Paragraph
Number

Title

4-3-8

DEPARTURE REPORTS

4-4-8

AUTOMATIC FLIGHT INFORMATION SERVICE (AFIS) - ALASKA FSSs ONLY

6-2-3

ALASKA SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

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4-3-8. DEPARTURE REPORTS

4-3-8. DEPARTURE REPORTS

Title through PHRASEOLOGY

No Change

NOTE-
This includes known VFR departure times of aircraft which are to obtain IFR clearances when airborne.

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NOTE-
1. This includes known VFR departure times of aircraft which are to obtain IFR clearances when airborne.

2. The requirement for transmitting departure reports may be omitted if requested by the IFR control facility, provided the procedures are specified in a Letter of Agreement.

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4-4-8. AUTOMATIC FLIGHT INFORMATION SERVICE (AFIS) - ALASKA FSSs ONLY

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Use the AFIS to provide advance non-control airport, meteorological, and pertinent NOTAM information to aircraft.

NOTE-
Use of the AFIS by pilots is not mandatory, but pilots who use two-way radio communication with the FSS are urged to use the service.

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a. Begin each new AFIS message with the airport/facility name and a phonetic alphabet letter. The phonetic alphabet letter shall also be spoken at the end of the message and be used sequentially, beginning with “Alfa,” ending with “Zulu.” Full-time facilities shall repeat the letter without regard to the beginning of a new day. Part-time facilities shall identify the first resumed broadcast message with “Alfa.”

b. The AFIS recording shall be reviewed for completeness, accuracy, speech rate, and proper enunciation before being transmitted.

c. Maintain an AFIS message that reflects the most current local airport information.

1. Make a new AFIS recording when any of the following occur:

(a) Upon receipt of any new official weather, regardless of any change in values.

(b) When runway braking action reports are received that indicate runway braking is worse than that which was included in the current AFIS broadcast.

(c) When there is a change in any other pertinent data for the airport or surrounding area, such as change in favored runway, new or canceled NOTAMs, AIRMETs, SIGMETs, CWAs, PIREPs, or other information that facilitates the repetitive transmission of essential but routine information.

2. Data may be omitted because of rapidly changing weather conditions or other circumstances when deemed necessary by the supervisor or controller-in-charge. When this occurs, the AFIS shall state the name of the appropriate facility to contact (and frequency, if different from airport CTAF) to obtain the missing data.

3. Broadcast, on the LAA frequency, the new airport AFIS phonetic alphabet identifier after each new recording.

4. After establishing two-way radio communication, if the pilot does not state that he/she has the current AFIS code, the specialist shall either:

(a) Use LAA procedures to issue pertinent AFIS information, or

(b) Advise the pilot to return to the AFIS frequency.

Specialists shall provide LAA information when the AFIS is not available.

5. At the discretion of the supervisor/controller-in-charge, AFIS broadcasts may be suspended within specified time periods. During these periods, the AFIS shall contain a brief statement the AFIS is suspended for the specified time and pilots should contact the FSS for LAA.

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PHRASEOLOGY-
“(Airport name) FLIGHT INFORMATION BROADCASTS ARE SUSPENDED UNTIL (time). CONTACT (facility name) RADIO ON (frequency) FOR AIRPORT INFORMATION.”

6. Part-time and seasonal facilities shall record a message with the appropriate frequency and facility contact information as well as known information regarding resumption of FSS LAA.

PHRASEOLOGY-
“(Name of FSS) HOURS OF OPERATION ARE (time) LOCAL TIME TO (time) LOCAL TIME. THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY IS (frequency). PILOT CONTROLLED LIGHTING IS AVAILABLE ON (frequency). FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT (name of AFSS) ON (frequency).”

“(Name of FSS) IS CLOSED FOR THE WINTER SEASON. THE COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY IS (frequency). PILOT CONTROLLED LIGHTING IS AVAILABLE ON (frequency). FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT (name of AFSS) ON (frequency).”

7. In the event of an AFIS equipment failure, the supervisor/controller-in-charge shall make an entry in the Daily Record of Facility Operation, FAA Form 7230-4; notify the appropriate Technical Operations personnel; issue a NOTAM; and resume LAA.

8. Use the following format and include the following in AFIS broadcast as appropriate:

(a) (Airport/facility name) airport information.

(b) Phonetic alphabet designator.

(c) Special routing procedures in effect (when appropriate for the Ketchikan (KTN) area).

(d) Time of the AFIS preparation (UTC) followed by the word, “ZULU.”

(e) Weather information consisting of: Wind, visibility, present weather (obstructions to visibility), sky condition, temperature, dew point, altimeter, pertinent remarks included in the official weather observation. The ceiling/sky condition, visibility, and obstructions to vision may be omitted if the ceiling is above 5,000 feet and the visibility is more than 5 miles.

EXAMPLE-
“The weather is better than five thousand and five.”

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(f) Favored runway and additional local information, as required.

(g) NOTAMs concerning local NAVAIDs and field conditions pertinent to flight.

EXAMPLE-
“Notice to Airmen, Iliamna NDB out of service.”
“Transcribed weather broadcast out of service.”

(h) Runway breaking action or friction reports when provided. Include the time of the report and a word describing the cause of the runway friction problem.

PHRASEOLOGY-
“RUNWAY (number) MU (first value, second value, third value) AT (time), (cause).”

REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7110.10, Para 4-4-2, LAA/RAIS/RAA Elements and Phraseology.

(i) Low Level Wind shear (LLWS) advisory, including those contained in the terminal forecast and in pilot reports. (Include pilot report information at least 20 minutes following the report).

EXAMPLE-
“Low level wind shear is forecast.”

(j) Unauthorized Laser Illumination Events. When a laser event is reported, include reported unauthorized laser illumination events on the AFIS broadcast for one hour following the last report. Include the time, location, altitude, color, and direction of the laser as reported by the pilot.

PHRASEOLOGY-
“UNAUTHORIZED LASER ILLUMINATION EVENT, (UTC time), (location), (altitude), (color), (direction).”

EXAMPLE-
“Unauthorized laser illumination event at zero one zero zero Zulu, eight-mile final runway one eight at three thousand feet, green laser from the southwest.”

(k) Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS) alert and advisory. Specify the nature and location of threat or incident, whether reported or observed and by whom, time (if known), and notification to pilots to advise ATC if they need to divert.

PHRASEOLOGY-
“MANPADS ALERT. EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION. MANPADS THREAT/ATTACK/POST-EVENT ACTIVITY OBSERVED/REPORTED BY (reporting agency) (location) AT (time, if known). (When transmitting to an individual aircraft) ADVISE ON INITIAL CONTACT IF YOU WANT TO DIVERT.”

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EXAMPLE-
“MANPADS alert. Exercise extreme caution. MANPADS threat reported by TSA, Anchorage area. Advise on initial contact if you want to divert.”

“MANPADS alert. Exercise extreme caution. MANPADS attack observed by flight service station one-half mile northwest of airfield at one-two-five-zero Zulu. Advise on initial contact if you want to divert.”

NOTE-
1. Upon receiving or observing an unauthorized MANPADS alert/advisory, contact the Alaska Flight Service Information Area Group through the Alaskan Region Regional Operations Center (ROC).

2. Continue broadcasting the MANPADS alert/advisory until advised by national headquarters the threat is no longer present. Coordination may be through Alaska Flight Service Information Area Group or the Alaskan Region ROC.

REFERENCE-
FAAO JO 7210.3, Para 2-1-9, Handling MANPADS Incidents.

(l) Any other advisories applicable to the area covered by the FSS LAA.

(m) Local frequency advisory.

PHRASEOLOGY-
“CONTACT (facility name) RADIO ON (frequency) FOR TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.”

(n) Instructions for the pilot to acknowledge receipt of the FSS AFIS message on initial contact.

EXAMPLE-
“Dillingham airport information ALFA. One six five five Zulu. Wind one three zero at eight; visibility one five; ceiling four thousand overcast; temperature four, dew point three; altimeter two niner niner zero. Favored runway one niner. Notice to Airmen, Dillingham V-O-R out of service. Contact Dillingham Radio on one two three point six for traffic advisories. Advise on initial contact you have ALFA.”

“Kotzebue information ALFA. One six five five Zulu. Wind, two one zero at five; visibility two, fog; ceiling one hundred overcast; temperature minus one two, dew point minus one four; altimeter three one zero five. Altimeter in excess of three one zero zero, high pressure altimeter setting procedures are in effect. Favored runway two six. Weather in Kotzebue surface area is below V-F-R minima - an ATC clearance is required. Contact Kotzebue Radio on one two three point six for traffic advisories and advise intentions. Notice to Airmen, Hotham NDB out of service. Transcribed Weather Broadcast out of service. Advise on initial contact you have ALFA.”

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6-2-3. ALASKA SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS

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All flight plans, departures (including intermediate departures) or arrivals, on an FAA aircraft, will be given normal distribution plus PANCYAYI whether VFR or IFR.

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EXAMPLE-
AISR
FF PANCYAYI
DTG PAENYFYX
N123 D1345

AISR
FF PANCYAYI
DTG PAENYFYX
N123 ENA A1345 ANC

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6-2-4 and 6-2-5

Renumbered 6-2-3 and 6-2-4