search on "RNP-10" (Include dash (-)).
  • FAA Order 8400.33 (Authorization for RNP 4 in Oceanic & Remote Area Operations) is posted above and is posted on the Flight Standards Information Management System (FSIMS). Search on "RNP-4". (Include dash (-). URL is http://fsims.faa.gov/. Order 8400.33 is followed in the FAA RNP 4 Job Aid.
  • E-Handbook Volume 4, Chapter 12 is "Issue/Renew LOA for Operations in Special Use Airspace". It is not related to WATRS Plus operations. It focuses on North Atlantic MNPS operations. It also includes the old manual LOA format.
  • RNP 10 and RNP 4 Job Aids are posted in the "FAA RNP Authorization Policy & Procedures" section above.
• ICAO RNP Guidance and Documents

  RNP 10 is the minimum "navigation specification" for 50 NM separation. RNP 4 is an operator option.

  • ICAO Performance Based Navigation (PBN) Manual Doc 9613 � Edition 4 (2013) (PDF)
    • Vol. II, Part B, Chapter 1 (Implementing RNAV 10 (designated and authorized as RNP 10): see pdf pages 144-158 (II-B-1-1 to II-B-1-15)
    • Vol. II, Part B, Chapter 1 — Table of Contents (26 Mar 2013) (MS Word)
    • Vol. II, Part C (Implementing RNP 4): see pdf pages 205-218 (II-C-1-1 to II-C-1-14) in document above.
    • Vol. II, Part C, Chapter 1 — Table of Contents (26 Mar 2013) (MS Word)
  • ICAO RNP 10 Job Aid - With ICAO PBN Manual References (26 Mar 2013) (MS Word)
  • ICAO RNP 4 Job Aid With PBN Manual References (26 Mar 2013) (MS Word)
• Safety Assessment
  • Safety Assessment To Support Use of 50 NM Lateral Separation in WATRS Plus Control Areas (30 Nov 07) (MS Word) This document provides a summary of the WATRS Plus "Safety Assessment" and provides a contact to obtain copies.
• Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) — Under Development

Section 3 — RVSM Policy and Procedures

• RVSM Documentation: Policies & procedures for RVSM operations in WATRS can be found under "Area of Operations Specific Information"

Section 4 — Datalink Policy and Procedures

• Datalink Webpage: Policies & procedures for datalink operations in WATRS airspace can be found on the Datalink webpage.

Section 5 — Contacts

• FAA Hq and ATC Center Contacts (20 Oct 09) (MS Word)

Section 6 — Miami Y-route Notice

• Miami Y-route Notice (MS Word)